Can still transfer via Bangkok Bank NY branch?

[david_je]

I used to transfer funds from my Citibank account in NY to my Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok using ACH transfer via Bangkok Bank NY branch, using  their routing number. I have not done so in several years and wonder if still  can be done. Thanks.

[Yagoda]

I dont beleive so.

[TimBKK]

9 minutes ago, david_je said:

I used to transfer funds from my Citibank account in NY to my Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok using ACH transfer via Bangkok Bank NY branch, using  their routing number. I have not done so in several years and wonder if still  can be done. Thanks.

Yes, this is how I currently send transfers, exactly as you describe.  

[tjintx]

I have BoA in the US and they stopped it several years ago, said it was part of anti-money laundering pressures from the US Government.    Now, BoA customers have to do a more expensive International Funds Transfer rather than "intra" US ACH.   About $50 per transfer now.

[TimBKK]

7 minutes ago, tjintx said:

I have BoA in the US and they stopped it several years ago, said it was part of anti-money laundering pressures from the US Government.    Now, BoA customers have to do a more expensive International Funds Transfer rather than "intra" US ACH.   About $50 per transfer now.

You need a better bank, or brokerage - I use Vanguard, no fees for outgoing international wire transfers, electronically via BKK Bank in New York.

[david_je]

1 hour ago, TimBKK said:

Yes, this is how I currently send transfers, exactly as you describe.  

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

[david_je]

1 hour ago, TimBKK said:

You need a better bank, or brokerage - I use Vanguard, no fees for outgoing international wire transfers, electronically via BKK Bank in New York.

It is only no-fee if you have a certain amount assets in Vanguard, correct? Do you know what exchange rate they use for this?

[tjintx]

1 hour ago, TimBKK said:

You need a better bank, or brokerage - I use Vanguard, no fees for outgoing international wire transfers, electronically via BKK Bank in New York.

 

The OP asked whether domestic ACH through Bangkok Bank was still possible.   You implied it was then confirmed you do it through International funds transfer now rather than ACH.   Who I use is not relevant to the OP.

 

[tjintx]

19 minutes ago, david_je said:

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

 

I doubt it, it was a Federal effort across all US financial institutions.    You could try, it is likely that it will be rejected.  I believe you have to use the routing code for Bangkok Bank Thailand now (you can look it up on Bangkok Bank's website.

[tjintx]

25 minutes ago, david_je said:

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

 

Re. exchange rates, Bangkok Bank uses close to market rates (you can look it up on: https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/View-Rates/Foreign-Exchange-Rates

 

They charge a small fee.   

 

Due to their fairly competitive  exchange rate and small fee on their end, I send dollars and let Bangkok Bank convert upon receipt.

[TimBKK]

54 minutes ago, david_je said:

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

Not sure - you will have to contact BKK bank NY.  Might be on their website, too.

[tjintx]

1 hour ago, david_je said:

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

 

I believe it is the Swift code you use rather than a routing number, see https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/FAQs

[GammaGlobulin]

Very interesting.

Good info.

Not sure how this works though, and the cost, and the time to receive.

 

I will need to contact the international department of BKK Bank in Thailand...maybe....

 

Seems like a very good solution, however.

Glad I opened two BKK accounts in Thailand.

Getting tired of KBank, and new changes there (maybe just in my own mind, however).

 

[Everyman]

It doesn’t work for ACH anymore only IAT and to my knowledge no retail US bank offers that. 

 

The guy with the the Vanguard account, are you sending IAT or Swift?

[david_je]

1 hour ago, tjintx said:

 

I believe it is the Swift code you use rather than a routing number, see https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/FAQs

That FAQ also says "If you have a US bank account, you may be able to transfer funds to a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand via your bank’s internet banking service, using Bangkok Bank’s New York branch’s 9-digit routing number."

If so, that would seem to be cheaper. I don't pay fee for international wire from my Citibank account, but Citibank exchange rate for transfer (33,3667 at moment) is bad whereas I assume if go via Bangkok Bank NY it would be at more favorable Bangkok Bank rate.

I wonder if in addition to using that routing number, you need to tell them to deposit into your account in Bangkok -- besides, of course, giving them your account number.

[david_je]

2 hours ago, tjintx said:

 

Re. exchange rates, Bangkok Bank uses close to market rates (you can look it up on: https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/View-Rates/Foreign-Exchange-Rates

 

 

For intl transfers, would that be their "TT buying rate" in that link? Thanks.

[treetops]

From reading other threads, it's unlikely that Citibank can do International ACH transfers, only domestic, so payment through BBL New York would not be possible from them.

[bamnutsak]

According to this,

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1050250-major-change-eff-1-apr-19-in-bangkok-bank-ach-transfers/

 

and many other threads here, the ACH transfer via BBL NYC ended April 2019.

 

OP should probably consider a SWIFT or WISE transfer, from CITI to BBL THL.

 

[tjintx]

2 hours ago, david_je said:

For intl transfers, would that be their "TT buying rate" in that link? Thanks.

 

That is correct.

[bamnutsak]

2 hours ago, david_je said:

For intl transfers, would that be their "TT buying rate" in that link? Thanks.

 

Assuming you send USD. Minus the 200 - 500 baht fee.

 

Fee for receiving funds from overseas: 0.25% of the transfer amount (Baht 200 Min., Baht 500 Max.) 

 

 

 

 

[soisanuk]

16 hours ago, Everyman said:

It doesn’t work for ACH anymore only IAT and to my knowledge no retail US bank offers that. 

 

The guy with the the Vanguard account, are you sending IAT or Swift?

 

Correct! The NY Branch does have other methods for doing transfers referred to as: 

- International Automated Clearing House Transfers (IAT)

- Baht Remittance Service

- Domestic Wire Transfer

 

The Pattaya City Expats Club has a web page describing the change from domestic ACH to IAT and the 3 methods shown above - https://pcec.club/BangkokBankNY. The web page notes the Domestic Wire information is old and that one should check with the NY Branch to determine is they still accept Domestic Wire Transfers.

 

[khunjeff]

"With effective from April 1, 2019, New York branch only process ACH with appropriate IAT format and all non-IAT transactions will be returned."

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

[Wrwest]

2 hours ago, khunjeff said:

"With effective from April 1, 2019, New York branch only process ACH with appropriate IAT format and all non-IAT transactions will be returned."

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

Yes, I used to do an EFT from my Fidelity Acct. to Bangkok Bank, NYC. Upon requiring IAT format, Fidelity declined to make the switch. I use the monthly transfer method for Visa Extensions. Fidelity Wire Transfer, once a month (no charge). Bangkok Bank here makes the exchange and charges 200 baht. Worse exchange rate than I got via Wise but, bottom line similar cost on monthly transfer of $2200 usd.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 1/20/2025 at 10:22 AM, david_je said:

That is good to know, thanks. I need to re-link the accounts for transfer -- pls confirm I put Bangkok Bank routing code 026008691 as routing number? (Pls excuse this very basic question but I want to be sure.)

Other poster says BoA no longer provides this, but I guess Citibank still does?

 

The last time I checked with BKKB, the original method of doing domestic ACH transfers from a U.S. bank account to the BKKB NY Branch and then onward to BKK TH NO LONGER functions.

 

However, what WAS still functioning last time I checked was the ability to send a DOMESTIC wire transfer from your US financial account to BKKB NY and then onward to BKKB TH.

 

When you send the domestic wire, you use the routing number for the BKKB NY branch and then the account number for your recipient BKKB TH account.

 

BKKB NY and BKKB TH both charge some relatively small fees for handling the transaction. There's also the fee by your US FI for sending a domestic wire, which can vary greatly by institution. But these days, a lot of FI's offer some number of free domestic wires or very low cost domestic wires.... whereas intl wires tend to be much more expensive.

 

A person still could do a international wire direct from their U.S. FI to their BKKB TH account, But the intl wire fee from the U.S. FI is likely to be a whole lot more expensive than the alternative of doing a domestic wire to BKKB NY and then onward to BKKB TH. And a lot of U.S. FI's, especially retail banks, don't make it especially easy to send intl wires when you're not there in person and want to do it only online.

 

BKKB NY in the past has been reachable by phone at their office there. So anyone needing to pursue this would be best to contact them and confirm what's currently available in terms of the details of  routing of funds from NY to TH.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 hours ago, khunjeff said:

"With effective from April 1, 2019, New York branch only process ACH with appropriate IAT format and all non-IAT transactions will be returned."

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

 

The IAT method is pretty much meaningless to the average U.S. bank or FI customer, since no U.S. consumer bank / CU or even brokerage that I'm aware of offers IAT-compliant ACH transfers to its consumer banking customers. Some U.S. government agencies, on the other hand, can and do send their own outbound payments to recipients in IAT compliant format.  But that doesn't help you or I wanting to send our own money.

 

The U.S. FIs still do, on the other hand, offer regular non-IAT compliant ACH transfers commonly used for domestic U.S. fund transfers -- but as noted above, those have been a NO GO for BKKB NY transfers to Thailand for some years now.

 

[bamnutsak]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

BKKB NY and BKKB TH both charge some relatively small fees for handling the transaction.

 

Note that the fee to send USD and have that converted to THB in Thailand is $55. Converting USD to THB at BBL NYC (at a lower rate) results in the fixed/sliding fee schedule.

 

The process looks fairly complicated - judging from the Application for Foreign Remittance.

 

I look forward to some here explaining how they use this transfer method. Do you snail-mail the application form? Or email it?

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Foreign-Remittance

 

 

 

[david_je]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The last time I checked with BKKB, the original method of doing domestic ACH transfers from a U.S. bank account to the BKKB NY Branch and then onward to BKK TH NO LONGER functions.

 

However, what WAS still functioning last time I checked was the ability to send a DOMESTIC wire transfer from your US financial account to BKKB NY and then onward to BKKB TH.

 

When you send the domestic wire, you use the routing number for the BKKB NY branch and then the account number for your recipient BKKB TH account.

 

BKKB NY and BKKB TH both charge some relatively small fees for handling the transaction. .

 

Sorry basic question, but how do you initiate the domestic wire from a Vanguard brokerage account to BKKB NY using routing number for onward transfer to BKKB account in Bangkok? Have you actually done this and what were fees like? I thought only option was intl wire, and Vanguard Intl Wire Option Form requires a SWIFT code for corresponding bank.

[soisanuk]

6 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

 

Note that the fee to send USD and have that converted to THB in Thailand is $55. Converting USD to THB at BBL NYC (at a lower rate) results in the fixed/sliding fee schedule.

 

The process looks fairly complicated - judging from the Application for Foreign Remittance.

 

I look forward to some here explaining how they use this transfer method. Do you snail-mail the application form? Or email it?

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Foreign-Remittance

 

 

 

 

It has been a few years ago that I used their Baht Remittance Service.  It took about 11 days from the time I sent money from my USA bank to Bangkok Bank's NY Branch and it arriving in my Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.  The process:

 

1 Downloaded the Application which is a pdf form, completed it, and emailed it to the NY Branch along with the Identity page from my passport.  [link for doing the download is on their webpage https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Foreign-Remittance

2. Using my USA bank on line banking, I ordered a check* payable to the NY Branch and had it sent by snail mail to the NY Branch's address.

3. The NY Branch after depositing the paper check, waited for it to clear.

4. The NY Branch then converted the dollars to baht** and transferred it to my Bangkok Bank account here in Thailand.

5. Although they remitted the money to me based on the emailed application, at the time I used the service, they required the original be sent to them by snail mail and if not sent, they would not not process any future transfers. [In looking at their current information, that appears to no longer be a requirement, but that may have been in info I received confirming approval of the application]

 

* Personal checks mailed to them are not acceptable, but they will accept it as a bank money order if sent by your bank [I confirmed by email with them beforehand that they would accept my USA bank's issued paper check] - see Item 11 under Terms and Conditions which are on the 2nd page of the Application Form.

 

** They will send US dollars if requested, but according to their website, the fee will be $55 [IMO unnecessary unless being sent to a US Dollar account rather than a baht account - when I did my transfer, unlike US banks, the exchange rate used by the NY Branch was the same as used by their HQ here in Thailand. 

 

 

[bamnutsak]

38 minutes ago, soisanuk said:

The process:

 

 

Wow! Way more complicated than I imagined.

 

Can't imagine many folks are using that option.

 

Back in the day I did use the 'old' ACH method, which after being set up (link between my BofA account and BBL/NYC) with a couple of small transfers, was quite easy to use...done on line , with funds arriving in a day or so.

 

Now I use SWIFT to send USD from Fidelity to BBL/THL. Free of charge, other than the BBL/THL sliding fee, for the TT rate.