Which UK banks allow you to have a bank account with a Thailand address?

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It's maddening but it's not so mad if you consider that UK onshore banks do not offer accounts for non-UK residents, that's their problem with it. 

 

The banks don't care if a customer is unable to receive his pension if that customer doesn't comply with their requirements to maintain an account.

 

A UK account is not needed to receive a UK pension.

So private and govt pensions can be paid direct to Thai bank account?

[KhaoYai]

19 hours ago, Robin said:

This year, with no warning or explanation, NWB wrote to me and said they were closing that account.  Could be that they do not like Thai address, but no explanation.

I'm not sure that had anything to do with you having a Thai address.  About 5 years ago I received a letter from Natwest simply stating that they were closing my account with a month's notice - no explanation or reason.  The letter also said the decision was final and they would not discuss it with me.

 

I had always conducted my account properly, never gone overdrawn and always had enough money in the account to cover direct debits etc.  There was absolutely no reason for the closure.  I went into my local branch who were as surprised as I was and called head office for an explanation - they were treated in the same way as I was.

 

A Google search revealed that unexplained account closures by Natwest are quite common with lots of reports of the same thing happening.  I contacted the banking ombudsman but was advised they were powerless to demand a reason from Natwest.

Edited June 2, 2022 by KhaoYai

[The Fugitive]

4 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I'm not sure that had anything to do with you having a Thai address.  About 5 years ago I received a letter from Natwest simply stating that they were closing my account with a month's notice - no explanation or reason.  The letter also said the decision was final and they would not discuss it with me.

 

I had always conducted my account properly, never gone overdrawn and always had enough money in the account to cover direct debits etc.  There was absolutely no reason for the closure.  I went into my local branch who were as surprised as I was and called head office for an explanation - they were treated in the same way as I was.

 

A Google search revealed that unexplained account closures by Natwest are quite common with lots of reports of the same thing happening.  I contacted the banking ombudsman but was advised they were powerless to demand a reason from Natwest.

It can only be that your current account was costing them too much. Banks used to charge for every transaction. Then free banking was introduced. Then interest paying current accounts. Thai banks charge to issue cards. Then they charge annual fees. Not so in U.K.  

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I'm not sure that had anything to do with you having a Thai address.  About 5 years ago I received a letter from Natwest simply stating that they were closing my account with a month's notice - no explanation or reason.  The letter also said the decision was final and they would not discuss it with me.

 

I had always conducted my account properly, never gone overdrawn and always had enough money in the account to cover direct debits etc.  There was absolutely no reason for the closure.  I went into my local branch who were as surprised as I was and called head office for an explanation - they were treated in the same way as I was.

 

A Google search revealed that unexplained account closures by Natwest are quite common with lots of reports of the same thing happening.  I contacted the banking ombudsman but was advised they were powerless to demand a reason from Natwest.

Maybe they had suspicions about your account, they wouldn't close for zero reasons

[KhaoYai]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe they had suspicions about your account, they wouldn't close for zero reasons

Clearly they did but there was no reason for any suspicion.  If they'd been prepared to discuss it with me, I could perhaps have identified their mistake.  Google it, you will find they've done the same to hundreds of people - all with no explanation.

 

I at least got a month's notice - unlike some of these people:

 

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/money/saving-and-banking/natwest-robbed-me-account-closures-dog-one-of-britains-biggest-banks-uk-2-1064776

[KhaoYai]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/03/natwest-closed-my-account-with-no-explanation

[CharlieH]

48 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So private and govt pensions can be paid direct to Thai bank account?

There was a way whereby payments can go into Bangkok Bank London and were transferred on to Thailand.

 

 

[theoldgit]

19 hours ago, Robin said:

I am in the process of setting up an account with Santander and will keep the Forum updated about any problems.

it seems hat it might be possible to set up account with my UK address and then notify them of address change when I return to Thailand

 

I opened an account with Santander International from here in Thailand, they're based in the Isle of Man and Jersey.

Online banking is available and they send our debit cards here to Thailand. 

[The Fugitive]

47 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So private and govt pensions can be paid direct to Thai bank account?

My occupational pension provider uses Western Union to convert currencies. I don't know if they receive special rates for volume as a 'business'. Don't know how DWP convert U.K. State Pensions. 

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

I opened an account with Santander International from here in Thailand, they're based in the Isle of Man and Jersey.

Online banking is available and they send our debit cards here to Thailand. 

Do you get a UK sort code and account number? annual fee?

[theoldgit]

1 minute ago, The Fugitive said:

Don't know how DWP convert U.K. State Pensions. 

 

They convert via Citi Bank in the US who handle the whole transaction, I understand their rates are competitive though there can be a delay if there's a UK or US Public Holiday.

[KhaoYai]

16 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

It can only be that your current account was costing them too much. Banks used to charge for every transaction. Then free banking was introduced. Then interest paying current accounts. Thai banks charge to issue cards. Then they charge annual fees. Not so in U.K.  

My account was in full use. My salary was paid in every month and I kept a healthy balance as I regularly acted as a sponsor in visa applications/needed to show funds for my own visa applications.  At the same time my daughter had a Natwest account that she hardly used - and still has.

[The Fugitive]

2 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

They convert via Citi Bank in the US who handle the whole transaction, I understand their rates are competitive though there can be a delay if there's a UK or US Public Holiday.

Thank you. All good to know!

[Liverpool Lou]

56 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So private and govt pensions can be paid direct to Thai bank account?

Yes, DWP will pay to Thai banks, as it does for me.   Don't know about private pensions as private companies can make their own rules but I see no reason why not, banking is international these days.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

My account was in full use. My salary was paid in every month and I kept a healthy balance as I regularly acted as a sponsor in visa applications/needed to show funds for my own visa applications.  At the same time my daughter had a Natwest account that she hardly used - and still has.

were you in Thailand at that time? and making transfers and foreign payments while in Thailand? I use a VPN when I log in just in case

[theoldgit]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Do you get a UK sort code and account number? annual fee?

 

Yes, there's full online banking, within the UK banking system, my private and state pensions are paid into it, along with the occasional Premium Bond win, and you can make International transfers, though I use wise, they also issue a visa card.

There's no annual fee but I think there's a minimum balance, I can't remember what it is though.

[KhaoYai]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

were you in Thailand at that time? and making transfers and foreign payments while in Thailand? I use a VPN when I log in just in case

No, I was living and working in the UK.  I had often used their flex account when it was still working so I could use Thai ATM's without charge (during visits) but that had long since ceased.  As I say, if you Google it you will find they've done exactly the same to hundreds of people.

Edited June 2, 2022 by KhaoYai

[Liverpool Lou]

15 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

I opened an account with Santander International from here in Thailand, they're based in the Isle of Man and Jersey.

Online banking is available and they send our debit cards here to Thailand. 

That's because they are offshore banks, the complaints or criticisms on this thread are about UK banks.

[The Fugitive]

3 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

My account was in full use. My salary was paid in every month and I kept a healthy balance as I regularly acted as a sponsor in visa applications/needed to show funds for my own visa applications.  At the same time my daughter had a Natwest account that she hardly used - and still has.

Very odd but they must have used some criteria which can only have been financial. You had salary credits and direct debits/standing orders, ATM withdrawals, paying for things via Debit Card? Were you writing and banking cheques?  I am thinking too many costly transactions in comparison to your daughter? Did you also have a credit card with NatWest? I have a credit card but don't use it as such because I pay off the full balance every month. I pay no interest to my bank. That's no good for the bank. Did you also have savings/investment accounts? Were these linked in your on-line access?

[Liverpool Lou]

18 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

22 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Don't know how DWP convert U.K. State Pensions. 

 

They convert via Citi Bank in the US who handle the whole transaction

I was advised that it is converted from GBP to THB via Citibank Thailand, that being part of the Bank of Thailand's Bahtnet system.

Edited June 2, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[herfiehandbag]

As another said, Nationwide allow you to keep a current account with a Thai as address. That said there can be glitches - last year they cancelled my card "because it had been used several times to withdraw cash from an ATM in Thailand." When I asked them ( through the phone app text chat system) what the address on my account was there was an embarrassed silence. Last week my card was blocked because I purchased something off Amazon. They thought it might be fraudulent (a £4 eBook for goodness sake!) You now get an artificial ( not very) intelligence response from an obsequious computer called "Arti" but it is almost invariably not possible to speak to a human being. If you want to speak to a real person you have to phone, toll free in the UK but you have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the UK (B800+) so far, and no human!

 

They do have a conventional address for complaints. Plan B is to write a letter, email it to my brother and have him post it within the UK, including a covering paragraph explaining that since they have improved their communication system this Byzantinely cunning wheeze seems to be the only way that you can actually reach a human.

 

They probably will respond by closing my account!

[theoldgit]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's because they are offshore banks, the complaints or criticisms on this thread are about UK banks.

 

Yes I think everyone realises that, but thanks for pointing it out.

 

But the questions I was helping with were, "can I have a UK Bank with a Thai address" and from the poster who sought clarification regarding the "International Department of Santander" - not every post is a complaint or criticism. 

[KhaoYai]

3 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Very odd but they must have used some criteria which can only have been financial. You had salary credits and direct debits/standing orders, ATM withdrawals, paying for things via Debit Card? Were you writing and banking cheques?  I am thinking too many costly transactions in comparison to your daughter? Did you also have a credit card with NatWest? I have a credit card but don't use it as such because I pay off the full balance every month. I pay no interest to my bank. That's no good for the bank. Did you also have savings/investment accounts? Were these linked in your on-line access?

My account was probably the same as thousands of others.  I didn't have a credit card but I did have a savings account.  I understand why you might think there was something wrong - so did I but I assure you there wasn't. My account was probably very similar to those of millions of their customers.  I had an account with another bank and switched all my DD's etc. to them so it didn't really cause me a problem.  The most annoying thing was the lack of explanation and refusal to discuss the matter - even with their own staff.

 

The staff at my local branch looked over my account and could see nothing that would cause concern.  As I say - Google it.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

As another said, Nationwide allow you to keep a current account with a Thai as address. That said there can be glitches - last year they cancelled my card "because it had been used several times to withdraw cash from an ATM in Thailand." When I asked them ( through the phone app text chat system) what the address on my account was there was an embarrassed silence. Last week my card was blocked because I purchased something off Amazon. They thought it might be fraudulent (a £4 eBook for goodness sake!) You now get an artificial ( not very) intelligence response from an obsequious computer called "Arti" but it is almost invariably not possible to speak to a human being. If you want to speak to a real person you have to phone, toll free in the UK but you have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the UK (B800+) so far, and no human!

 

They do have a conventional address for complaints. Plan B is to write a letter, email it to my brother and have him post it within the UK, including a covering paragraph explaining that since they have improved their communication system this Byzantinely cunning wheeze seems to be the only way that you can actually reach a human.

 

They probably will respond by closing my account!

I get a monthly email from NW, telling me all the latest bits and pieces, but I haven't used the account for 10+ years....????

They did cancel my CC because it was never used.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

If you want to speak to a real person you have to phone, toll free in the UK but you have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the UK (B800+)

Which provider do you use for your Thai phone?  Rates for calls to landline numbers in the UK with Dtac and True are B1/2.50 per minute.

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

It's preferable that they do so, as you can then arrange a secure way of sending them to Thailand. Last year First Direct chose to issue new Mastercard debit cards in place of Visa. Around the same time my HSBC credit card was used for unauthorised payments in US grocery stores. Both replacement cards went astray (I've only had one item of post in almost a year and that was part eaten by mice). My son sent the further replacements via DHL inside books that I wanted - an expensive way of doing things, but sometimes the best way to solve a problem is by throwing money at it.

I used to get them inside Barbie comics! 

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Which provider do you use for your Thai phone?  Rates for calls to landline numbers in the UK with Dtac and True are B1/2.50 per minute.

I use Skype, next to nothing. 

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

14 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's because they are offshore banks, the complaints or criticisms on this thread are about UK banks.

 

Yes I think everyone realises that, but thanks for pointing it out.

Not everyone will realise that, that's why I pointed it out, I was not criticising your comment.  

[The Fugitive]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Which provider do you use for your Thai phone?  Rates for calls to landline numbers in the UK with Dtac and True are B1/2.50 per minute.

If phoning 0800 Freephone numbers use Skype. You don't need any credit. Totally free call if using WiFi. 

[theoldgit]

9 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

 you want to speak to a real person you have to phone, toll free in the UK but you have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the UK (B800+) so far, and no human!

 

On the rare occasions I've needed to call the UK, I use mytello who charge 0.4 THB per minute, others swear by Sype.