Transferwise international transfers heads up

[racyrick]

1 hour ago, pontious said:

I think I read on another thread Bangkok Bank said you would have to confirm with the intermediary bank. My transfer came as SMT yesterday. Extensions based on foreign income is really becoming a PITA.

Are you going to go to Bangkok Bank to confirm the information?

[MAZ3]

Very good point, I have a K Bank account already and will send myself a small amount to test the codes and email TW to confirm if the change is permanent or not, but she did say at TW, this is the ongoing system

Is that of any benefit? They likely have not changed to be always using KBank, and may still transfer via TMB or indeed Bangkok Bank next time. 

Sent from my SM-J730GM using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[pontious]

1 hour ago, racyrick said:

Are you going to go to Bangkok Bank to confirm the information?

No - If TW will not guarantee my transfer will be Bangkok bank only, with no intermediary banks involved I will revert to UK bank swift transfers. I await there reply.

Edited July 3, 2019 by pontious

[SammyJ]

On 6/29/2019 at 1:41 PM, Rama said:

Have been doing the transferwise transfer from US since early February to bkk bank. Last one was early June. No problem, always shows a FTT. When you setup your transferwise transfer, it gives you 2 options, whether to do it as a SWIFT transfer or not. I choose SWIFT. Are you sure your transferwise transfer is setup correctly? They usually charge a few dollars more for the SWIFT.

i also was unaware there was another option to use SWIFT for the international transfer to my Thai bank

 

i have seen the option for a SWIFT transfer as to how i send TW the funds to send to my Thai bank.

 

can you share where i can choose that option as i would like to use it in the future

 

i did one transfer with TW in June and it shows as an international transfer, but just did one this month, July, and it arrived today to my bkk bank acct and shows as an interbank transfer via smart

 

any quick suggestions to be able to get this seen as an international transfer?

 

thanks!!

[SammyJ]

20 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

Sent them an email, waiting for reply on same issue. However my last two transfers have been delayed so somewhere there system has changed for the worse.

what bad customer service  i just had the problem today, with my July transfer to my bkk bank account, showing as an interbank transfer via SMART   my previous TW transfers show as international transfers

 

anyone have luck golng to bkk bank to have them confirm it was actually an international transfer or is that a waste of time?

[SammyJ]

13 hours ago, MAZ3 said:

I've used TW and recommended them on here, but this month's(on the 1st of July) transfer into my Bangkok Bank was interbank via SMART and not the usual ITT.

I emailed them and got a curt reply, basically this is their system and tough luck, but she did say she hopes I get my visa.

I do know how they work, doubled checked my PDF receipts and this month is showing K Bank(on page 2)as their Banking partner and not Bangkok Bank as all the previous transactions.

So I may have to change to K Bank, but I've no idea if this month's bimp will screw my visa ?.

Worryingly, TW are stilling showing it as pending, but I've already moved it from my BBL account and said their having problems with transferring, that's an understatement !

Sent from my SM-J730GM using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

i got exactly the same thing--all previous TW transfers listed clearly international transfer--just had my July transfer arrive today and listed as you said,,interbank transfer via SMART

 

i was going to contact TW, but seems like you tried and they were useless for help

 

i will need to go back to SWIFT transfers

 

previously, i had opened another acct to do my SWIFT international transfers and each time, after completing the online form, the bank (DISCOVER) required that I call and go thru security checks, etc, one of them being a text (wouldn't do email) sent to an american ph with a code, i could submit to them, but i don't have one currently.

 

can anyone suggest another bank to use, that is not a hassle to set up an acct and then do SWIFT transfers?

 

Thank you

[JAS21]

I have just phoned and asked TW about this problem ... lady said I'll e-mail you back in a few hours with an answer ... as I was planning to do a transfer very soon ...

[SammyJ]

23 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Could it be this?

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Business-Banking/Manage-My-Business/Payments/Low-value-Cross-bank-Funds-Transfer-via-SMART

but via the smart, interbank, is seen as a Thai domestic transfer, correct??

[SammyJ]

21 hours ago, cassde said:

Hi Oxmermaid, I have just today had a transfer by TW to my Bangkok Bank account, and this occasion it is different to previous FTT entries -  Interbank transfer via SMART. FTT is not mentioned. 

 

I have sent a message to BBK to clarify the situation.

 

good, thanks, please let us know--i had the same problem--all previous TW transfers clearly labeled as international transfers, but my July transfer, arrived just today, list interbank via SMART

 

i will have to dump TW, if this is going to happen, but i want to talk to my bkkbank branch as i doubt immigration will accept this code

[soalbundy]

I just checked on the TW PDF receipt, yes for the first time Kasikorn bank has been noted as an intermediate bank instead of BKK. This doesn't really bother me as I can still get the German embassy letter but I wanted my BKK bank book as backup proof. The TW PDF receipt could be used as proof surely as it shows pounds, Euro's, Dollars, whatever have been sent to BKK bank albeit via an intermediate bank and the receipt would match up with the amount deposited in the bank book. I'm not sure my deposits would be accepted as over the 65,000 income anyway as I get two pensions, one from Germany and one from the UK and I have read that the IO will only accept the income from one pension.

[pontious]

At Jomtien they want a letter from your bank showing monthly international transfers. The more the merrier this year. I doubt they will be interested in TW pdf files. I will revert to sending pounds via swift from my UK  bank. I will make sure I have a buffer for exchange rate fluctuations { approx 70,000 baht } and the rest of the money we need for living expenses I will use TW. They can send it however they want.

I am surprised they don't offer a solution to the problem. Visa's are not there problem I know but everyone loses. We have to go to swift and they lose customers.

[racyrick]

1 hour ago, SammyJ said:

what bad customer service  i just had the problem today, with my July transfer to my bkk bank account, showing as an interbank transfer via SMART   my previous TW transfers show as international transfers

 

anyone have luck golng to bkk bank to have them confirm it was actually an international transfer or is that a waste of time?

If you go to Bangkok Bank, I suggest you ask the following 2 questions-

 

1) Does the SMART transfer show TransferWise as the sender?

 

2) Will Bangkok Bank confirm in a letter for Immigration that the SMART transfer is an international transfer?

 

Thanks for your help and time.

[johnjohn2]

Raycyrick are you in Thailand? You keep saying the same things. Its been covered before in another thread. You will have to get a credit advice from the bank it went through.  Good luck them helping you. Bangkok Bank is only going to confirm it was a transfer from the receiving bank.  You should go to the bank and ask them. The level of pain I am sure is going to be different for each person that needs to do it and I suspect with the same results as reported previously. Which was doesnt work. 

 

[pontious]

8 minutes ago, racyrick said:

If you go to Bangkok Bank, I suggest you ask the following 2 questions-

 

1) Does the SMART transfer show TransferWise as the sender?

 

2) Will Bangkok Bank confirm in a letter for Immigration that the SMART transfer is an international transfer?

 

Thanks for your help and time.

I asked my Bangkok branch

 

1. No it shows Kasikorn domestic transfer.

 

2. No - you will have to contact the K bank.

 

I doubt if any IO is interested in a zillion bits of paper from other banks  that you do not belong to or PDF files from TW - that they will have no idea exists.

 

 

 

[JAS21]

1 hour ago, JAS21 said:

I have just phoned and asked TW about this problem ... lady said I'll e-mail you back in a few hours with an answer ... as I was planning to do a transfer very soon ...

Received this ...

............................

Thank you for calling in earlier. 

As I promised, I will check with our relevant team regarding your inquiry whether a transfer would be sent directly to Bangkok Bank or through another banking partner. 

Unfortunately we cannot guarantee it would go directly to Bangkok Bank. 
It would depend on the routing and amount. 

I'm sorry I can't help you more with this. 
If you do have any other questions or concerns, please get back in touch with us, we'll do our best to assist!

Best wishes

......................

Well if it doesn't show FTT I'll just go back to 'money in the bank' next year ... fortunately I have the option ... but my preference was to stay with monthly sums

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by JAS21

[racyrick]

Got it-thanks for everybody's help.

 

I was just wondering, maybe if we transferred a smaller amount and did multiple transfers, it would go thru directly to Bangkok Bank?

 

Just a thought. Maybe there is a threshold amount.

[johnjohn2]

Its possible. It appears that usually they were routing through Bangkok Bank, as why we were all seeing the ftt most always. But there was always that notice it could be routed through a different bank depending. I imagine if you tried it on a different day its possible that it could go through BKK bank and you will see the ftt. But not sure of what changes they recently made. Perhaps now it will continue to go through Kasikorn or whatever bank. I highly doubt smaller or larger transfers will make a difference. I guess you could Dee Money your money back and send it again. But that doesnt sound too logical as you would be losing alot of money and there is no real guarantee that it would be routed through Bangkok bank or it would reflect ftt. Im wondering now about some of the other money transfer sites? I would check on them and see how the transfers from them show up. Like ofx and the others.

I give up on the monthly income method. Im lucky that I can keep the money in the bank. I would rather use it to buy some stuff but not having to worry about it is much better for me.

I say unlikely for the amounts because i have done small tansfers ($50) and larger ($3-10,000) and post times were the same and until now were all ftt.

Edited July 3, 2019 by johnjohn2

[pontious]

20 minutes ago, racyrick said:

Got it-thanks for everybody's help.

 

I was just wondering, maybe if we transferred a smaller amount and did multiple transfers, it would go thru directly to Bangkok Bank?

 

Just a thought. Maybe there is a threshold amount.

Good luck with that. It appears from TW emails published here or on other threads that they are not really bothered. A strange business position I think. They will definitely lose a lot of transactions from Thailand.

[pontious]

5 minutes ago, johnjohn2 said:

I guess you could Dee Money your money back and send it again.

Don't know where you are from John but no service available Deemoney to UK or USA. { and others {

[johnjohn2]

Im American. Im certain you can use Deemoney to US. Not every bank but I know you can to Chase. Theres a list of banks you can use. For money out.

[johnjohn2]

oh correction. Looks like they recently lost their trading partner. That sucks

 

[pontious]

2 minutes ago, johnjohn2 said:

Im American. Im certain you can use Deemoney to US. Not every bank but I know you can to Chase. Theres a list of banks you can use. For money out.

Australia and Asian countries only. Check there website.

 

You type quicker than me.

Edited July 3, 2019 by pontious
add

[Maestro]

7 hours ago, Caldera said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: No matter which code ends up in the book, can you really trust immigration to accept these  transfers? They might in some cases and might not in others…

Shouldn't the first question be whether the Thai bank will state in its letter to immigration that these transfers came from abroad?

[colinchaffers]

On 6/29/2019 at 1:39 PM, Pumpuynarak said:

Well i intend getting the bank letter confirming that a minimum of 65K has been transferred into my SCB account on or about the same date each month, the TW PDP (12) just confirms that the dosh has come from the UK. When i did my last retirement extension in January the Korat IO stated that next year i would have to provide bank confirmation of the transfer, no mention of proving that the transfer came from abroad, perhaps next January i'll just make sure i see the same IO.   

For the income method the new requirement is for the payment to be international, I would not wait till next year if I was you.   

[pontious]

7 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Shouldn't the first question be whether the Thai bank will state in its letter to immigration that these transfers came from abroad?

The answer is . If the bank received it as a foreign transfer they will.

If it came as a domestic transfer from another Thai bank they will not.

They will invite you to contact the 'other Thai bank' -good luck with that.

[asiaexpat]

Used ACH method with TW on July 1. Received funds in BBL account 2 PM July 3 showing Smart interbank transfer. I made no special requests. 

[PJPom]

I have just spent an hour this afternoon in S C B explaining the need for help as I transfer via T/W from Australia.

I took with me my iPad and was able to show my T/W Australian account and details of all transfers over the last six months which was checked and agreed upon. I also receive a pension from the UK which shows on the official statement being from pension services UK via Citibank but not coded as international,  all T/W payments apart from one show TMB as local partner with no international coding but I am hoping that the letter the bank wrote in Thai will satisfy the IO.

Will be going tomorrow to see if its good enough, will keep you informed, wish me luck.

PS transfers have never taken longer than 48 hrs, last one late last month was in SCB 6hrs before T/W said completed

Edited July 3, 2019 by PJPom
P S

[oxmermaid]

Good evening,

 

I have just received this email response from TransferWise to my plea to ensure the transfer from my overseas goes to the directly my Thai Kbank account, it's bad news I'm afraid :-

 

Since we cannot guarantee a specific transfer type (international transfer), we can only confirm that we payout funds domestically. If your request is to have transfers displayed on your bank account as international transfers but our partners' decision is to display these payments as domestic transfers, I can only recommend SWIFT transfers from here on in. 

 

So I have two options now,

 

1. BBL London branch to send transfer from my UK account to my BBL Thai account 

 

2. SWIFT transfer from my UK Barclays account 

 

I have tried and failed to get TW to alter their stance. I have told them that this stance will lose them many, many clients.

 

Sleep well

[Genericnic]

8 minutes ago, oxmermaid said:

Good evening,

 

I have just received this email response from TransferWise to my plea to ensure the transfer from my overseas goes to the directly my Thai Kbank account, it's bad news I'm afraid :-

 

Since we cannot guarantee a specific transfer type (international transfer), we can only confirm that we payout funds domestically. If your request is to have transfers displayed on your bank account as international transfers but our partners' decision is to display these payments as domestic transfers, I can only recommend SWIFT transfers from here on in. 

 

So I have two options now,

 

1. BBL London branch to send transfer from my UK account to my BBL Thai account 

 

2. SWIFT transfer from my UK Barclays account 

 

I have tried and failed to get TW to alter their stance. I have told them that this stance will lose them many, many clients.

 

Sleep well

I would love to know what they have changed in their procedure. My last 4 transfers from my US bank to Bangkok Bank with smoothly and showed up as FTT in BKK Bank. The last 3 were done on their app and were quick and easy. Whatever they have changed, I hope they change it back.

 

David

 

[mosan]

I sent TransferWise a link to this forum topic on Twitter and maybe just maybe got their attention. It would probably help if a few more people let them know how you "really" feel...