WISE....Beware !

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

98% of my transfers take under 10 seconds.

 

I transfer funds from my main UK bank account into my WISE account - and then remit money to Thailand from there.

 

 

I have just made a small transfer to the new Bangkok Bank account I opened this week...................that is also showing Monday 10:00 am for reeipt.

 

I can live with that.

[Dan O]

18 hours ago, KannikaP said:

A SWIFT from say Nationwide costs GBP20, so if WISE's 0.6% is over that, use SWIFT. But that will take a few days.

Not necessarily. I transfer swift every month from USA to here and it arrives next day and has positive tracking detail for Imm purposes. They do quote a window for delivery as some banks are not on the swift network and have to be inter-banked.

[newnative]

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know if the OP is aware of this, but Thai banks are not open on weekends.

They are in shopping malls.

[Moonlover]

18 minutes ago, newnative said:

20 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know if the OP is aware of this, but Thai banks are not open on weekends.

 

18 minutes ago, newnative said:

They are in shopping malls.

Branches yes, but not the HQ and admin centres, where all the transactions are handled.

 

I have a couple of monthly direct debits and they are never paid out at weekends. The same would be true for incoming transactions.

[prakhonchai nick]

1 hour ago, Dan O said:

Not necessarily. I transfer swift every month from USA to here and it arrives next day and has positive tracking detail for Imm purposes. They do quote a window for delivery as some banks are not on the swift network and have to be inter-banked.

A Swift transfer to a Thai bank, will be exchanged into Thai baht at the banks rate at time of arrival (1,2,3 days later)  It may be higher than on the day sent, it may be lower. With a WISE transfer, one knows exactly what the exchange rate will be.

[totsakan]

On 12/13/2024 at 9:03 AM, Lacessit said:

I don't know if the OP is aware of this, but Thai banks are not open on weekends.

Seriously? You might have been locked in a tiny remote village during the last 20 years (or just never been to Thailand). In shopping malls, plenty of banks opened on weekend...

[riclag]

19 hours ago, G_Money said:

 Been using WISE for years.  Before my transfers arrived in minutes.  Now about 4 working days.  
 

Perhaps because I originate from a US credit union,  not an actual bank.

 

When originating it says it will arrive in minutes, then it says my financial institution makes micro deposits so it will take longer than expected.

 

Whatever that means.

 

Now I just plan for 4 days.  It was nice receiving it in seconds.

If and when I use W , I always have the wait 4 days  in mind!

Most of my transfers with other institutions such as Chuck Schwab are like this.

[Moonlover]

24 minutes ago, totsakan said:

Seriously? You might have been locked in a tiny remote village during the last 20 years (or just never been to Thailand). In shopping malls, plenty of banks opened on weekend...

@Lacessit's comment was correct. The branches (the visible side of banking) will be open, but the HQ and admin centres do not work weekends. E.g. a Wise transaction which has been tagged 'long stay' will not be processed on a W/E. 

 

P.S. There is absolutely no need for sarcasm!

[totsakan]

6 hours ago, Moonlover said:

@Lacessit's comment was correct. The branches (the visible side of banking) will be open, but the HQ and admin centres do not work weekends. E.g. a Wise transaction which has been tagged 'long stay' will not be processed on a W/E. 

 

P.S. There is absolutely no need for sarcasm!

I answered the exact quote... sorry if I did (no sarcasm... and yes of course some functions might obviously not work on weekends, night or holidays but nothing relating to the quote or to the answer I gave)

[stupidfarang]

21 hours ago, kalasiner said:

I have been a satisfied customer of WISE for over a decade.

Today 14.00 hrs. they acknowledged receipt of my latest transfer payment and say they will pay the recipient on Monday at 14.00 hrs. Previously payment was forwarded immediately. Now they will withhold my money over the weekend. A disgraceful decline in service from WISE.

I have used wise for about 8 years and they have always not transfered money over a weekend, you also need to watch out for public holidays overseas and in Thailand. Wise is an excellent service.

[OneManShow]

Thai bank to bank is different. Wise transfers could be quick or slow depends on what bank will be the receiver. bkkb is usually slow "for me".

[billd766]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

They are in shopping malls.

Sadly the one that I opened my account at in BigC at Kamphaeng Phet closed down. I assume due to a lack of customers (and perhaps a rental rise). They simply closed the shop down, shut the doors, and the accounts went back to the main branch.

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, Dan O said:

Not necessarily. I transfer swift every month from USA to here and it arrives next day and has positive tracking detail for Imm purposes. They do quote a window for delivery as some banks are not on the swift network and have to be inter-banked.

https://wise.com/us/blog/how-long-does-swift-take

 

You must be very lucky.

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

I transfer funds from my main UK bank account into my WISE account - and then remit money to Thailand from there.

Isn't that how most of us do it?

[hotandsticky]

Just now, KannikaP said:

Isn't that how most of us do it?

 

 

Apparently not.

 

 

Some do a bank transfer on the day, having got the quotation first. WISE always states that you have xx hours to arrange the bank transfer (these go to a different account than your own WISE account). A couple of friends use their debit cards.

 

 

In my experience the rate has always been slightly better when transferring in funds first  - and using your balance for the Baht transfer.

[cmjc]

Like most, I've used Wise for many years with no problems... BUT

 

I've ceased using them now, after trying to update my residential address.

 

No utility bills have my name on them, so are no use for ID.

 

So I presented to Wise the Thai Immigration form, "Notification of Change of Address" properly stamped and accepted by Imm.

 

Wise info says they accept Government docs as proof of address.

 

The proof of change of address was rejected without explanation.

 

When I contacted Wise about it, they simply ignored my polite and patient query.

 

Repeatedly!

 

My Wise account still shows the original (now wrong) address.

 

With customer service like that, these folks cannot be trusted, though I've never had any problem with transfers of funds.

 

Shame, but can do better.

 

 

 

 

[treetops]

15 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Isn't that how most of us do it?

 

No, just a straight transfer from my home bank to my Thai bank using Wise as the processor.

[keithcresswell]

I've used Wise for many years and there have been a handful of times when it's been delayed, as far as I remember it's been at a weekend. Last weekend my wife had to wait 2 days for her transfer to reach SCB. I did a transfer to Kbank on the Monday morning and it arrived within seconds. She was still waiting for her transfer to arrive.  Maybe it depends who the receiving bank is.

[KannikaP]

16 minutes ago, treetops said:

 

No, just a straight transfer from my home bank to my Thai bank using Wise as the processor.

So you do not have a specific GBP, or other currency account with WISE

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, totsakan said:

Seriously? You might have been locked in a tiny remote village during the last 20 years (or just never been to Thailand). In shopping malls, plenty of banks opened on weekend...

I tend to stay away from shopping malls on weekends, too many people. I prefer weekdays.

 

You may be right, I know the main street branches are closed.

 

Not that it matters, I do all my banking during the week.

 

PS. I have lived in Thailand for more than ten years, don't bruise yourself jumping to conclusions.

[Liverpool Lou]

22 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know if the OP is aware of this, but Thai banks are not open on weekends.

I don't know if you are aware of this but many of them are open over the weekends.

[treetops]

16 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So you do not have a specific GBP, or other currency account with WISE

 

I have GBP and THB accounts as I think they're created by default as I use these currencies, but balance is always zero as I use Wise purely as a transfer service.  This is how they started out and I've just continued with the same arrangements.

[Lacessit]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

I don't know if you are aware of this but many of them are open over the weekends.

As someone else has pointed out, in shopping malls. Not the main branches, at least in Chiang Rai

 

And as I have pointed out, I don't go to shopping malls in the weekends.

[KannikaP]

Just now, treetops said:

 

I have GBP and THB accounts as I think they're created by default as I use these currencies, but balance is always zero as I use Wise purely as a transfer service.  This is how they started out and I've just continued with the same arrangements.

As I have said in a previous answer, if you keep a GBP balance which can be instantly converted to THB into a THB WISE account, you can watch out for good rates, build up a THB balance, then send it as THB to THB. I think it is marginally cheaper that way as well.

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I do all my banking during the week.

The only time I need to visit the bank is to get letters and statements for Immigration once a year, or if the bankbook update machine is broken. The rest of time...online

[treetops]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

As I have said in a previous answer, if you keep a GBP balance which can be instantly converted to THB into a THB WISE account, you can watch out for good rates, build up a THB balance, then send it as THB to THB. I think it is marginally cheaper that way as well.

 

Yes, but I prefer to do my banking once a month and forget about it.  Not enough gains to be had for the additional effort IMO.

 

YMMV.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I don't know if you are aware of this but many of them are open over the weekends.

As someone else has pointed out, in shopping malls. Not the main branches

A branch is a branch, its location does not alter its operation or its normal facilities, the branches on the street offer exactly the same services as mall branches.  When you say "main branch" that would be the Head Office branch, yes?

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

A branch is a branch, its location does not alter its operation or its normal facilities, the branches on the street offer exactly the same services as mall branches.  When you say "main branch" that would be the Head Office branch, yes?

The 'dedicated' Bangkok Banks on the street are CLOSED on Saturdays & Sundays, well, here in Phitsanulok. 

The only 'Mall' branch is now the one at Central as they closed the Big C one. I don't know if that is open at weekends.

[daveAustin]

23 hours ago, kalasiner said:

 A disgraceful decline in service from WISE.

But you got your money and the correct rate?

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Branches yes, but not the HQ and admin centres, where all the transactions are handled.

 

I have a couple of monthly direct debits and they are never paid out at weekends. The same would be true for incoming transactions.

You are rather contradicting yourself saying that the HQ and admin centres are OPEN at weekends (which they are not) but your D Debits do not go out at weekends. I can do Bank transfers to my Mrs's bank instantly, anytime. Or do you think they put the computers on sleep.