A Thai bank account is one of the first practical steps for anyone settling on Koh Chang. Here's the honest picture: which bank branches actually still operate on the island, the documents you need by visa status, island ATM coverage, and how currency exchange and cross-border money transfers work.
Koh Chang's banking scene has thinned out since the pandemic, and sources on exactly which branches remain open disagree — this guide flags that honestly rather than guessing. Krung Thai Bank in White Sand Beach is the branch most reliably confirmed still operating as a full-service counter today. The Government Savings Bank (Klong Prao) and BAAC (Klong Son) run currency-exchange counters rather than full new-account services. Older listings mention other national banks around White Sand Beach and Chai Chet, but treat those as unconfirmed until you call ahead. Many long-stayers simply open their first account in Trat town on the mainland, which has the full spread of major banks, then bank day-to-day on the island via ATM, PromptPay and mobile banking. Bring your passport, visa or extension stamp, and proof of address — a lease and TM30, or a Certificate of Residence, which Koh Chang's own Klong Prao immigration office has been able to issue locally since 2024.
Krung Thai Bank's branch in White Sand Beach, opposite the mini Pattaya bar zone, is the last standard high-street bank branch confirmed still operating on Koh Chang as of the most recently updated island guides, open weekdays 08:30-16:30. Several other national banks that once kept counters on the island have scaled back or closed since the pandemic, so this is the most dependable first stop for passbook and debit-card business.
GSB runs a currency-exchange counter in Klong Prao, opposite the first big 7-Eleven just before the temple, open roughly 09:00-16:00. It's a straightforward option for changing cash but isn't set up the same way a full commercial-bank branch is for opening a new foreigner account.
BAAC keeps an exchange counter in Klong Son, near the island's main car-ferry piers — useful if you're arriving by ferry and need cash on landing, though like GSB it's oriented toward currency exchange rather than opening new foreign accounts.
Older island directories also list a Siam Commercial Bank presence in Chai Chet near VJ Plaza, plus historic branches or counters for Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank and TMB around White Sand Beach. Multiple post-pandemic sources report several of these have since closed or reduced to ATM-only presence, and listings conflict on exactly which are still staffed — call ahead or check the bank's own branch locator before making a special trip for anything beyond an ATM withdrawal.
Because only one full commercial-bank branch reliably remains open on the island itself, many long-stayers open their first Thai account on the mainland in Trat town, which has the full spread of major banks, then handle day-to-day banking, ATM withdrawals and currency exchange back on Koh Chang. If you'd rather not take the ferry, Krung Thai's White Sand Beach branch is the one to try first.
Every Thai bank asks for broadly the same package from a foreign applicant: your passport, the visa or extension-of-stay stamp showing your permitted length of stay, and proof of a Thai address — typically a signed lease plus your landlord's TM30 receipt, or a Certificate of Residence from Immigration. Since 2024, Koh Chang's own immigration office in Klong Prao can issue that certificate locally, saving a trip to Trat.
Long-term visa holders should bring their passport, the current visa or extension stamp, and address proof — a lease plus TM30, or a Certificate of Residence from the Klong Prao immigration office. Requirements are set branch by branch rather than nationally, so paperwork accepted at one counter may be asked to be supplemented at another — call ahead.
Where an account is approved, opening deposits are typically small — a few hundred baht — and you'll usually leave with a passbook, debit card and mobile banking activated the same day. Always apply in person — no Thai bank opens a full resident account for a foreigner online — and expect island branches to be busier through the November-April high season.
Once you have an account, day-to-day spending runs through the bank's app and PromptPay, Thailand's instant transfer system tied to your Thai mobile number. PromptPay QR codes are increasingly accepted at 7-Elevens, supermarkets and larger restaurants across White Sand Beach, Klong Prao and Kai Bae, with transfers between Thai accounts instant and free or near-free.
24-hour ATMs are available at both car-ferry piers and in Klong Son, White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, Kai Bae and Bang Bao, plus one at the police station in Dan Mai on the quieter east coast. Bang Bao, Salak Khok and Chek Bae have little to no ATM coverage, so plan cash ahead if you're heading to those areas — and Koh Chang's satellite islands (Koh Wai, Koh Mak, Koh Kood) have no ATMs of their own at all. Foreign-card withdrawals carry the standard 220-baht Thai ATM surcharge on top of whatever your home bank charges.
Currency-exchange kiosks operate roughly 12 hours a day, seven days a week, in the main beach areas, usually attached to a bank branch — GSB in Klong Prao and BAAC in Klong Son both run one. Banks buy US dollars readily but are reluctant to sell them, so if you need dollars for a Cambodia border run, ask around at shops and resorts near you or change money in Trat before you travel.
Wise or a SWIFT transfer from your home bank are the standard ways to fund a Thai account from Koh Chang — both work online regardless of the island's ferry-only access, and Wise typically beats a bank counter's exchange rate. Trat Airport (Bangkok Airways) sits about 20 minutes from the ferry piers if you ever need to carry documents or cards in physically, but day-to-day funding doesn't require it.
Start with Krung Thai in White Sand Beach, or plan a trip to Trat town's fuller bank selection if that branch can't help. Bring more paperwork than you think you'll need — passport, visa or extension stamp, lease, TM30, and a Certificate of Residence from the Klong Prao immigration office if you have one — and call ahead, since foreigner-account policy is set branch by branch, not nationally.
Yes, though options are more limited than on bigger islands. Krung Thai Bank's White Sand Beach branch is the main surviving full-service option on the island itself, and many long-stayers instead open their first account in Trat town on the mainland, which has a fuller spread of major banks. Bring your passport, visa or extension stamp, and proof of address.
As of the most recently updated island guides, Krung Thai Bank in White Sand Beach is the last standard high-street branch confirmed still operating. The Government Savings Bank (Klong Prao) and BAAC (Klong Son) run currency-exchange counters. Older directories also list a Siam Commercial Bank presence in Chai Chet and historic Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank and TMB branches near White Sand Beach, but several have reportedly closed or scaled back post-pandemic — confirm with the specific branch before relying on it for anything beyond an ATM.
ATMs are available at both car-ferry piers and in Klong Son, White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, Kai Bae and Bang Bao, plus one at the Dan Mai police station on the east coast. Bang Bao, Salak Khok and Chek Bae have little to no coverage, and the satellite islands of Koh Wai, Koh Mak and Koh Kood have no ATMs at all — carry enough cash before heading to any of them.
Bring your passport, your current visa or extension-of-stay stamp, and proof of a Thai address — a signed lease plus your landlord's TM30 receipt, or a Certificate of Residence from Immigration. Koh Chang's own immigration office in Klong Prao has been able to issue that certificate locally since 2024, so a mainland trip usually isn't necessary.
Wise or a SWIFT transfer from your home bank are the standard ways to fund a Thai account, both handled entirely online. Once funded, PromptPay covers everyday transfers and QR payments at 7-Elevens, supermarkets and many restaurants across the main beach towns.
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
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Find a place to live near White Sand Beach or Klong Prao, then set up your banking once you have a lease and address.
Hero photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels. General information only; bank branch availability, fees and visa policies change — confirm current details with the specific branch and official sources.