Transferwise transfers to Bangkok Bank

[scubascuba3]

Are transfers now being recorded as foreign?

[JAS21]

 The one that I did on the second of this month was. As have all my other ones this year. 

[colinchaffers]

There is a Facebook group called “TransfereWise Solutions” that has a lot of posts of people’s experiences, suggest you ask there.


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[gaviny]

Did 2 in past month and both recorded as FTT.

[chris_samui]

All my Transfers are recorded as ATS (Automatic Transfer System) and this for the last year incl. this month.

[CharlieBri]

1 minute ago, chris_samui said:

All my Transfers are recorded as ATS (Automatic Transfer System) and this for the last year incl. this month.

So are ATS transfers considered by Thai Immigration to be the same as FTT, from a foreign bank?

[john terry1001]

Every transfer this year apart from one a the beginning of June has arrived FTT. Both the Bangkok Bank and Transferwise told me that the one in June was due to a software upgrade. Since that upgrade there has been a "new reason for the transfer" option available in the transfer application for transfers to Thailand. It's been successful every time for me.

[scubascuba3]

Since that upgrade there has been a "new reason for the transfer" option available in the transfer application for transfers to Thailand. It's been successful every time for me.

What are the "new reason for the transfer" options? or which one do you choose to ensure it's FTT foreign?

[theoldgit]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

What are the "new reason for the transfer" options? or which one do you choose to ensure it's FTT foreign?

 

"Funds for long term stay in Thailand", I can't say that even this guarantees the coding required by our friends in Immigration.

[colinchaffers]

"Funds for long term stay in Thailand", I can't say that even this guarantees the coding required by our friends in Immigration.

I asked TransfereWise, they told me "Funds for long term stay in Thailand" was for information only and did not guarantee international code at the reciving bank.

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[Chivas]

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, CharlieBri said:

So are ATS transfers considered by Thai Immigration to be the same as FTT, from a foreign bank?

Unlikely, I would have tbought. Strikes me that the ATS code may well be on a par with the dreaded SMT code applied by Bangkok Bank to TransferWise transfers where Kasikorn or TMB have acted as TransferWises's receiving agency bank in Thailand.

 

25 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

"Funds for long term stay in Thailand", I can't say that even this guarantees the coding required by our friends in Immigration.

The only surefire method of guaranteeing the coveted FTT code in the case of us Brits with Bangkok Bank accounts IMHO is by making transfers via their London branch (notwithstanding the formidable bureaucratic hoops which first need to be jumped through before this facility can be used) - although it is essential to ensure that GBP-to-THB conversions are performed in Bangkok post-transfer rather than in London pre-transfer.

[theoldgit]

14 minutes ago, OJAS said:

The only surefire method of guaranteeing the coveted FTT code in the case of us Brits with Bangkok Bank accounts IMHO is by making transfers via their London branch (notwithstanding the formidable bureaucratic hoops which first need to be jumped through before this facility can be used) - although it is essential to ensure that GBP-to-THB conversions are performed in Bangkok post-transfer rather than in London pre-transfer.

Indeed and thanks for the heads up with this a while back.
Whilst it's obviously more expensive that the TransferWise option, peace of mind certainly makes it worthwhile.
It's just a pity that we have to explore all these routes to satisfy the interpretation of individual Immigration Officers who have the power over the stamp we require.

[colinchaffers]

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation
Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be
 
I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

There several ways of getting the money into your Th account. 1. Via a third party bank in Thai 2. They don’t send the money but transfer it locally. Both these ways it will shows as Domestic code, like a interbank code. If they send it direct to your bank than it’s fine, but it’s like Russian roulette.


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[Chivas]

3 minutes ago, colinchaffers said:

There several ways of getting the money into your Th account. 1. Via a third party bank in Thai 2. They don’t send the money but transfer it locally. Both these ways it will shows as Domestic code, like a interbank code. If they send it direct to your bank than it’s fine, but it’s like Russian roulette.


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Totally irrelevant to what I wrote.

[Bluetongue]

37 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

Has anyone tried this, I for one would like to know, as it had been one of my plans. All my transfers show as TRN in the passbook, and some times Dummy on line. I was confident that it would work but many here have been agonizing over the FTT code so I assumed that it had been tested with Immigration and have gone with Plan B. This is what happens when you go away from the forum for extended periods, you dont see the germination of an idea or whether the answer seems reliable or not.

[OJAS]

32 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Whilst it's obviously more expensive that the TransferWise option, peace of mind certainly makes it worthwhile.

It is also possible to set up a monthly standing order with one's UK bank (as I have done) with the Bangkok Bank London branch method - whereas this is not possible with either TransferWise or SWIFT as far as I can tell. That ensures further peace of mind through eliminating the risk of a particular month's transfer being inadvertently overlooked (although it is, of course, necessary to keep a weather eye on the prevailng Bangkok Bank TT rate, particularly in cases where there are fine margins with the GBP amount being transferred each month relative to the required 65,000 THB minimum).

Edited September 16, 2019 by OJAS

[onera1961]

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation
Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be
 
I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

I also simply can't believe farangs are so stupid to inundate IOs with with useless documents and expect them to by their concocted documents.

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[Henryford]

NO. My last one wasn't shown as FTT which defeats the whole point of having a BBK account.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, colinchaffers said:

There several ways of getting the money into your Th account. 1. Via a third party bank in Thai 2. They don’t send the money but transfer it locally. Both these ways it will shows as Domestic code, like a interbank code. If they send it direct to your bank than it’s fine, but it’s like Russian roulette.


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I disagree with you there. 

 

In my case I opened my TW account last December and my BKK account in January. 

 

I get 3 different pensions on different days of the month and so far this year I only had one go via KBank and the rest showed up as FTT at BKK Bank.

 

I rang TW and asked for my transfers go via BKK and into my BKK account. The lady at TW said that they couldn't guarantee that 100%, but since then the transfers do go via BKK Bank and into my BKK account.

 

If you are using TW and BKK Bank the option is to talk to TW and they will do their best to route your transaction via BKK Bank all the way and that will show as FTT on your bank book and statement.

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

it sounds simple on paper, but most people don't transfer 65,000 THB from their Foreign bank account, they transfer £1,750 or $2,150 or s$3,000 or a$3,100 which lands as approx 65,000 THB & I doubt the IO will want to sit there to match them up (especially if the Foreign Bank statement isn't in English), could you not get a letter from your Thai Bank confirming all of the transfers came from Overseas or use the Transferwise receipts? 

 

FWIW, my last 3 Transferwise transactions since July (all Citibank SG - Bangkok Bank) have shown up as "Interbank Transfer via SMART" which I'm pretty sure won't show as an FTT, the ones before that (May & before) showed up as "International Transfer" & was marked as FTT, I use the money in the bank route so it's not important to me but I can see how lots of people could get caught out by this when it comes to their renewal.

 

Have made another transfer this morning so let's see what this one arrives as... 

 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

It is also possible to set up a monthly standing order with one's UK bank (as I have done) with the Bangkok Bank London branch method - whereas this is not possible with either TransferWise or SWIFT as far as I can tell. That ensures further peace of mind through eliminating the risk of a particular month's transfer being inadvertently overlooked (although it is, of course, necessary to keep a weather eye on the prevailng Bangkok Bank TT rate, particularly in cases where there are fine margins with the GBP amount being transferred each month relative to the required 65,000 THB minimum).

When I use TW for a transfer I get to choose how much I send, I also get told BEFORE I transfer

How much the transfer fee will be.

What forex rate I will get, and that rate stays until the transfer is completed

How much I get in thb.

When the transfer takes place and when the funds will be in my BKK Bank account.

Usually within 24 hours unless it is a Friday or Thai bank holiday.

 

Also I get a better forex rate from TW than I do from BKK or other Thai banks. About 50 satang per GBP more.

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

That is, more or less what I did, mainly using TransferWise transaction slips and the IO was quite happy with that. I don't think he took any notice of the codes, none of which indicated that they where a foreign remittances.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Moonlover

[scubascuba3]

NO. My last one wasn't shown as FTT which defeats the whole point of having a BBK account.

When was that?

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Bluetongue said:

Has anyone tried this, I for one would like to know, as it had been one of my plans. All my transfers show as TRN in the passbook, and some times Dummy on line. I was confident that it would work but many here have been agonizing over the FTT code so I assumed that it had been tested with Immigration and have gone with Plan B. This is what happens when you go away from the forum for extended periods, you dont see the germination of an idea or whether the answer seems reliable or not.

Yes I have and it worked no problem. See my post #23 above.

 

I have believed for some time that all this palaver regarding the transaction code is a complete red herring. From my experience, it's the supporting documents that the IO wants to see.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Moonlover

[gk10002000]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

The problem is, the amounts shown in the passbook may be incoming, but they could come from NOT a foreign source, which is that FTT coding people are talking about.  Drones will do what drones are told, and a local down the chain of command IO will just follow orders.

[Henryford]

33 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

NO. My last one wasn't shown as FTT which defeats the whole point of having a BBK account.

When was that?

Just last month. I had opened a BBK account purely to get the FTT on my 65k transfers. A waste of time. Too risky to argue the toss with Immigration next year that my transfers were valid.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

Surely you can believe how pedantic they might be!

Your Thai bankbook showing the deposits tagged as FTT... and maybe photocopies with them highlighted should suffice too! But the rule as written says nothing about foreign bank statements... 

 

My friend did as you suggested in Jomtiem and that worked, fortunately the foreign bank statement is likely to be in English.

Edited September 16, 2019 by jacko45k

[john terry1001]

3 hours ago, colinchaffers said:

4 hours ago, theoldgit said:

"Funds for long term stay in Thailand", I can't say that even this guarantees the coding required by our friends in Immigration.

I asked TransfereWise, they told me "Funds for long term stay in Thailand" was for information only and did not guarantee international code at the reciving bank.

TW have obviously explained the system to me in much more detail than you have posted on here. You either didn't ask for the detail or they did explain but you have chosen to omit most of it in your post.

 

1. you should contact TW by phone and, even if you have more than one Thai bank account listed on your TW account, you need to tell them what your preferred Thai account is and they will tag that as the primary bank for them to use for all of your transfers.

2. When making a transfer,  make sure you highlight the "Funds for long term stay in Thailand" option and choose your preferred Thai Bank Account. This is information to tell/inform TW's finance department of your preferred routing preference (which should already tagged on your account) and (if at all possible) they will transfer directly to your chosen Thai Bank. Under normal circumstances this will insure a correct transfer, but it's always impossible to guarantee. It's NOT dismissive  "information only" statement with no added detail that you've implied. 

3. Should a (rare-their words) banking problem occur, to avoid any delay in the transfer, they will route it via one of their partner Thai banks. 

4. They ARE aware that this rogue transfer will create an incorrect transfer code so, during setting up this latest system, they have had discussions and agreements with those three banks that they will provide a Credit Advice Receipt for every rogue transfer to ensure everybody has proof of all foreign transfers.

 

So, if for example, you bank with BKKB and your transfer gets routed via Kasikorn bank, you go to Kasikorn bank and they will supply the Credit Advice Receipt.

 

Time will tell if it's successful but what I can say is, I had one rogue payment in June, while TW were updating the software, and I went to the Kasikorn Branch in Pattaya Klang (near beach rd) and they already new all about it. I just gave them my TW PDF receipt, mine and my BKKB account details. They phoned me back 3-4 days later to pick up the CAR. Worked fine, just as described to me by TW.

 

Time will tell but I haven't heard of anybody having any problems with any transfers since June when using this process.

[Max69xl]

8 hours ago, Chivas said:

Am totally bemused with this ongoing situation

Surely but surely you bring the bank statement from (insert your thai bank) showing last 12 months or whatever showing incoming funds and alongside (insert your foreign bank) your statement showing the corresponding outgoing transfers....how simple does it need to be

 

I simply dont believe that Thai immigration are that stupid

At the moment it doesn't matter how many bank letter/statements you get from your bank,if every transfer in the bankbook doesn't show up as a foreign transfer. It might change when Immigration learns how transfers actually work.