Dee Money Alternative

[dddave]

I help a family in the Philippines, always using Dee Money to send to  their GCash account.  Dee Money has been down since Wednesday for "maintainance" with no reopening date provided, now into a 5th day. Actually, Dee Money has been problematic lately with several extended delays in transfer availability, thus, I'm seeking suggestions for an alternate transfer service to the Philippines into a GCash account.

[treetops]

Runours on the internet they've gone bust and laid off most of their staff.

[KannikaP]

Wise or Revolut.

[Celsius]

7 minutes ago, treetops said:

Runours on the internet they've gone bust and laid off most of their staff.

 

Where did you hear this? I am surprised because they are supposedly backed by SCB.

[treetops]

8 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Where did you hear this? I am surprised because they are supposedly backed by SCB.

 

Scroll down to the post by Samut Prakan Phil.

 

https://x.com/JustMikeMcKay/status/1863119236945834493

 

 

[dddave]

2 hours ago, treetops said:

 

Scroll down to the post by Samut Prakan Phil.

 

https://x.com/JustMikeMcKay/status/1863119236945834493

 

 

Ouch!!  That looks pretty grim.  I do have a small B2000 "refund" in the pipeline from a fiasco of a few weeks ago when a transfer to a GCash account never became available with some ludicrous excuses like I had exceeded my monthly limit of B50,000 at the same time they were advertising discounts on transfers of B200,000+  I've never transferred more than B5000  in any month.  Looks like it might be a write-off. 

[Upnotover]

Sending from where?  If not Thailand then ought to be many options.  I used to use WU from the UK.  But if trying to send from a Thai account may be less easy.

[dddave]

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

Sending from where?  If not Thailand then ought to be many options.  I used to use WU from the UK.  But if trying to send from a Thai account may be less easy.

Thailand doesn't allow to send WU online.  You have to send in person from a WU agent, like the Thai PO.

I just signed up for WISE.  I could only use my US bank account, I couldn't figure out how to use my BKB account.  Does anybody transfer using wise from there Thai Bank account? Did I miss something.

[Upnotover]

Just now, dddave said:

Thailand doesn't allow to send WU online.  You have to send in person from a WU agent, like the Thai PO.

I just signed up for WISE.  I could only use my US bank account, I couldn't figure out how to use my BKB account.  Does anybody transfer using wise from there Thai Bank account? Did I miss something.

I'm pretty sure you can't use Wise to send THB from a Thai account.  At least you have an alternative.

[treetops]

19 hours ago, Upnotover said:

I'm pretty sure you can't use Wise to send THB from a Thai account.  At least you have an alternative.

 

OP wants to send PHP.

 

19 hours ago, dddave said:

I just signed up for WISE.  I could only use my US bank account, I couldn't figure out how to use my BKB account.  Does anybody transfer using wise from there Thai Bank account? Did I miss something.

It's a bit convoluted but you can do this with Wise and fund the transfer using your BBL Debit Card.  You need to set it up as another currency, eg USD, to PHP transfer then pay for it by card.  It would be subject to overseas currency fees and possible cash advance fees so not recommended.

 

It's a costly way to move funds out of a Thai bank using Wise which many say is impossible.

[Caldera]

On 12/1/2024 at 7:24 PM, dddave said:

Thailand doesn't allow to send WU online.  You have to send in person from a WU agent, like the Thai PO.

 

That's incorrect information.

 

There's a Western Union Thailand app (offered by Central, who are a Western Union partner), and I'm using this app myself to send money abroad. So far, it has been perfectly reliable.

 

No need to visit an agent except for the initial KYC process. You can pay by QR code using a Thai bank app.

 

Bangkok Bank also offers Western Union transfers via their app, but unlike with Central, I'm not sure if foreigners can use it, as I haven't tried.

 

Funnily enough and on topic, the reason I registered for Western Union was the impending demise of DeeMoney as well when troubling reports started to emerge earlier this year.

[dddave]

By "Central", do you mean "Central Department Stores"?  That's interesting as WU always had physical agencies in Robinson's Department Stores.  Did Central gobble-up Robinson's when I wasn't looking?

Admittedly, it was several years ago that I discovered that the WU app I had downloaded in the US could only be used in Thailand to collect funds and not send Thai Baht.  I have to go to Bangkok Bank in a few days.  I'll ask about whether money can be sent out of Thailand by their WU affiliated app.

[Caldera]

45 minutes ago, dddave said:

By "Central", do you mean "Central Department Stores"?  That's interesting as WU always had physical agencies in Robinson's Department Stores.  Did Central gobble-up Robinson's when I wasn't looking?

Admittedly, it was several years ago that I discovered that the WU app I had downloaded in the US could only be used in Thailand to collect funds and not send Thai Baht.  I have to go to Bangkok Bank in a few days.  I'll ask about whether money can be sent out of Thailand by their WU affiliated app.

 

Yes, Central Department Stores. I did my KYC at their Western Union counter at Central Chidlom. Robinson belongs to Central, too.

 

With Bangkok Bank, the Western Union functionality is part of their mobile banking app (it isn't a separate app). It says it requires registration, and that's the part I'm not sure about, that might or might not be possible for foreign customers.

Edited 4 hours ago by Caldera
Added Bangkok Bank info