treetops

2 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

Does it state they will?

It doesn't because Santander doesn't have such a policy.  As above, they may close any accounts for a variety of reasons, including those of non-UK residents, but being non-resident won't be the reason.

3 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

They are certainly failing to provide what many would regard as a reasonable standard of service. Other pension funds offer conversion of currencies and agree to make transfers to foreign banks. 

Agreed, but another option may be to find another pension provider which more suits the expat's needs, although that may be easier said than done.

2 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

That HAS to be discrimination. The Trustees need a good reporting! If you no longer have ties with UK what are you supposed to do?

I don't think "expats" is a group where it's not allowed to discriminate against like religions, races etc.

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The OP's question was about banks that will not close the accounts of non-UK residents.  Santander certainly does not document that they will keep non-UK residents' accounts open.

You're misinterpreting this somehow:

They may close it while you're abroad (as they can do with any account) but not because you're abroad.

3 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Halifax and Santander. Santander will send renewed/replacement cards to Thailand. Unfortunately, Halifax won't.

Was just about to say Santander.  It's documented on their site:

https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/customer-support/moving-abroad

On 2/16/2023 at 10:04 AM, scubascuba3 said:

I just checked my Kasikorn transfer for yesterday and it says Wise but no reference to International as expected

Kasikorn should mark international transfers as "Trade Finance Deposit" according to Wise.  Do you see that?

Yes, they're the correct websites.

Watch out for DCC if you use a non Thai card for payment.

On 2/13/2023 at 5:33 AM, Finlaco said:

As it was my first 90-day report it has to be done in person.

Is that still the case?  I know it's not for the Jomtien office and the online system can be used.

On 2/14/2023 at 11:40 AM, Stocky said:

$10 strewth what's the big deal?

 

I see the UK's Air Passenger Duty for flights departing the UK will, from 1st April 2023, be £200 for the new Band C, that's flights over 5,500 miles.

 

Now that IS a big deal.

£15 increase.  The price of Business Class tickets now is such that you'll hardly notice a £15 increase in the taxes.

On 2/14/2023 at 8:59 AM, jingjai9 said:

I contacted Bell Travel Service and they told me:

"I am sorry we don't have a transfer service from Donmuang to Huahinnor Pattaya these days.

 

Sorry for any inconvenience."

 

Are there any other travel companies that anyone here knows about?

That's Thai thinking for you.  They have a bus from DMK to BKK and one from BKK to Hua Hin, but not one from DMK to Hua Hin.

The regular shuttle btween airports however is only supposed to be for those holding airline tickets IIRC, but there may be ways round that, if the service mentiond by thaitot is not running.

The flattened beer bars from Made in Thailand are to be replaced with beer bars!

The Tesco that replaced some of the Buakhao facing beer bars in R-Con Plaza has been replaced by beer bars!

1 hour ago, sleepy99 said:

I am considering switching my bank from Bangkok Bank to Kasikorn Bank.

I usually use WISE to transfer around 3000 USD per transaction.

How long does this amount usually takes to arrive in Kasikorn Bank?

I've just posted in your other thread that there's a 100,000 THB cut off point from it being almost immediate to it taking the long route.  My example there showed it being initiated in GBP but the same seems true for USD.  I have no personal experience of Kasikorn.

3 hours ago, sleepy99 said:

Yes anytghing over 50k and it get's regulated to the 2pm processing time. I am considering switching to Kasikorn bank, I heard that even with high amounts such as 120k it still arrives instantly. 

The previous 50,000 baht limit you mention has been increased to 100,000 baht I believe.  Screenshots attached support that:

8 hours ago, keithcresswell said:

Strange. And this month was the first time my transfer from Wise arrived at 1403 the same day! Normally its the following day.

Were you perhaps a bit earlier in initiating the transaction this time round?  There's a cut off time (about 8:30am ish I think) that  if you start it before then it's 2:00pm ish the same day, after that it's 2:00pm ish the next (working) day, if everything goes smoothly.

10 minutes ago, billd766 said:

It got there around the normal time and I sent the transfer as normal.

 

The problem is at the Thai end, and I don't know if it is a BBK bank problem, (they say no), a Wise problem or an internet banking problem.

I would say definitely a Wise problem.

For me, their (Wise') email time stamp ties in (within 10 minutes) of the time received in BBL going by my BBL statement.  All the delay was prior to that.

As you have funded from your Wise balance and me from a UK bank transfer we can probably rule out how Wise got their money, so the only thing left is internal issues at Wise.

4 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I made a transfer last night from Wise account  to my BB account - I don't have on line banking & just assumed it was there today ??

I didn't check today but after reading this, I'll go & check my account in the next 30 minutes to see if it's there or not

I normally receive an email with Subject "Transfer Sent" from Wise.  This was delayed in my example above, but if you've received the email I think you'll be OK.

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I do not think the DWP will pay in anything but GBP, and not much of it either!

You need to get a GBP cushion in your Wise GBP account, and convert to THB as and when you think 'the time (rate) is right'.

Then do your monthly transfer to your Thai bank, preferably one of their Partner banks, leaving time and money in advance. 

That's what I would have expected which would mean billd766 was actually financing his transfer from a Wise balance, different from my experience.  Next we would need to know whether the state pension got to Wise at the "usual" time or if it was delayed.

18 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Mine was the first of 3 this month and was funded by my UK State pension.

 

AFAIK the transfer went through as normal on Friday evening Thai time and should have been in my BBK account around 2pm this afternoon.

Does this mean the the UK pension is sent to your Wise account and once you see it's there you initiate a transfer in THB to your Thai account, or does it come stright through to your Thai account?  Sorry, I'm not familiar with UK State pension via Wise payment procedures or options.

Can those experiencing delays also mention whether they are being funded from a Wise balance or from a bank transfer, and from which country as that may help discover the root of the problem.  Also the amount involved if desired, or at least an indicator.

I experienced a couple of hours delay a few days ago on what would normally be expected as an almost instantaneous transfer.  Funded from a UK bank faster payment which Wise did not acknowledge receipt of for 2 hours when normally it's immediately acknowledged and the funds paid out to BBL within seconds.  Low value transfer (< 50,000 baht).

Try Bolt.

On 2/11/2023 at 12:16 PM, Leaver said:

Is this not a cost or "fee" to the card holder, for doing the transaction?

No, as already explained.  Stop making things up.

1 hour ago, Longwood50 said:

I have Googled Thai Bank branches and franchises. Nothing suggests they are independent entities

Don't rely on Google and don't suggest independent entities as that's not accurate either.  They are certainly left to their own devices on a wide range of activities, as you've found out and as has been reported on here many times.

Franchises (as we know them) might not be the right word either but there is a great deal of self containment which is a different business model to western banks.

As with banks, franchises may not be setup the same in Thailand as they are in your home country. ????

Whatever you want to call it, bank branches are set up/ran semi-independently from the bank itself.  You have discovered this in being dealt with differently at different branches.

Of course there are (lots of) areas where they must conform to the parents' rules but they have a lot of self autonomy too.

54 minutes ago, Longwood50 said:

I seriously doubt that.  What is your source for that.  

Branch setup and running is well discussed on here and you can see their stand at the annual Thai Franchise and Business Opportunities Exhibition at BITEC, Bangkok.

As before, forget about how banks are set up and run in your home country.  You're now dealing with a different beast.