Major Change Eff 1 Apr 19 in Bangkok Bank ACH Transfers

[riclag]

Just found out about BKB New York dilemma  last week! I finished reading all the comments ,so

My Etrade account has a $25 dollar Intl. wire fee and the debit card  has a foreign  currency transaction fee  of 1% .

I have been using my Bank Of America  Domestic ACH  linked to my GF's BKB and on occasion my BKB ,all through New York.

I want to start exploring different ways to get money over to Thailand that is lower than Bank of America $45 int,wire,3% foreign currency fee.

 

From some of the comments  it seems the best way is either,no transaction fee wire's(very scarce ),no fee ATM with Int. reimbursements and 0 -1% currency transaction I will be checking out  Etrade and  Transferwise with the later using my 1% Etrade debit card fee.

 

I have gone into my BBK office in Sakon Nakhon to have them help me fill in the blanks of the Int; wire form for Etrade. They provided a swift# BKKBTHBK and for their phone number a local 042-711501.

I have seen some skepticism on what swift and or ABA# to use .Do I still use BKK New York branch number or the number that Sakon gave me? Is it the same ?

 

Last,what about the receiving bank  phone number,if there was a problem Etrade would be confronted with a communication problem. The BKK bank(Sakon) CR said to use the call center's number +66026455555 to get to the English prompts.

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by riclag

[Pib]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

I have gone into my BBK office in Sakon Nakhon to have them help me fill in the blanks of the Int; wire form for Etrade. They provided a swift# BKKBTHBK and for their phone number a local 042-711501.

I have seen some skepticism on what swift and or ABA# to use .Do I still use BKK New York branch number or the number that Sakon gave me? Is it the same ?

 

Last,what about the receiving bank  phone number,if there was a problem Etrade would be confronted with a communication problem. The BKK bank(Sakon) CR said to use the call center's number +66026455555 to get to the English prompts.

 

For an "Int'l" Wire use the SWIFT code of BKKBTHBK, your account number,  and then the address/phone number of your Sakon Nakhon branch.  For the branch's phone number use 011-66-4271-1501.   Notice you drop the beginning zero in the number.

 

The ABA routing number would only be used when doing a "domestic transfer" which you are not doing.  

 

How to call Thailand

 

 

Probably your bank based on the name and phone number you gave.

[riclag]

15 minutes ago, Pib said:

For an "Int'l" Wire use the SWIFT code of BKKBTHBK, your account number,  and then the address/phone number of your Sakon Nakhon branch.  For the branch's phone number use 011-66-4271-1501.   Notice you drop the beginning zero in the number.

 

The ABA routing number would only be used when doing a "domestic transfer" which you are not doing.  

 

How to call Thailand

 

 

Probably your bank based on the name and phone number you gave.

Thanks Pib . Forgot to ask,on my Etrade Bank wire form it says currency can't be converted from a Bank account. Does that mean the US dollar will be converted by BKKB? 

[Jingthing]

Definitely not the New York info for a SWIFT wire. So that code you got was correct. Calling from outside Thailand you drop the leading zeros used in Thailand.

 

 

Does etrade know you live abroad? I use etrade 30 dollar wires as well not bad if not done frequently. They have a US address, US phone, and I login with a US Ip. The online wires are possible from their brokerage accounts but not their bank accounts. They require a reason as well. I put personal disbursement which is vague BS of course.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

[Pib]

19 minutes ago, riclag said:

Thanks Pib . Forgot to ask,on my Etrade Bank wire form it says currency can't be converted from a Bank account. Does that mean the US dollar will be converted by BKKB? 

Not sure.  Without seeing the exact wording/section of the form I'm afraid to give a definitive answer.  Just be sure they send dollars; do not let them convert the funds.  Watch out for vague/weasel words regarding currency exchange when completing the transfer form.   Let the receiving Thai bank do the currency exchange

 

 

Edit: is it below form?   If so, just be sure to enter "USD" or US Dollars in the Wire Currency Block which means you are instructing them to send USD (i.e, do not convert/exchange funds on their end).  And yea, they are just saying money sent from a Etrade bank account can't be converted....but I guess if maybe sending from an Etrade brokerage account they could do a currency conversion.    Anyway, the key is to enter USD in the Wire Currency block which means send U.S. dollars. 

 

https://content.etrade.com/etrade/customer/bank/WireTransferForm.pdf

 

And notice the form also says if you do allow them to send in another currency then there is an additional fee of 2.25% (i.e., the exchange rate will be around 2.25% lower than the Thai bank TT Buying Rate).

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by Pib

[riclag]

14 minutes ago, Pib said:

Not sure.  Without seeing the exact wording/section of the form I'm afraid to give a definitive answer.  Just be sure they send dollars; do not let them convert the funds.  Watch out for vague/weasel words regarding currency exchange when completing the transfer form.   Let the receiving Thai bank do the currency exchange.

[Pib]

Enter USD in the Wire Currency block....see my earlier post.

[Jingthing]

It's much more convenient to use the online SWIFT service on etrade BROKERAGE accounts. I reckon most etrade bank customers have brokerage accounts as well.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Jingthing

[Pib]

Today I visited my Bangkok Bank branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building on Silom Rd in Bangkok regarding a general banking issue.  After I got that issue resolved I went up to the 2nd floor and talked to the HQ section that deals with receiving U.S. govt payments and various other global payment activities where I wanted to get more info on the Bangkok Bank policy change regarding IAT.  Talked to Mrs Supatra Phetchai....very nice, smart and professional lady.  

 

Khun Supatra gave me a hot-off-the-press copy of a 1 Oct 18 Bangkok Bank letter (attached) that will be given to people who received U.S. govt payments such as social security, military retirement, civil service retirement, VA payments....just any U.S. govt payment.

 

The letter is suppose to be given to people with Bangkok Bank "Direct Deposit" accounts used for U.S. govt payments when they visit a branch to make a withdrawal. No indication the letter would be mailed out.  And apparently a memo has been (or soon will be sent) to all Bangkok Bank branches informing branch personal how to check to see if your U.S. govt payment is arriving in the soon to be required IAT format if you decide to go in and ask.

 

The branch can pull a detailed transaction report on your latest payment to Bangkok Bank to determine if IAT format was  used.  A payment received in IAT format will show the full name and address of the sending agency and  also show your full name and address here in Thailand along with having a "SEC code of IAT" in the lower right hand of the report.  If it has the IAT code you are good to go.  If it has the PPD code your payment will be rejected effective 1 Apr 19.

 

If the detailed reported shows a "SEC code of PPD" that means it was not transmitted in the required IAT format and it will also not have detailed info on the sender and receiver such as not having your in-Thailand address. 

 

If it's not in the IAT format the letter states you must contact the govt agency making the payment to get your payment transmitted in IAT format otherwise come 1 Apr 19 the payment will be rejected. 

 

Once again IAT stands for "International ACH Transaction".... and PPD stands for "Prearranged Payment & Deposit" which some people also refer to as Domestic ACH format used for transmitting funds to U.S. banks when the funds are to stay in the U.S....not be relayed on to another country.  IAT format is a more detailed payment transmission format; PPD format is an abbreviated payment transaction format.   "And remember, it's the U.S. Treasury driving this IAT requirement; Bangkok Bank is just complying with the U.S. govt requirement.   And Bangkok Bank can not change to the correct format; only the U.S govt agency making the payment can do that."

 

From looking at a social security payment made to a family member it's being rec'd in PPD format' not IAT which is in sync with what Bangkok Bank "New York" branch told me about a month ago.    I was also shown a variety of redacted reports made to other folks (i.e., redacted of any any personal info....pretty much just whether IAT or PPD format was used like the correct SEC of IAT).    One report was a payment from OPM (civil service retirement)...it was in IAT format.  One payment from DFAS (mil retirement)...it was "not" in IAT format but in PPD format.  One report from VA...it was not in IAT format but in PPD format.  One report for SSA...it was in IAT format.  Yes, some folks SSA payments are arriving in IAT format and others are not.

 

The section already has a preliminary list of folks in Thailand receiving U.S. govt payments and whether they are in IAT format or not.   And number of names on the preliminary list is in the "thousands" considering all the various folks in Thailand receiving social security, military retirement, civil service, VA, etc., type payments. 

 

I know if a person contacts Bangkok Bank "New York" they may be told "all" social security payments are already in IAT format...apparently that is their scripted response now...but it's an inaccurate answer and they know it.  However, when I contacted them around a month ago they didn't tell me that...they said around 70% of Social Security payments are in IAT format but my family member payment was not one of them.  How accurate that 70% estimate was I don't know...it might have been close....I might have been a wild guess.  And that estimate was for social security payments only; not other types of U.S. govt payments.   But I do know after my visit to Bangkok Bank today I know there are thousands receiving U.S. govt payments that will be in for a surprise come 1 Apr 19.

 

Bangkok Bank 1 Oct 18 Letter 

Bkk Bk 1Oct18 memo.pdf

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but the above letter from BKK Bank strikes me as just the latest example of them being totally disingenuous on this entire subject.

 

The last part of the above letter makes it sound/seem like individual recipients here somehow can just call up the entity sending money to them, give those entities the recipients' requested Thailand details, and then suddenly those entities future payments will somehow be sent in the required IAT format.

 

What that notion is missing, I'm afraid, is the problem that these typically are large sending entities and it will probably require any of them that are not already IAT compliant to considerably re-configure their payment / IS systems to deal with types of information for "some" of their payees that they've never had to deal with before. And likewise, that notion assumes that the U.S. paying entities are going to be willing to make those kinds of changes for what may be a very small portion (Thai BKKB/NY branch direct deposit recipients) of their payees.

 

The latest missive very much reminds me of BKK Bank's original guidance when this issue first surfaced that its American direct deposit customers via the New York branch should just contact their U.S. bank about sending future payments in the IAT format. When everyone here pretty much knew from that outset that virtually no major U.S. bank or C.U. makes available IAT ACH transfers to its retail customers. That that advice from BKKB was pointless and useless, and I'm pretty certain they well knew that all along.

 

In the original case, BKKB was pointing its NY Branch direct deposit customers down what invariably was going to become a fruitless endeavor. And I'm afraid this latest advise telling recipients to contact their paying entity and get them to suddenly start including all the required IAT information fields in future payments is probably going to prove similar, at least for those paying entities that aren't already IAT compliant.

 

[marcusarelus]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but the above letter from BKK Bank strikes me as just the latest example of them being totally disingenuous on this entire subject.

 

The last part of the above letter makes it sound/seem like individual recipients here somehow can just call up the entity sending money to them, give those entities the recipients' requested Thailand details, and then suddenly those entities future payments will somehow be sent in the required IAT format.

 

What that notion is missing, I'm afraid, is the problem that these typically are large sending entities and it will probably require any of them that are not already IAT compliant to considerably re-configure their payment / IS systems to deal with types of information for "some" of their payees that they've never had to deal with before. And likewise, that notion assumes that the U.S. paying entities are going to be willing to make those kinds of changes for what may be a very small portion (Thai BKKB/NY branch direct deposit recipients) of their payees.

 

The latest missive very much reminds me of BKK Bank's original guidance when this issue first surfaced that its American direct deposit customers via the New York branch should just contact their U.S. bank about sending future payments in the IAT format. When everyone here pretty much knew from that outset that virtually no major U.S. bank or C.U. makes available IAT ACH transfers to its retail customers. That that advice from BKKB was pointless and useless, and I'm pretty certain they well knew that all along.

 

In the original case, BKKB was pointing its NY Branch direct deposit customers down what invariably was going to become a fruitless endeavor. And I'm afraid this latest advise telling recipients to contact their paying entity and get them to suddenly start including all the required IAT information fields in future payments is probably going to prove similar, at least for those paying entities that aren't already IAT compliant.

I called NY branch and they told me I was IAT compliant.  Yes they actually checked. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Meanwhile, I see BKKB has lately changed their website and the webpage address for their U.S./NY Branch transfer information.

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

 

And the new BKKB webpage continues that fiction that U.S. bank customers have any access to sending IAT (International ACH Transfers) through their U.S. online banking ACT transfer setups.

 

Quote

 

Instructions

To initiate a such an international transaction , using internet banking when you log on to your bank in U.S. website, please select the International ACH and provide the following information to your bank:

1. Your name and physical address in Thailand
2. Your bank account number and the name and address of your Bangkok Bank Branch in Thailand
3. The 9-digit routing number 026008691 of Bangkok Bank New York Branch, which acts as intermediary in the transaction. 

 

Important Note: 

• As some bank in U.S. may not provide the International ACH thorough their internet banking, please contact your bank on how to process your transfer.

 

 

I know none of my various U.S. banks have the ability, in creating online ACH transfers, to include all the kinds of info BKKB will be requiring as part of the IAT process. And through all the threads and posts on this general subject, I can't recall anyone else here posting that their U.S. bank or CU had made available IAT compliant transfers thru their online banking ACH systems.

 

[marcusarelus]

13 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Meanwhile, I see BKKB has lately changed their website and the webpage address for their U.S./NY Branch transfer information.

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

 

And the new BKKB webpage continues that fiction that U.S. bank customers have any access to sending IAT (International ACH Transfers) through their U.S. online banking ACT transfer setups.

 

I know none of my various U.S. banks have the ability, in creating online ACH transfers, to include all the kinds of info BKKB will be requiring as part of the IAT process. And through all the threads and posts on this general subject, I can't recall anyone else here posting that their U.S. bank or CU had made available IAT compliant transfers thru their online banking ACH systems.

If Social Security and other government agencies can transmit IAT compliant why not banks?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

31 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

If Social Security and other government agencies can transmit IAT compliant why not banks?

 

Because the U.S. bank and credit union systems are set up for domestic U.S. clients, not expats.

 

And the U.S. financial institutions across the board pretty much figure...

--if you want to transfer money inside the U.S., you'll do an ACH xfer, which they provide, often free. And...

--if you want to transfer money outside the U.S., you'll do an international wire transfer, for which they'll typically charge $30 to $60 or more per transfer.

 

Could the U.S. financial institutions change their systems to allow for IATs the same way they allow for ACHs? Sure, they could.

 

Have they taken any visible steps to offer IAT to their retail customers since IAT was begun many years ago? No, none at all.

 

Are the any signs that U.S. financial institutions are headed toward adding IAT capability to their online banking systems for retail customers?  Pretty much none that I'm aware of.

 

[Pib]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

If Social Security and other government agencies can transmit IAT compliant why not banks?

U.S. banks could if they wanted to, but International Wires (a.k.a., SWIFT) is too big of a cash cow for them since Int'l Wire garners them a sending fee in the $20 to $50 ballpark.   Plus, many (most) foreign banks do not interface with the U.S. ACH system.   

 

That's why some govt agencies paying out benefits also have an International Direct Deposit (IDD) program (it uses the the SWIFT system) where beneficiaries living in "certain" countries can get their payment sent that way.   And don't confuse the IDD program with a direct deposit being made to your account like to your Bangkok Bank Direct Deposit account or just any old U.S. bank account.  IDD is a complete separate program....a separate program to send payments. However, many countries are not part of IDD (such as Thailand) and it varies among govt agencies as to which countries are on their approved IDD list.  For example the SSA IDD list contains around twice as many countries than the DFAS (mil retirement) IDD list.  Thailand is not on any U.S. govt agency's IDD list as far as I know. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by Pib

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Interesting....   I should point out, the U.S. to Thailand direct deposit system via the BKKB New York branch has been NOT ONLY open to U.S. federal government pension or other benefit recipients, but also to those receiving payments from state or private entities (though the paperwork process involved is a different one).  I'm sure the various federal payment recipients are the largest group of U.S. expats affected by this BKKB change, but they're not the only ones.

 

I personally don't receive my retirement funds direct deposited into Thailand. But I receive a pension from one of the largest non-federal government pension providers in the U.S., and so tonight out of curiosity, I thought I'd check their standard pension direct deposit form and see how its various data fields compare to the IAT data fields that BKKB is going to start requiring.

 

And to my surprise, I found on my government pension provider's direct deposit form a statement / section of text that I'm pretty sure was NOT there the last time I made a change to my direct deposit details a few years back, as follows... [Take particular note of the last sentence of the quoted material]:

 

 

Quote

 

Additionally, I certify that the funds received are not deposited to an account that is subject to being transferred to a foreign financial institution.**

 

**To comply with NACHA regulations regarding International ACH

Transactions (IAT), [my government pension provider] will not accept requests for electronic fund transfers (EFT) in association with financial institutions outside of the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

 

(The territorial jurisdiction of the United States includes all 50 states, U.S. territories, U.S. military bases, and U.S. embassies in foreign countries.) If your entire benefit allowance will be received by a financial institution outside the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., you will be issued a paper check in lieu of the EFT.

 

 

So, I guess that means my particular non-federal governmental pension provider isn't buying into the whole IAT thing.  And they're a biggie in the world of non-federal U.S. government pensions.  But I'll try to call them later tonight to confirm one way or another what their direct deposit form seems to be saying.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So, I guess that means my particular non-federal governmental pension provider isn't buying into the whole IAT thing.  And they're a biggie in the world of non-federal U.S. government pensions.  But I'll try to call them later tonight to confirm one way or another what their direct deposit form seems to be saying.

 

Couple updates - I did speak on the telephone tonight with my U.S. (non-federal) government pension provider, and the rep I spoke with had two main points:

 

--Their direct deposit form language about not allowing foreign bank transfers of their pension benefits has been in place for a long time.

 

--And, she emphatically confirmed what the above-quoted language seemed to say: retirees from that pension system have only two choices -- receive their pension direct deposited to a U.S. bank account, or, receive a paper pension check in the mail each month.

 

So sounds like, there's not going to be any IAT pension payment deposits to BKK Bank in my future.

[JimGant]

Quote

"The US Treasury Department has ceased issuing paper cheques for the payment of Federal retirement benefits such as pensions, annuities or payroll, including Social Security and Veterans Affairs payments, and now requires direct deposit of your benefit into your bank account."

But, they do allow you to apply for a waiver if unusual circumstances exist. The following is a template for such a waiver application:

 

Dear Uncle Sam,

As you know, Thailand is not on the IDD list for electronic payments. However, a few years back, a clever fellow at Treasury devised a workaround, using the ACH system to transfer Social Security (and certain other Federal payments) to Thailand, using Bangkok Bank New York as the intermediary. BBNY would encode these ACH receipts into SWIFT format for transit to their receiving Bangkok Bank account. Now, this was not in perfect concert with IAT requirements, as purpose of payment was not stated on the SWIFT transfer. But what a stupid question to ask: "What is the purpose of your Social Security payment?" Obviously it's to provide monetary support of the recipient. And if that means it's for buying ya ba, he certainly isn't going to tell you. Geez.

 

But all the other data elements required for an IAT transaction are in place:

1. Name and address of sender, i.e., Uncle Sam, Florida in the winter, New Jersey in the summer

2. Recipient's name and address (plus, once a month, when he shows up to collect, we take his picture)

3. Bank and account information (under today's know-your-customer, everything you want to know about sender and receiver are pretty much attainable, including with Bangkok Bank, a FATCA participant).

4. Purpose of payment (again, you'll not get a straight answer if the purpose is nefarious -- so if that data element is a show stopper, please have a reasoned individual take a look)

 

Anyway, sorry you'll have the added expense of cutting thousands of paper checks for those of us in Thailand now getting our Social Security payments electronically via BBNY. Yes, we all have valid excuses for waivers, namely, we have no financial institution available to receive electronic payments. Sorry if this inconveniences you. But, that's the price you pay for being a bloody idiot.

 

So, Uncle Sam, please get hopping on processing my waiver -- and grease up those old printing presses, as you'll be getting a lot more waiver requests such as this one.

 

(Oh, even a straight ACH from one banking customer in the US to another banking customer with Bangkok Bank in Thailand will have all the IAT data elements covered, due to the tighter know-your-customer rules that have come into effect since IAT was established. Except for purpose......... oh, never mind.)

 

Sincerely,

A US Taxpayer, Pondering the Stupidity That Exists in Washington

Edited September 25, 2018 by JimGant

[Pib]

Dear Taxpayer,
Disapproved.
//Signed//
Uncle Sam

P.S. Don't forget your FBAR is required NLT 15 Oct.

[marcusarelus]

45 minutes ago, JimGant said:

But, they do allow you to apply for a waiver if unusual circumstances exist. The following is a template for such a waiver application:

 

Dear Uncle Sam,

As you know, Thailand is not on the IDD list for electronic payments. However, a few years back, a clever fellow at Treasury devised a workaround, using the ACH system to transfer Social Security (and certain other Federal payments) to Thailand, using Bangkok Bank New York as the intermediary. BBNY would encode these ACH receipts into SWIFT format for transit to their receiving Bangkok Bank account. Now, this was not in perfect concert with IAT requirements, as purpose of payment was not stated on the SWIFT transfer. But what a stupid question to ask: "What is the purpose of your Social Security payment?" Obviously it's to provide monetary support of the recipient. And if that means it's for buying ya ba, he certainly isn't going to tell you. Geez.

 

But all the other data elements required for an IAT transaction are in place:

1. Name and address of sender, i.e., Uncle Sam, Florida in the winter, New Jersey in the summer

2. Recipient's name and address (plus, once a month, when he shows up to collect, we take his picture)

3. Bank and account information (under today's know-your-customer, everything you want to know about sender and receiver are pretty much attainable, including with Bangkok Bank, a FATCA participant).

4. Purpose of payment (again, you'll not get a straight answer if the purpose is nefarious -- so if that data element is a show stopper, please have a reasoned individual take a look)

 

Anyway, sorry you'll have the added expense of cutting thousands of paper checks for those of us in Thailand now getting our Social Security payments electronically via BBNY. Yes, we all have valid excuses for waivers, namely, we have no financial institution available to receive electronic payments. Sorry if this inconveniences you. But, that's the price you pay for being a bloody idiot.

 

So, Uncle Sam, please get hopping on processing my waiver -- and grease up those old printing presses, as you'll be getting a lot more waiver requests such as this one.

 

(Oh, even a straight ACH from one banking customer in the US to another banking customer with Bangkok Bank in Thailand will have all the IAT data elements covered, due to the tighter know-your-customer rules that have come into effect since IAT was established. Except for purpose......... oh, never mind.)

 

Sincerely,

A US Taxpayer, Pondering the Stupidity That Exists in Washington

My government checks (SS VA) are in IAT format per Bank of Bangkok NY branch.  They pulled my account and checked. 

[Pib]

My government checks (SS VA) are in IAT format per Bank of Bangkok NY branch.  They pulled my account and checked. 

Question: What address do you have on file with the VA?

Is it your Thailand address "only?"

or

Is it a U.S. address (even if an APO address)?

or

You have two addresses on file like a Thailand "residential" address and a U.S. "mailing" address even if an APO address)?

The reason I'm asking about the address is trying to figure why some people are coded for a IAT payment and others for PPD payment. It may be an address thing. I think before you mentioned your only address on file with the SSA for your SS pension was your Thailand address. Same for your VA payment?


To confirm the Bangkok Bank NY answer you may want have your in-Thailand branch pull up a detailed record of your latest VA payment to see if it reflects a SEC code of IAT. But if it reflects a SEC code of PPD then the NY branch gave an incorrect answer...maybe a scripted answer.

[marcusarelus]

26 minutes ago, Pib said:

Question: What address do you have on file with the VA?

Is it your Thailand address "only?"

or

Is it a U.S. address (even if an APO address)?

or

You have two addresses on file like a Thailand "residential" address and a U.S. "mailing" address even if an APO address)?

The reason I'm asking about the address is trying to figure why some people are coded for a IAT payment and others for PPD payment. It may be an address thing. I think before you mentioned your only address on file with the SSA for your SS pension was your Thailand address. Same for your VA payment?


To confirm the Bangkok Bank NY answer you may want have your in-Thailand branch pull up a detailed record of your latest VA payment to see if it reflects a SEC code of IAT. But if it reflects a SEC code of PPD then the NY branch gave an incorrect answer...maybe a scripted answer.

The lady at the Bangkok Bank pulled up my records because we had a discussion of the exact amount of both checks which I couldn't give her so she searched with my name and some other info.  At first they gave me a scripted answer and then transferred me to the person in charge who looked up my account. 

 

Maybe the address (mine is Thai only) is a factor but I'd hate to assume that if only a Thai address the format is IAT and mislead someone. 

 

If asking the local Bangkok Bank to pull up a detailed record of the latest SS or VA payments what would you call it?  I don't know if they will understand, "detailed record." 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

The lady at the Bangkok Bank pulled up my records because we had a discussion of the exact amount of both checks which I couldn't give her so she searched with my name and some other info.  At first they gave me a scripted answer and then transferred me to the person in charge who looked up my account. 

 

Maybe the address (mine is Thai only) is a factor but I'd hate to assume that if only a Thai address the format is IAT and mislead someone. 

 

After reading up on some SSA POMS documents regarding IDD at this point in time I think a person's address is the key.  I know the IDD program is not in play here but while researching payment info on the SSA website and going to one document that gave detailed info in how to code a record for IDD payment it said unless the person's address is foreign address then their record can not be coded for IDD.  See below snapshot. 

 

I'm ASSUMING this would also come into play for those not getting paid via IDD---like we are talking regarding payments going to Thailand...going to Bangkok Bank...which is not part of the IDD program.   Since you only have one address on file which is a foreign address then your payment got coded for IAT.   But for my family member which has two addresses on file....one address/the residential address being a Thailand foreign address and one address/the "mailing" address which is a U.S. APO address here in Thailand then the payment did not get coded for IAT but got coded for PPD.....got coded PPD due to the U.S. mailing address.   Once again, this is an assumption/a guess in trying to figure out what determines if a person's SS payment gets coded IAT or PPD since payments are being made in IAT for some folks and in PPD for other folks.   

 

 

[marcusarelus]

When asking your branch of Bangkok Bank in Thailand to check your SEC code on a SS deposit what do you ask for?  Does the manager of the local Bangkok Bank know what an SEC code is?  How do you say "SEC code" in Thai so the branch manager will understand what you are talking about?

[Pib]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

When asking your branch of Bangkok Bank in Thailand to check your SEC code on a SS deposit what do you ask for?  Does the manager of the local Bangkok Bank know what an SEC code is?  How do you say "SEC code" in Thai so the branch manager will understand what you are talking about?

 

As mentioned earlier (see partial quote below) supposedly HQ Bangkok Bank has already sent an internal memo to all branches giving them a heads-up and how to check your information.  But whether that has really occurred and will every branch understand it I can't say.   Just ask for a detailed printout of your last SSA/VA payment...a printout that shows all information about the transfer. 

 

I've gotten them before in years past when working other banking issues.  On the printouts showed to me at my Silom branch down in the right hand corner of the printout was an entry that said "SEC: PPD."   But hopefully yours does indeed say "SEC: IAT."   Also up at the top of the printout it will show your name "and Thailand address" along with the sender info "and their address" if IAT format was used. 

 

For a PPD format there is no address for you nor is there an address for the sender and the SEC code is PPD.

 

 Just take along the letter I posted earlier....ask to talk to someone who speaks English...one of the managers...ask for a detailed print out that shows all information on the transfer/payment.  And maybe if HQ Bangkok Bank did sent out the memo it also told the branch exactly what printout to pull.

 

Quote

The letter is suppose to be given to people with Bangkok Bank "Direct Deposit" accounts used for U.S. govt payments when they visit a branch to make a withdrawal. No indication the letter would be mailed out.  And apparently a memo has been (or soon will be sent) to all Bangkok Bank branches informing branch personal how to check to see if your U.S. govt payment is arriving in the soon to be required IAT format if you decide to go in and ask.

 

Edited September 25, 2018 by Pib

[marcusarelus]

12 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

As mentioned earlier (see partial quote below) supposedly HQ Bangkok Bank has already sent an internal memo to all branches giving them a heads-up and how to check your information.  But whether that has really occurred and will every branch understand it I can't say.   Just ask for a detailed printout of your last SSA/VA payment...a printout that shows all information about the transfer. 

 

I've gotten them before in years past when working other banking issues.  On the printouts showed to me at my Silom branch down in the right hand corner of the printout was an entry that said "SEC: PPD."   But hopefully yours does indeed say "SEC: IAT."   Also up at the top of the printout it will show your name "and Thailand address" along with the sender info "and their address" if IAT format was used. 

 

For a PPD format there is no address for you nor is there an address for the sender and the SEC code is PPD.

 

 Just take along the letter I posted earlier....ask to talk to someone who speaks English...one of the managers...ask for a detailed print out that shows all information on the transfer/payment.  And maybe if HQ Bangkok Bank did sent out the memo it also told the branch exactly what printout to pull.

The bank manager was one of my students in college a long time ago.  I hope he still speaks a little English. 

[Langsuan Man]

Not to hijack the thread but since this forum is about the BKK Bank changes and our actions to it, I just completed my first "International" Wire from my Fidelity Brokerage account to both my Bangkok Bank acct and SCB account

 

Requested $1,000 on Monday (Sep 24) for both Thai banks at 08:30 PDT and received SMS from Bangkok Bank @ 7:20 PM PDT showing:  " _____________ has transferred THB 32,080.00 (USD1,[email protected] -THB200.00) from abroad into 701xxxxxx

 

Did not receive any notification from SCB but Wire showed up in my account as:

25/09/2018   08: 40 X1   FRCI  +31,960.00

 

True to their word there was no fee from Fidelity and fee from Bangkok Bank was just the normal 200 THB .  Note that I used the Bangkok Bank Thailand SWIFT code, not the NY Branch SWIFT code

 

SCB credited my account for 140 THB less than BB but will have to contact them to obtain breakdown

 

As always, in Thailand, YMMV

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

Not to hijack the thread but since this forum is about the BKK Bank changes and our actions to it, I just completed my first "International" Wire from my Fidelity Brokerage account to both my Bangkok Bank acct and SCB account

 

 

So did you deal with the Fidelity "medallion" certification requirement, and if so, how?

 

 

[Thailand J]

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

Requested $1,000 on Monday (Sep 24) for both Thai banks at 08:30 PDT and received SMS from Bangkok Bank @ 7:20 PM PDT showing:  " _____________ has transferred THB 32,080.00 (USD1,[email protected] -THB200.00) from abroad into 701xxxxxx

 

Did not receive any notification from SCB but Wire showed up in my account as:

25/09/2018   08: 40 X1   FRCI  +31,960.00

From my experience Bangkok Bank gave me more compared to SCB and K Bank when receiving SWIFT transfer.

SWIFT to Bangkok Bank  US$1,000 yield 32080B.

Transferwise  only 32054B

US to THB exchange rate hasn't drop in the last few days.

 

Those who think Transferwise is always better or best need to do more research.

[Thailand J]

Medallion signature guarantee is  required to set up a standing order, adding a bank to your account. For one time transfer you can just call Fidelity.