Does Natwest mobile app work in Thailand?

[Digitalbanana]

Anyone using a NatWest or NatWest International mobile banking app in Thailand? The Google Play store says its not available to install in this country for some reason? Do I need a UK SIM installed maybe - I don't have one so far?

[KannikaP]

28 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

Anyone using a NatWest or NatWest International mobile banking app in Thailand? The Google Play store says its not available to install in this country for some reason? Do I need a UK SIM installed maybe - I don't have one so far?

You do not need any SIM card in your phone to connect to the Internet or to install an app on Google Play if you connect via WiFi. I just did it on my phone with a Thai SIM and no VPN.

Edited October 15, 2023 by KannikaP

[scubascuba3]

you need to install via playstore using a UK account, UK email

[BritManToo]

30 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

Anyone using a NatWest or NatWest International mobile banking app in Thailand? The Google Play store says its not available to install in this country for some reason? Do I need a UK SIM installed maybe - I don't have one so far?

You need your Google play account set to UK.

Natwest bank app works perfectly, I use it several times a week.

But activating the app for the first time is more of a problem, you'll probably need a Skype account or UK SIM.

[KannikaP]

14 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You do not need any SIM card in your phone to connect to the Internet or to install an app on Google Play if you connect via WiFi. I just did it on my phone with a Thai SIM and no VPN.

Reply in agreement to scuba and BritMan. My Google account and email are UK registered, so I guess that's why it installed. As B Man says, to activate it you will need a UK SIM in your phone. Can you get an OTP via Skype?

[Digitalbanana]

So do I need to buy a UK SIM from somewhere like Gifgaf and get it mailed to Thailand? Would that work? I actually have one of those NW International accounts which has me registered to a Thailand address.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Digitalbanana

[retarius]

I can't get it to work either. But neither can I get any app from US banks to work either. Maybe I am too stupid to get them to work.

 

I used to transfer money for living expenses from Vanguard (a very large  investment company sun the US) every January (I'll not do it this year for obvious reasons) and I have to telephone them at ungodly hours and wait hours on the phone to get to talk to someone. I asked them why I could never hook up and the technician said it was because there are too many scams in Thailand. I was told the same by other regular banks in the US. I did ask for a way around it, like a special code for Thai accounts but they refused. 

[scubascuba3]

21 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

So do I need to buy a UK SIM from somewhere like Gifgaf and get it mailed to Thailand? Would that work? I actually have one of those NW International accounts which has me registered to a Thailand address.

No, the answer is further up

[ianguygil]

SCHWAB app works from Thailand. Plus you can use your Thai address and not have to hide behind the address of a friend in the USA

 

I assume SCHWAB UK App would do the same. That is a hunch. I do not know it and do not use it even though I have UK citizenship too. 

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, ianguygil said:

SCHWAB app works from Thailand. Plus you can use your Thai address and not have to hide behind the address of a friend in the USA

 

I assume SCHWAB UK App would do the same. That is a hunch. I do not know it and do not use it even though I have UK citizenship too. 

What has your Citizenship got to do with a Banking App?

[Liverpool Lou]

44 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

So do I need to buy a UK SIM from somewhere like Gifgaf and get it mailed to Thailand?

I got a GiffGaff SIM and in order to get it operating a £10 credit was necessary but their app would not accept a payment from any of my Thai banks.

[thoengthaied]

I also cannot get the Natwest app here in Thailand. I've been using their website and have a UK Giffgaff SIM card for when they send me an sms. One day they will change the way I have to log in and at that time I'll politely tell them where to go. Security is all well and good but there are limits, certainly for me at my age, and I'm getting to the end of my tether with it all now. I seem to be spending half my life at my computer trying to put all aspects of technology into place. It would be nice if there were instruction manuals but tech companies just expect you to know how to get their websites/apps to work.This morning I've spent 2 hours trying to get Nord vpn to work. It seems that I have to reset it every morning, and it's complicated. My computer will eventually land in my downstairs neighbour's garden. I feel that bad day will soon be here! Perhaps that will be a GOOD day.

[Liverpool Lou]

20 minutes ago, ianguygil said:

SCHWAB app works from Thailand. Plus you can use your Thai address and not have to hide behind the address of a friend in the USA

 

I assume SCHWAB UK App would do the same. That is a hunch. I do not know it and do not use it even though I have UK citizenship too. 

How does Schwab apply to the NatWest apps?

[scubascuba3]

5 minutes ago, thoengthaied said:

I also cannot get the Natwest app here in Thailand. I've been using their website and have a UK Giffgaff SIM card for when they send me an sms. One day they will change the way I have to log in and at that time I'll politely tell them where to go. Security is all well and good but there are limits, certainly for me at my age, and I'm getting to the end of my tether with it all now. I seem to be spending half my life at my computer trying to put all aspects of technology into place. It would be nice if there were instruction manuals but tech companies just expect you to know how to get their websites/apps to work.This morning I've spent 2 hours trying to get Nord vpn to work. It seems that I have to reset it every morning, and it's complicated. My computer will eventually land in my downstairs neighbour's garden. I feel that bad day will soon be here! Perhaps that will be a GOOD day.

Now you know how to install the app, vpns are also simple on phones, just press the enable button

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, thoengthaied said:

I also cannot get the Natwest app here in Thailand.

Ten minutes ago I downloaded the NatWest Bankline app in Bangkok from Play Store with no problems using wifi (Dtac and True SIMs in the phone, mobile data off...if any of that matters).

[hotandsticky]

55 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

So do I need to buy a UK SIM from somewhere like Gifgaf and get it mailed to Thailand? Would that work? I actually have one of those NW International accounts which has me registered to a Thailand address.

No.

 

Although I do have a Giff Gaff sim which I dual in my phone with AIS. 

 

Nat West works well and is one of the better banking apps IMO. 

[Bill97]

45 minutes ago, retarius said:

I can't get it to work either. But neither can I get any app from US banks to work either. Maybe I am too stupid to get them to work.

 

I used to transfer money for living expenses from Vanguard (a very large  investment company sun the US) every January (I'll not do it this year for obvious reasons) and I have to telephone them at ungodly hours and wait hours on the phone to get to talk to someone. I asked them why I could never hook up and the technician said it was because there are too many scams in Thailand. I was told the same by other regular banks in the US. I did ask for a way around it, like a special code for Thai accounts but they refused. 

File a form with Vanguard makes online wire transfers to Thailand possible.  Must specify receiving account info on form.

 

I have four US bank apps working here, no problems.

[ianguygil]

42 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

How does Schwab apply to the NatWest apps?

Because somebody was providing details about Vanguard which they noted was a US company. Also I noted that SCHWAB have a pretty good UK presence so it may work for the SHCWAB UK App too. Seems reasonable to me. Maybe not to you.

 

For those relying on VPN, we have a product which allows us to "see through" VPN. And while we do not block we do know it and it can count in a risk rating. Others do this too. So do not think that most VPN are invisible/transparent. They are not

[ianguygil]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

What has your Citizenship got to do with a Banking App?

It applies to FATCA and to other controls. US citizens are subject to FATCA checks. So it is not your residency, or the location of the Bank in some cases. It can also be affected by the Citizenship

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, ianguygil said:

It applies to FATCA and to other controls. US citizens are subject to FATCA checks. So it is not your residency, or the location of the Bank in some cases. It can also be affected by the Citizenship

Come on, give us a clue. FATCA?

 

Mr Bingle helped, OK. But the OP was regarding a UK banking app not installing over here.

Edited October 15, 2023 by KannikaP

[Digitalbanana]

4 hours ago, thoengthaied said:

I've been using their website and have a UK Giffgaff SIM card for when they send me an sms.

OK, I have been using their web site without issue and they sms me a OTP occasionally to my Thai SIM. I looked further into the NatWest Int web site and it appears that the app is available overseas in a limited number of countries incl Singapore but Thailand is not on the list.

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, thoengthaied said:

I also cannot get the Natwest app here in Thailand. I've been using their website and have a UK Giffgaff SIM card for when they send me an sms.

I have always used the NatWest online banking and I receive OTP's, messages etc fine on my Thai number.

I am registered with them as living in Thailand.

[MartinL]

4 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

I have always used the NatWest online banking and I receive OTP's, messages etc fine on my Thai number.

I am registered with them as living in Thailand.

+1

[NanLaew]

If an app in the app store is geoblocked, connecting via a VPN usually gets around that. For example, if the NatWest app "isn't available in your country", connect via a UK VPN and it will download and install. However, getting around activation may be a chore as the only options when I did it a few years ago was for OTP/SMS to a UK SIM that I had. However, I have noticed that a few banking apps give you the option for an email or (I think) the authenticator apps from Google and MS. Maybe the newer versions of NW and RBS apps allow this?

 

Good luck!

[topt]

4 hours ago, ianguygil said:

For those relying on VPN, we have a product which allows us to "see through" VPN.

genuinely curious - do you mean when the ip address shows from a location that is a commercially known potential hub of a vpn server?

 

Or are you saying that you can actually identify the original ip address location so basically invalidating the use of a vpn and is this with all or just the less secure vpns? Or some sort of cookie/script function?

[ianguygil]

On 10/15/2023 at 6:00 PM, topt said:

genuinely curious - do you mean when the ip address shows from a location that is a commercially known potential hub of a vpn server?

 

Or are you saying that you can actually identify the original ip address location so basically invalidating the use of a vpn and is this with all or just the less secure vpns? Or some sort of cookie/script function?

Clearly as a bank we can't talk about exactly what we use or how it works. But there are proprietary solutions which absolutely allow us to see "through" most commercial VPN's. If we can't see through it we will block it. IP is so easy to spoof that we would never rely on it for a location. 

 

Sorry but I do not mean to be evasive. But you can understand we would never name the exact products that we use. 

[ianguygil]

2 minutes ago, ianguygil said:

Clearly as a bank we can't talk about exactly what we use or how it works. But there are proprietary solutions which absolutely allow us to see "through" most commercial VPN's. If we can't see through it we will block it. IP is so easy to spoof that we would never rely on it for a location. 

 

Sorry but I do not mean to be evasive. But you can understand we would never name the exact products that we use. 

One last point. We do not block access to our websites or our apps from abroad. I use the al the time (tomorrow in fact I will be overseas). But we do block countries with sanctions in place 

[ianguygil]

On 10/15/2023 at 4:58 PM, KannikaP said:

Come on, give us a clue. FATCA?

 

Mr Bingle helped, OK. But the OP was regarding a UK banking app not installing over here.

FATCA

 

"The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which was passed as part of the HIRE Act, generally requires that foreign financial Institutions and certain other non-financial foreign entities report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be subject to withholding on withholdable payments."

[Digitalbanana]

On 10/15/2023 at 12:19 PM, ianguygil said:

SCHWAB app works from Thailand. Plus you can use your Thai address and not have to hide behind the address of a friend in the USA

 

I assume SCHWAB UK App would do the same. That is a hunch. I do not know it and do not use it even though I have UK citizenship too. 

I think you're on the wrong thread mate. This is about the Natwest Banking App.

[topt]

11 hours ago, ianguygil said:

Clearly as a bank we can't talk about exactly what we use or how it works. But there are proprietary solutions which absolutely allow us to see "through" most commercial VPN's. If we can't see through it we will block it. IP is so easy to spoof that we would never rely on it for a location. 

 

Sorry but I do not mean to be evasive. But you can understand we would never name the exact products that we use. 

Thanks for taking the time to respond back.