When I opened my first foreign account I just walked into the bank, (which was in Hong Kong several years ago) and opened the account in person, all I needed was my passport and a local PO Box which I got through a corporate services firm.
There are a few OS banks that you can open an account via there website and send in your docs to them, have not done this myself, I have always gone to the bank or used a local registered agent to do it.
Also look at HSBC www.hsbc.com they offer accounts that you can hold foreign currency in.