UK Citizens in Thailand with UK share-dealing accounts

[Korat88]

Please would any UK citizens in Thailand who own and actively use any share-dealing accounts in the UK let me know which ones are open to setting-up a new account or even maintaining accounts if the holder is not ordinarily resident in the UK. Is anyone with a Thai address using Interactive Investor for example? It seems Thailand's status as a high risk country and the ever present money laundering threat make such a thing almost impossible these days! Thank you.

[Kildonan]

I use Halifax, however I have a UK account with BOS.

[Korat88]

Thanks Kildonan. Appreciate your reply. Did you set the accounts up when in Thailand or back in the UK? The issue I seem to be having is being in Thailand. If you live overseas and in this part of the world you are "suspect" in all things it seems.

[topt]

On 9/25/2021 at 11:30 AM, Korat88 said:

Is anyone with a Thai address using Interactive Investor for example?

I opened an account with them when I was resident and have not got round to telling them.....

I did however notice that on their list of charges there is now (only noticed it within the last year) this -

https://www.ii.co.uk/our-charges#full

Quote

Non UK Resident

£3.99 - We make an additional charge to cover operational costs for customers not resident in the UK.

So I don't plan on telling them any time soon. Sorry this does not help you if they are refusing to let you open an account however having that charge suggests they may not be completely against non residents.

Have you been able to speak to an individual? 

[topt]

The other problem which has recently arisen is that even using a vpn with them I was not able to purchase a UK listed fund but could have bought some etfs.......

I had not had this issue previously.

[Korat88]

Thank you for your response too topt. Much appreciated. I haven't talked to anyone in person at ii but did notice the fees point you highlighted. Someone on a share dealing BB who replied to my question said they were in Spain and had not had any issues. Most of the overseas replies on the ii Trustpilot board also seem to be in Europe or a "safe" country. My e-mail correspondence to ii (not talking in person) indicated Thailand is a high risk country and so I don't think the overseas fee is with "us" in mind. If you have a Thai address on your ii account you may receive such an e-mail one of these days. I hope you don't, but I had issues with my bank account and now I am starting to see issues with my shareholdings. So sad the money launderers et al., spoil it for the majority.

[The Hammer2021]

On 9/25/2021 at 1:46 PM, Korat88 said:

Thanks Kildonan. Appreciate your reply. Did you set the accounts up when in Thailand or back in the UK? The issue I seem to be having is being in Thailand. If you live overseas and in this part of the world you are "suspect" in all things it seems.

It's any overseas address I think. My friends in the middle east have the same problem. It's logical. Why would you be using a UK trading account if you are not a UK resident?

[The Hammer2021]

12 minutes ago, Korat88 said:

Thank you for your response too topt. Much appreciated. I haven't talked to anyone in person at ii but did notice the fees point you highlighted. Someone on a share dealing BB who replied to my question said they were in Spain and had not had any issues. Most of the overseas replies on the ii Trustpilot board also seem to be in Europe or a "safe" country. My e-mail correspondence to ii (not talking in person) indicated Thailand is a high risk country and so I don't think the overseas fee is with "us" in mind. If you have a Thai address on your ii account you may receive such an e-mail one of these days. I hope you don't, but I had issues with my bank account and now I am starting to see issues with my shareholdings. So sad the money launderers et al., spoil it for the majority.

When you gave up your UK residency you lost rights that go with that residency. The moral.is for other readers: ALWAYS keep a UK address

[Korat88]

Hi The Hammer2021 - I also understand that but I don't see a level playing field here. When I first left the UK in 1992 I moved to the Middle East. There were absolutely no issues there. Then 13 years ago I moved to Thailand. There haven't been any issues until the last couple of years. I pay tax in the UK and I have two properties there. Yet I am still considered "a threat" re: money laundering etc... and still have to prove I am who I say I am and prove where I live to even have a chance of being able to do what many other British expats in "safer" countries enjoy. If I was a liar I could attempt to try and use one of my UK addresses but that wouldn't be easy to do with all the checks and balances required these days.

[2009]

Swissquote is fine (in Luxembourg) for UK expats in Thailand.