Today
Explain the following text primarily based on the surrounding page content: Advanced Member 1.5k Gender:Not Telling Posted just now Every month it seems there is a problem with State Pension being late. Yes, mine was due 4 July and of course, the American Independence Day and sometimes at other times, either an English or Thai National Holiday and normally when check ATM very early on Saturday it still has not hit, Anyone else having this problem and surely ther must be a system when it is flagged. Thanks All
Here's what the message is getting at, in the context of the forum discussion:
📍 User Experience with Late State Pension Payments The post, made by a seasoned member on the ASEAN NOW forum for expats in Central Thailand, expresses growing frustration over recurring delays in receiving the UK State Pension. The member notes that these delays frequently coincide with public holidays—such as:
July 4th (U.S. Independence Day)
English or Thai national holidays
Even when checking the ATM early on the following Saturday, their pension payment often hasn’t arrived.
💬 Call for Shared Experience & Solutions The poster is reaching out to others in the expat community, asking:
Whether others are experiencing the same issue
Why there isn’t a system that automatically accounts for predictable delays (like holidays), so payments can be adjusted accordingly
🔍 Larger Context on the Forum The topic sits within a broader ongoing discussion among retirees and pensioners in Thailand, especially UK expats, who regularly use the forum to compare notes on:
Payment timing inconsistencies
How banking systems interact with UK transfers
Coping strategies when funds arrive late
It taps into a shared sense of vulnerability and the importance of reliable income for pensioners abroad.
Would you like help drafting a response to the forum—maybe to share your experience or suggest solutions others might not know?
It foes through an Americann bank?
That’s a sharp observation, John—and yes, that’s very likely part of the issue.
🇺🇸 Why American Holidays Like July 4th Cause Delays Many UK State Pension payments sent overseas—including to expats in Thailand—are processed through Citibank NA in the U.S., which acts as an intermediary. So when there's a U.S. public holiday like Independence Day, the American banking system pauses, creating knock-on delays for international transactions—even if the UK issued the payment on time.
⚙️ Here’s How the Chain Likely Works:
UK DWP releases payment (based on your set schedule).
Citibank processes it, converting it to the appropriate currency.
It then passes through local Thai banks like Krungthai or Bangkok Bank.
Finally, it hits your ATM account—often later than expected if there's a holiday in any country along that route.