From 1 November 2026, Thai Banks Must Scrutinise Branch Cash of THB5 Million or More

By Erik Lind · 31 October 2026

Bank of Thailand Notification 57/2569 takes effect on 1 November 2026. Branch cash-related deals of THB5 million or more in one day will need enhanced due diligence. What changes for retirees moving savings, and what does not.

On 26 October 2026 the Bank of Thailand (BOT) published News No. 40/2569 announcing Notification No. 57/2569 on risk management for cash-related transactions at financial institutions. From 1 November 2026, a cash-related transaction of THB5 million or more in one day, handled through a branch, is treated as high risk and triggers enhanced customer due diligence (EDD). Banks may ask for the source of funds, the purpose of the deal and supporting documents, scaled to the customer’s risk. The same press release says the rules apply only at branches and do not affect electronic channels.

Our take

This is not a new tax and it is not the airport cash-declaration rule. It is a bank compliance step aimed at grey money and fraud resilience, aligned with the Bangkok Blueprint work BOT has pushed with the IMF and World Bank Group. For most Western retirees the practical point is timing and paperwork: a same-day branch cash deposit, baht note exchange, foreign-currency cash deal, or cash payment for insurance or an investment product that reaches THB5 million will trigger enhanced checks. Bring proof of where the money came from. Wire transfers and app banking stay outside this particular branch-cash net. Do not confuse the THB5 million same-day branch threshold with Customs’ much lower airport declaration limits (see declaring cash at Thai airports).

What BOT has published

BOT News No. 40/2569 (26 October 2026), quoting Governor Vitai Ratanakorn, sets out that Notification 57/2569:

• Takes effect from 1 November 2026.
• Raises oversight of same-day cash deposits of THB5 million or more at branches, with EDD (source, purpose, supporting documents as risk requires).
• Applies only to branch transactions, not electronic services.
• Extends the same THB5 million same-day cash threshold to related branch deals, including deposits of cheques or drafts whose source is unclear, baht banknote exchanges, cash received to issue cheques or drafts, buying, selling or exchanging foreign currency, and receiving cash for insurance premiums, investment products or financial derivatives.
• Requires banks to report unusual transactions, or ones that do not match the customer’s normal pattern, to BOT.

The full Thai text is on BOT’s FIPCS system (Notification 57/2569). BOT’s accompanying Q&A makes clear that the THB5 million figure is assessed on cash-related activity aggregated within one day, including split deals that add up, and that if EDD cannot be completed the bank must not process that cash deal.

What this means for you

1. From 1 November 2026, treat large branch cash as a documented event. For a same-day cash deposit or related cash deal at or above THB5 million, take ID (passport for most foreigners), proof of source and a plain written purpose. BOT’s Q&A says that if the bank cannot complete EDD, it must not process that cash deal.
2. Electronic channels are outside this notice. BOT’s press release is explicit: branch only. Moving savings by transfer into your Thai account remains the cleaner path for most long-stayers. See your first 30 days in Thailand.
3. Keep the airport rule separate. Customs still requires a declaration when you carry foreign cash worth more than US$15,000, more than THB450,000 in baht, or combined cash above THB450,000. See declaring cash at Thai airports.
4. Retirement-visa deposits still follow Immigration rules. If you are funding a Non-Immigrant O or O-A route, the bank balance and holding periods in our retirement visa guide still apply. Prefer a transfer you can evidence over a suitcase of notes.
5. Below THB5 million is not a free-for-all. Banks already run ordinary customer due diligence. This notice raises the bar at the THB5 million same-day cash line; it does not abolish KYC below it.

If you want the living checklists we use ourselves - visas, banking, healthcare and the quiet money rules - the Thailand Long-Stay Toolkit is US$49, or US$39 with code EARLY39 until 31 Dec 2026. Survival Thai is US$9 at launch (US$12 from 1 Jan 2027). Or join the newsletter and we will flag further BOT or Customs moves when they land.

Official sources

• Bank of Thailand, News No. 40/2569: expanded oversight of cash transactions from THB5 million (26 Oct 2026)
• Bank of Thailand, News No. 40/2569 PDF (26 Oct 2026)
• Bank of Thailand, Notification No. 57/2569 on risk management for cash-related transactions (Thai)
• Nation Thailand, Bank of Thailand issues new rules on cash transactions of THB5m or more (26 Oct 2026)
• Bangkok Post, Daily cash transactions of B5m or more subject to scrutiny (26 Oct 2026)

Checked on 31 October 2026.

Source: Bank of Thailand, 26 Oct 2026

Disclaimer. This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and it does not create any adviser-client relationship. Rules change often, sometimes without notice, and officials apply them differently. Amounts and rules are correct to the best of our knowledge on the date shown. Always check the official source and talk to a qualified, licensed professional before you act. See our full Disclaimer.