Hi, am not sure this is the correct forum to use for advice, But here goes. I am retired living in Surin and receiving a Police pension whch has been paid into my Nationwide Building Society account. The bank stopped their customers from using International ATMs several years ago, so I began using a well known transfer company, which has been great.  My bank in their wisdom have changed their internet log in details meaning that I can no longer gain access to, or transfer my monthly pension. A dire situation indeed especially at this time of crisis.My pension provider says that I can have my money paid into the Bangkok bank by Western Union, with no fee from my pension company but a 1% fee at the bank. 

So I would like to know if anyone has any experience of doing something similar and could offer some advice. i realise it could be pricey but the options are limited to say the least.

I will be very grateful for any help

many Thanks

Steve Grace

Maybe look into setting up a Transferwise borderless bank account.  This can be done, even if resident in Thailand and not UK. I opened such an account a couple of years back using my Thai address (UK passport).

 

This would then give you a UK bank sort code / account number. You can then request your UK pension provider to transfer your pension into this account. Then you would be able to easily arrange transfers direct into your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.

 

This link might help.

https://transferwise.com/gb/multi-currency-account/#/get-paid

My bank did something similar... had to call them in the late evening to get assistance...used my email account to verify my security code.

2 hours ago, dabhand said:

Maybe look into setting up a Transferwise borderless bank account.  This can be done, even if resident in Thailand and not UK. I opened such an account a couple of years back using my Thai address (UK passport).

 

This would then give you a UK bank sort code / account number. You can then request your UK pension provider to transfer your pension into this account. Then you would be able to easily arrange transfers direct into your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.

 

This link might help.

https://transferwise.com/gb/multi-currency-account/#/get-paid

Yeap...quite a few people are going this route....definitely works.   

15 hours ago, dabhand said:

Maybe look into setting up a Transferwise borderless bank account.  This can be done, even if resident in Thailand and not UK. I opened such an account a couple of years back using my Thai address (UK passport).

 

This would then give you a UK bank sort code / account number. You can then request your UK pension provider to transfer your pension into this account. Then you would be able to easily arrange transfers direct into your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.

 

This link might help.

https://transferwise.com/gb/multi-currency-account/#/get-paid

Thanks for that, However this is the Transfer company I use I wasnt sure if I was allowed to mention the companies name on here. and my pension provider will only deal with Western Union, 

43 minutes ago, Varrius said:

Thanks for that, However this is the Transfer company I use I wasnt sure if I was allowed to mention the companies name on here. and my pension provider will only deal with Western Union, 

I guess you are saying you already have a Transferwise acct.  If so, then just activate the Borderless Acct option on your acct which gives you new bank acct info (think of it as a bank acct issued to you by Transferwise) which your pension provider can then start sending your pension to. 

 

Once the funds post to your Transferwise Borderless acct, then you just do the typical Transferwise transfer to whatever Thai bank....you fund the transfer from the balance in your Borderless acct.

 

 

8 hours ago, Varrius said:

Thanks for that, However this is the Transfer company I use I wasnt sure if I was allowed to mention the companies name on here. and my pension provider will only deal with Western Union, 

If your UK pension provider had been paying into your Nationwide Bank account previously, then they should have absolutely no reason to deny any request from you to pay into any other UK bank account (Transferwise Borderless account would qualify as such). 

 

I would open the TW bank account, send your pension provider the account details (sort code / account number) when known and force the issue with them.

Must admit that I have never heard of any pension provider only giving Western Union (unusual choice) as an option and refusing use of an other UK bank account. 

 

Good luck.

Nationwide HAVE NOT stopped anyone using international ATMs, don't know where you got that from.

 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/travel/fees-charges#xtab:foreignCash