Transferring money from the UK

[bannork]

I have some money with a trusted friend in the UK. I asked her to transfer some money for 3 months worth of injections next month at a hospital in Bangkok, I live in Udon Thani province.

The UK bank demanded proof of the medical expenses before they would transfer the money by SWIFT ( my friend told them the reason for the transfer). They suspect a scam though we've been friends since 1974!

But the hospital give a receipt after payment, it will be a pain to get an invoice before treatment and then send it to the UK as evidence 

So I'm asking if there is an easier way to send money, Western Union for example. My friend could say the money is an Xmas gift.

Thanking any replies in advance. 

 

 

[foreverlomsak]

send it via Wise, good rates, low fees and no need for a minimum balance. This address 

Wise - Login

[it is what it is]

 

i've used OFX, find them reliable, professional, good value

[nigelforbes]

Only use Western Union if you have absolutely no other options, it is expensive.

 

I've never heard of a UK bank doing that before but I suppose it might be because your friend is transferring funds to an account with a different name than their own. I suggest your friend goes into a branch to discuss the problem, ask them what they need (paperwork/ID/etc) to make them feel more comfortable with the transaction. 

[Mac Mickmanus]

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Only use Western Union if you have absolutely no other options, it is expensive.

 

I've never heard of a UK bank doing that before but I suppose it might be because your friend is transferring funds to an account with a different name than their own. I suggest your friend goes into a branch to discuss the problem, ask them what they need (paperwork/ID/etc) to make them feel more comfortable with the transaction. 

Even Western Union ask that these days  , they ask you why you are sending the money , for what reason 

[nigelforbes]

8 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Even Western Union ask that these days  , they ask you why you are sending the money , for what reason 

The reason for sending the money is not the issue, the issue is that the friend is sending money to an account in a different name from their own, that's why the bank is interested.

[Scouse123]

As a poster has already said use Wise app.it used to be called Transferwise.

 

I have for years.

 

Money is here and in the account in seconds and no nonsense.

 

Very cheap  commission charges and high exchange rates 

 

Excellent service, destroys what the banks charge.

 

There is a drop down menu as reasons for sending money, I always select " for long term stay in Thailand  " and that is it.

 

I am surprised everybody hasn't heard of it these days,as its hugely popular.

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Scouse123

[sometimewoodworker]

57 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Money is here and in the account in seconds and no nonsense.

That depends on the bank you are sending it to, it can take days & has recently.

[Scouse123]

10 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That depends on the bank you are sending it to, it can take days & has recently.

Yes,

 

And that problem was due to the fact that Thai banks were closed with a number of holidays this month.The late King's birthday, Constitution day etc

 

As you know, you can track your funds from the source, I did, and my funds left the UK on schedule.

 

They arrived at KTB the following day instead of the usual ' seconds ' it normally takes.

 

However, Wise is my view, is still by far,the best option.

[hotandsticky]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Yes,

 

And that problem was due to the fact that Thai banks were closed with a number of holidays this month.The late King's birthday, Constitution day etc

 

As you know, you can track your funds from the source, I did, and my funds left the UK on schedule.

 

They arrived at KTB the following day instead of the usual ' seconds ' it normally takes.

 

However, Wise is my view, is still by far,the best option.

 

 

+1

 

The only 24 hour delay that I incurred was on 6th December....all others within 10 seconds

[turner34]

As previous posters have mentioned, I would definitely recommend Wise ????
Have used them a few times now & always had incredibly fast transfers, with good rates.

[Cake Monster]

IOP

You should be aware that only a few Banks in Thailand will receive your transfers if they are over 50,000 Baht

I would advise that the usage of "Wise " is your best method, and they carry an advisory notice on the Thai transferable amounts Etc

[sandyf]

33 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

And that problem was due to the fact that Thai banks were closed with a number of holidays this month.The late King's birthday, Constitution day etc

I just sent some money from UK to Canada and when I did the payment was told it would take 24 hours and all went as scheduled.

A couple of years ago that same payment was almost instant, transfers have become slower and the delays are global, although there may well be variation due to local circumstances.

[robertson468]

12 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

send it via Wise, good rates, low fees and no need for a minimum balance. This address 

Wise - Login

I totally agree.  I have been using Wise for over a year and they are inexpensive and have an excellent exchange rate.  Before you complete you transaction you will see a drop down menu that asks what the transfer is for.  I always put for living expenses and have had no problems.  Good luck!

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Yes,

 

And that problem was due to the fact that Thai banks were closed with a number of holidays this month.The late King's birthday, Constitution day etc

 

As you know, you can track your funds from the source, I did, and my funds left the UK on schedule.

 

They arrived at KTB the following day instead of the usual ' seconds ' it normally takes.

 

However, Wise is my view, is still by far,the best option.

I agree that wise is the best option.
However here is proof that the transfer can take days in this case 5 calendar days.

the transfer was initiated in the morning European time and received in the afternoon Thai time

[Robin]

For a small sum, I would suggest Western Union.  Always works for me and only basic questions asked.

My experience of UK banks is that they are paranoid about being party to a 'scam.' by helping a customer transfer money to Thailand.

Friend in UK should tell her bank in no uncertain terms that she will do what she wants with her money, and that she knows the recipient.

bank cannot refuse to do what they are told to do, only make some token effort to protect her from a scam.

Note that you can do aWU transfer all on-line without any human contact to give you B/S like this.

[sometimewoodworker]

12 minutes ago, Robin said:

For a small sum, I would suggest Western Union.  Always works for me and only basic questions asked.

As mentioned this is both an expensive option and has a poor exchange rate, but you do you

[silver sea]

Does anyone else have experience of transferring with XE? 
 

I am registered with them as UK resident and my bank is HSBC UK. I have just done comparison between WISE and XE and what you receive at the other end in your Thai bank account is similar.

 

My experience with XE: so long as the transfer amount is over £250 then XE does not charge a fee. My Thai bank account is SCB. Although the transfer from HSBC to XE is straightaway, the money is sent to SCB HQ in Bangkok. SCB will transfer to my account in Hua Hin on a working day and not at weekend or public holidays. So if I transfer on Friday afternoon, I will not get the money into my account until Monday or Tuesday, depending on public holidays. OK for me, so I continue to use XE, but I appreciate other people are not so patient. If I transfer on Tuesday, I will get the money on Wednesday. Again not XE’s fault as any delay is by SCB in Bangkok.

 

 

There is a legal requirement to give reason for transfer. I always choose “living expenses” on XE’s drop down list. Never a problem with that.

 

XE customer care works ok too. I had a problem with a transfer because the WiFi cut out in the middle of the transfer. Their care team member was very quick to answer my questions about whether the transfer had gone through or whether I needed to start again.

 

I have heard only good reports about WISE, but I am happy to use XE as I am used to their system and screen layout.

 

XE has app to check currency exchange rates. I use their app to do the transfer as well, but they also have a web page for those who don’t use the app: https://www.xe.com

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by silver sea

[crazykopite]

Open a wise account it’s very simple I sent 25k over last week it cost around £145 but was sat in my Thai bank account in.ems than 2 hours if you send  £1,000 it normally takes less than 3 minutes last week I managed to get 43 to the £ today it’s 41.990 so I did okay the good thing  the rated change many times during the day so you need to keep an eye on it I have a GB account with them where I hold money so it’s l most instant as I don’t have to transfer monies from my U.K. bank  avoid doing transfers at weekends as the Friday rate is all weekend plus it takes much longer to reach your Thai bank so best do it Monday to Friday 

[The Fat Controller]

Another WISE fan, my last transfer of £1000 funded from a GBP balance to Bangkok Bank took 6 seconds.

[Stocky]

14 hours ago, bannork said:

The UK bank demanded proof of the medical expenses before they would transfer the money by SWIFT ( my friend told them the reason for the transfer). They suspect a scam though we've been friends since 1974!

But the hospital give a receipt after payment, it will be a pain to get an invoice before treatment and then send it to the UK as evidence 

Does it need to be an invoice? A letter from the hospital explaining the teatment and cost might be sufficient. UK banks are now very proactive in trying to protect customers from scams due to the increasing number of cases. Significantly, these often result in poor publicity attaching to the banks when they refuse to compensate for their customer's stupidity.

 

I use Wise to make transfers from the UK and agree with other posters that they're quick, efficient and cheaper than UK banks. But those are transfers to accounts in my name, there may well be similar questions and reticence from Wise if sending a substantial sum to someone elses bank account.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

As a poster has already said use Wise app.it used to be called Transferwise.

You don't have to use an app. Websites still work on other devices. But yes, Wise is the way to go.

[VBF]

I agree about Wise being the best method.

Worth mentioning (IMO) that timing is important.  By that I mean, if you do your transfer when both the bank in your country and the Thai bank are open, then Wise takes from 10 seconds to 30 minutes from beginning to end. E.G.... If I'm in UK and do my transfer at 09:00 GMT which is 16:00 in Thailand, the transfer may be quicker as both countries are in banking hours. Were I to send the money at (say) 18:00GMT, (01:00 Thailand) then  it may take a little longer.

 

Might seem odd, considering that these are automated processes but might be due to one or other bank doing overnight maintenance for example.

This is just based upon my experience, not upon any inside knowledge, and, having said that unless waiting a few hours for the money to move is a problem, then Wise is still fast and efficient IME.

Edited December 22, 2022 by VBF

[KannikaP]

8 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

There is a drop down menu as reasons for sending money, I always select " for long term stay in Thailand  " and that is it.

If you use that reason, it will not be instant, it will probably arrive the next day as there is some 'human' intervention involved.

[Scouse123]

Just now, KannikaP said:

If you use that reason, it will not be instant, it will probably arrive the next day as there is some 'human' intervention involved.

Nope, seconds every time

[KannikaP]

5 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Nope, seconds every time

Read the many many previous posts regarding Wise, long term stay, transfers, and I think you will find that you are mistaken. I have done a monthly transfer EVERY MONTH for over three years using that reason, as it is the truth and the money arrives as a Foreign Transfer, and it inevitably arrived at my Bkk Bank at 14.03 the next day, NEVER INSTANTLY.

If you use other reasons like family & friends, living expenses or sick buffalo, then it can be instant.

Edited December 22, 2022 by KannikaP

[Photoguy21]

Use Wise to transfer the money. There is a limitation on an individual transaction but it is most like a lot more than you would want to send. For information the limit to Thailand is 2 million Baht, far in excess of what you would be sending I am guessing.

[AlbionBob]

I use XE, as mentioned by a previous contributor, to send money to my wife's account and sometimes my own.  Excellent rate, easy process and transfer goes through extremely quickly.  Just have to indicate "Living expenses" or "Family Support"  no hassle.  Highly recommended.

 

Having said that, I have never tried Wise, so following all the above recommendations I will give them a try in future !

[soi3eddie]

16 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

I've never heard of a UK bank doing that before but I suppose it might be because your friend is transferring funds to an account with a different name than their own. I suggest your friend goes into a branch to discuss the problem, ask them what they need (paperwork/ID/etc) to make them feel more comfortable with the transaction. 

UK banks have a duty of care and they will say they are trying to protect their account holder. Whilst that may be true in part, many banks see any overseas transaction as suspicious. They are perfectly right to ask the reason but if the account holder insists, then they should complete the transaction. These days, many banks will do everything they can to retain money in their institution. Just a taste of controls once CBDC and Social Credit is imposed on us all.

 

Advise the OP @bannork to tell the sender either to use Wise or possibly to send it online from their bank - I use Lloyds and can setup international transfers online to either Kbank or Bangkok bank account. Normally arrives next working day. If using bank always send in £GBP and let the receiving Thai bank do the conversion at a much better rate. Wise still best rate and lowest fees though.

 

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

Read the many many previous posts regarding Wise, long term stay, transfers, and I think you will find that you are mistaken. I have done a monthly transfer EVERY MONTH for over three years using that reason, as it is the truth and the money arrives as a Foreign Transfer, and it inevitably arrived at my Bkk Bank at 14.03 the next day, NEVER INSTANTLY.

If you use other reasons like family & friends, living expenses or sick buffalo, then it can be instant.

I have just got my yearly summary from Wise and they say I made 27 transactions this year.

 

I am aware of the reasons I gave for transfer.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Scouse123