jmd8800

On 11/9/2023 at 1:37 PM, gamb00ler said:

Most banks have a smartphone app.  Have you tried using that to initiate an ACH transfer to Wise?  Sometimes the app can do things that aren't available on a browser.

The mobile phone app requires an American based, non-VOIP number. I cannot use the app on my Thai telephone number.

14 hours ago, fceligoj said:

 

2.  Not sure why you don't just have your retirement payment direct deposited into a US bank like Chase or other large institutions (that do not get bought out by bigger banks.)

 

 

I already do this with USBank. They have changed their protocol and will no longer allow me to transfer money to Wise from the web browser. I can, however, request that Wise withdraw money from that account at USBank. 3 months ago that request was filled almost instantly and now it takes 3-4 days.

It appears that different banks have different protocols for handling various transactions. The goalposts are always moving.

I am trying to find at least 2 ways to transfer money in case one fails.

Thanks for all of the replies!!

7 hours ago, Crazy Noobie said:

I have my pension & Social Security checks automatic deposited into my Chase Bank. I do not have a phone app. I just sign into the Chase Bank website with my laptop and click on global transfer and wire money to my Bangkok Bank account every month. No OTP needed. It's a flat fee of $40 and the banks use the "swift" system. The money arrives into my Bangkok Bank account within 24 hours or less. I have been doing it this way for over 13 years and never a problem.  I also pay all of my USA bills from the same Chase Bank website. Everything very simple & easy.

Chase sounds like the answer for me. As you describe I would be able to transfer via wire to Bangkok Bank should Wise be unavailable for some reason. Another poster has had success as well. Thanks

15 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I opened a checking account with Chase while I was visiting the US about five years ago and have only a Thai address and phone number. I have my company pension transferred to this account each month and use this account to pay my children's tuition at university and make other payments in the US. After opening the account, Chase sent the debit card and box of checks by courier to me at my home in Bangkok. The checks have my Thai address printed on them.

 

I don't think Chase supports IACH, but I can make wire transfers to Thailand and domestic ACH transfers from the account. 

 

I have the Chase mobile app on my phone with my Thai phone number and it works without problem. I can also use a web browser on my computer to log into my account and make transfers. If I make a payment with my debit card that gets flagged by Chase security, I receive an email asking for confirmation and the payment then gets re-submitted and is processed successfully.

 

So far, so good. I hope it lasts.  Good luck.

Ahh this is music to my ears. Thanks

3 hours ago, kawikasudo said:

While in Hawaii Bangkok bank New York wouldn’t let me do a domestic transfer to an account number which is linked to my Bangkok Bank Pattaya. I’m back in Pattaya and have Wise.com take from my American Savings Bank in Hawaii right to my Bangkok Bank in Pattaya showing an international transfer every time. I have no problems. Make sure when they ask for the reason you scroll down to where it says for long term stay in Thailand.

This is actually what I do now though where it was transferred from USBank to Wise instantly it now takes 4 days. Then of course the Wise transfer to Bangkok Bank is usually the next business day so it comes in as FTT.

With USBank requiring a standard mobile operator phone number, I am down to one way to transfer money to Thailand for Immigration reasons. I am one who likes to have a few different methods of transferring money in case of changes in the systems.

3 hours ago, timendres said:

I use wire transfers, from Capital One and from my little credit union in Ann Arbor MI.

Both can be done online easily, fees are reasonable, and the spreads are acceptable.

I gave up on IACH after several banks indicated they will not support it until forced by regulation.

The problem for me is that I cannot transfer money from USBank (where my retirement checks go) to Capital One without having an acceptable US based number on file with USBank. Same with transferring from USBank to Wise. They both used to work until last September.

2 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

I use Chase bank.  You can do domestic transfers through Bangkok Bank NY or wire transfers direct to Thailand. I have credit card and checking and savings through them using my Thailand address with no problems. So far, I have not been asked for OTP.   I am not sure about all your other questions. 

Do you use your web browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox etc) to log in to your accounts? I don't care about banking apps on my phone. What you describe is what I am looking for if you can do this without having to have a number that accepts OTPs.

I could log in to USBank on my computer in a web browser and make transfers to external accounts like Bangkok Bank NY until last month when USBank started requiring OTPs.

First .... I'm not sure this is the right forum but here goes. My retirement extensions are based on monthly transfers. I will be making a trip to the USA in the near future and I'll have plenty of time to set up whatever I need.

I am looking for a bank or credit union in the USA that has the necessary format (IACH ?) to make deposits into Bangkok Bank New York. My previous bank was gobbled up by USBank and as far as I can tell USBank does not offer IACH to Thai banks.

This need is coming about because banks in the USA are beginning to refuse to send OTP to a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). I am using Line2 for incoming SMS and both Capital One and USBank refuse to use the MVNO number.

USBank has also stopped allowing me to transfer money from my USBank account to external accounts because I don't have a non-MVNO phone number to receive texts.  Another option is to get a non-NVMO number but I think I'll have to do that when I return to the USA.

Since I presently do transfers by Wise I could have retirement checks directly deposited into WIse but I see both retirement funds need cancelled checks to make this change.

I am not a veteran so I cannot use banks like USAA. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Thanks!!

I'll be in VN for a few weeks in April. I would like to take a side trip to Da Lat. Are there some areas that are ex-pat friendly and interesting that I should visit or stay? Any hotel recommendations? I like hotels with character as opposed to an upscale style. Restaurants?

How about transportation around the city. In Da Nang it is easy to find taxis. Does Grab operate in Da Lat?

I'm older white guy (67) and I don't drink so I won't be cruising the night life. I'm traveling alone.

Can US citizens get a visa on arrival now?

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

It was on mine (2021).  Line for for city clearly stated if foreign fill out line below asking for country/province/foreign postal code.  But mine was done online so maybe the form you used was different?  Mine was the 1040SR by OLT.

 

As for what to use suspect either fine - AFAIK CA will require state tax regardless.

Did you fill in both a USA address and one for Thailand?

Yes California wants money too!! A retired IRS person I know told me 20 years ago that CA Franchise Tax Board is more brutal to deal with than the IRS if you can believe it. I

A little off topic but 2022 IRS tax forms none the less. There is a new line in the address area for including a foreign residence. Country, province and postal code. Last year (2021) this foreign address wasn't on the form 1040-SR.

Previous years an accountant did the taxes. This year I'm doing them.

I maintain an address in California and this is what I've always used even though I'm in Thailand all year.

What are people doing with this? Fill in? Leave it blank? I don't have enough money in Thai banks to require filling out an FBAR. My guess is they already know I have bank accounts here as I filled out a mountain of paperwork to open them.

Edit: I am doing the paper form. Not online applications.

1 hour ago, Genmai said:

Thanks, I hadn't actually considered this since it's pretty normal in my home country. Will be more careful about that. Anything else that comes to mind?

There was a long thread on Reddit about meeting people in Thailand. The gist of it was that most Thais make their friends in high school, university and or first job and these friendships generally last a lifetime. And they generally don't move to different areas change or jobs so there is little need to make new friends . All throughout that thread were posts from Thai people saying they find it difficult to just strike up conversations with strangers.

I have found Chiang Mai cold in this regard. I think the north doesn't care much for outsiders. That includes Thais from other regions not just foreigners. I do think this aspect of Thai culture is changing but not very fast.

At the end of the day it all depends on whether what you are looking for matches what they are looking for. Unfortunately, it seems there isn't much of a chance to communicate each others needs and wants unless it involves upfront money. Money is often times the elixir that buys you another few hours or days to explore.

Or, you have a hobby of some sort of interest that brings you into contact with Thais.

I've lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and I think about moving to another region every once in a while, mostly for this reason.

Wow.. thanks for the fast replies.

In the USA there is AAA. A paid for service that helps a stranded motorist (and much more) for a yearly fee. Is there anything like this for Thailand?

I am thinking of doing some traveling by myself around Thailand and I do not speak the language so if the car breaks in the middle of Nakhon Nowhere I would not know who to call.

This type of service comes free with new cars from Honda and Suzuki and I'd guess the others do as well.

TIA

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

At this time you would only need the $20,000 covid 19 insurance valid for 30 days needed to apply for a Thailand Pass.

 

Thanks!

I am planning a trip back to the USA and I am wondering what the insurance requirements will be upon my return. I do understand things change in a New York minute as this is Thailand. I am not sure of the dates yet but it could be as soon as mid April or as late as September. My O expires in late October and I will be getting a re-entry permit.

TIA

I opened a multi currency account on Sunday night.  I hope it is multi currency it did not say so. For expediency I pulled $20 into the account. Then I transferred it to "myself" .. i.e the myself profile on file. This profile has my address in the USA. I added the Bangkok Bank NY routing number and my Bangkok Bank account number and sent the $20. Today the money arrived in Bangkok Bank marked international transfer.

I may switch the Bangkok Bank account listed under myself to another recipient as I can see myself screwing up and selecting the wrong account in the future.

Thanks for all the info this thread has provided. While both ways for me to transfer money to Thailand that satisfies Immigration use Wise, I have more choices now in case one goes south.

12 hours ago, Pib said:

I prefer to push the money to my multicurrency acct, but you can also have Wise pull it for a small fee also. 

 

Usually U.S. banks do not charge anything to push or pull money (but a few of the more fee-evil ones like BOA do charge a small fee).   If letting Wise do an ACH pull then their fee to pull $2,100 would be $3.36...small, but still a fee. 

 

When I push money to Wise via ACH it arrives within one or two business days....how fast your U.S. bank pushes out ACH transfers will be a big factor in how fast the money arrives.   If a person was doing a monthly transfer from Wise to Thailand, they could setup an "automatic" ACH push for X-amount from their U.S. bank....and also setup a Wise "scheduled transfer (i.e., automatic transfer)." 

 

You can setup a reoccurring scheduled transfer buy using your muliticurrency acct balance.   Like say you automatically ACH push $2,100 from you U.S. bank to your Wise multicurrency acct say on the 7th of every month....it takes a day or two to post to Wise...and then say on the 14th of each month the scheduled (automatic) Wise transfer to Thailand occurs....it arrives in a few business days.  And then you Wise multicurrency acct balance is down to a low level.

 

And by the way, Wise sending fees are approx 30% lower when you fund a transfer from your multicurrency acct balance....basically you no longer incur their normal Bank Debit (ACH Pull) fee.

 

Yeap...activating a mulicurrency acct is a good thing....gives you more sending options and lower fees.  But keep in mind a Wise multicurrency acct does not provide any deposit insurance like the $250K FDIC deposit insurance when your money is in a U.S. bank acct.   A Wise multicurrency acct is "like" a bank acct but it's not a real bank acct.  Personally, I would only use a Wise mulicurrency acct for short term deposit of money to fund transfers but it can be used for other things like an acct for people to pay you money.   

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. This would be a back up plan and no I'm not likely to keep any money there.

With this good news I should open a multi currency account on my existing Wise account as backup. @Pib I remember you commenting on push versus pull with the multi currency account. Which was the better protocol? My banking is in the USA.

1 hour ago, Pib said:

So, did it arrive with FTT coding?

Online banking shows "International Transfer". I have not updated my passbook yet but that really is not important.

Before people go jumping off the deep end they need to remember that Wise support flagged my individual account to go through Bangkok Bank after the problem started. This transfer was not necessarily a foreign transaction because I selected 'funds for long stay in Thailand'. In fact as @Pib has pointed out, having your account flagged to go to Bangkok Bank as FTT might become a problem if you need an instant transfer of funds.

I have other ways to obtain instant cash in Thailand so for me this is not a problem. I use the Bangkok Bank account for transfers in and out of Thailand and to hold larger balances. I have a secondary bank account that I use for ATM withdrawals and online shopping and I keep a low balance in that account. Everyone has their own way of organizing their finances. One size does not fit all.

We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next week or so. I'm still of the mind that this is a computer problem Wise is having. Fixing a systemic problem in a large global computer network is not always easy.

Also note: The account I am depositing into is Bangkok Bank. If you flag the Wise account to go to Bangkok Bank and the last leg of the transfer is to K-Bank or SCB and others it will likely show as domestic.