I post with reference to X E .com and their forex service.

https://www.xe.com/fx/index.htm

Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they really better rates than anywhere else, or am I still better off wiring the money directly from the UK and getting the interbank rate?

Ta.

I started to register with XE but gave up halfway....too complicated.

Best way to send money?

Open a Nationwide account in UK and put money in. Then get a Nationwide Debit Card for that account. Send it to your GF/Wife and let her draw cash from ATMs in LOS, without any cost to you, whatever.

Bank transfers are far too expensive.......

That's what I thought, far too complicated. I'm talking about large amounts of money though... surely wire transfers at the interbank rate to my Thai account are the best option.

BTW I've just opened a Nationwide account

What are Large amounts of Money?

If you are sending Large amounts in one hit, every now and then. Your bank will charge you a mere £35 for sending to LOS Banks, and it will take 5days.

But for frequent transfers I prefer Nationwide, and ATM withdrawls. Costing nothing!.

They have an off shore bank account with good interest rates too!.

You know that Thai bank interest is pathetic I imagine......

They have an off shore bank account with good interest rates too!.

I know that Nationwide is the only UK bank which doesn't charge to withdraw money abroad from an ATM, but do you know if this is also the case with their offshore division? In fact, do any offshore banks charge for using their ATM cards with other banks?

I was going to open an offshore account with Lloyds TSB, but if they make the same charges as their UK based accounts do I may choose Nationwide instead.

With nationwide what you do is to get money transfered from your Offshore account into your Flexaccount in the UK (no charge) and then draw money out with your debit card free of charge.

That is what Nationwide tells me anyway!

With nationwide what you do is to get money transfered from your Offshore account into your Flexaccount in the UK (no charge) and then draw money out with your debit card free of charge.

That is what Nationwide tells me anyway!

Thanks David, makes sense.

I have just set up an XETrade account. Long winded but fairly painless. Attracted by a fee of £9 to transfer 2k to Thailand (from UK). However what I didn't realise is that this is only the fee for them to transfer from their account (in US) to Thailand. I would have to pay for a wire transfer from my own bank in UK to their account which rather defeats the object as I end up paying 2 sets of fees. Good exchange rate though. It would be cheaper if EFT was available from UK to US, where XETrade request the funds from my UK account, but this is only possible from Canada and inside US at the moment. So until then I guess that I will have to shop around for the lowest rates. LloydsTSB?

Tried to follow up on this service. They still do not cover Thailand regardless what their website says.

What are Large amounts of Money?

If you are sending Large amounts in one hit, every now and then. Your bank will charge you a mere £35 for sending to LOS  Banks, and it will take 5days.

But for frequent transfers I prefer Nationwide, and ATM withdrawls. Costing nothing!.

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I think Nationwide's fee for a SWIFT transfer abroad is just 20 quid. As for the exchange rate, assuming you are changing to baht at the Thai end, aren't the exchange rates given by Thai banks for transfers pretty decent?

does anyone know if there are any bank accounts with free ATM access (like nationwide) that an australian can open from australia.

thanks

What are Large amounts of Money?

If you are sending Large amounts in one hit, every now and then. Your bank will charge you a mere £35 for sending to LOS  Banks, and it will take 5days.

But for frequent transfers I prefer Nationwide, and ATM withdrawls. Costing nothing!.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Nationwide's fee for a SWIFT transfer abroad is just 20 quid. As for the exchange rate, assuming you are changing to baht at the Thai end, aren't the exchange rates given by Thai banks for transfers pretty decent?

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I called them to make sure. Xetrade do not change into baht.

I called them to make sure. Xetrade do not change into baht.

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I recently set up an account because their fees are low compared to the UK banks. However, they cannot transfer directly to an XETrade account right now. What you have to do is use the UK bank to transfer to XETrade then they will transfer to an account of your choice. Rather defeats the object of trying to save on bank charges! At the time I was assured transfer to Thailand is fine.

What are Large amounts of Money?

If you are sending Large amounts in one hit, every now and then. Your bank will charge you a mere £35 for sending to LOS  Banks, and it will take 5days.

But for frequent transfers I prefer Nationwide, and ATM withdrawls. Costing nothing!.

I think Nationwide's fee for a SWIFT transfer abroad is just 20 quid. As for the exchange rate, assuming you are changing to baht at the Thai end, aren't the exchange rates given by Thai banks for transfers pretty decent?

Halifax also charge £20, and yep, have the money exchanged into Baht at the Thai end even if the UK banks say otherwise.

I remember to have read somewhere that exchanging into Thai baht at the Thai bank is a requirement if you want to use it for a visa or purchase.

Anyone know for sure?

Never heard that, but UK banks will say that you should have it converted in the UK so they can make they're cut from giving you a crap rate. As for a visa, as long as the money gets to your Thai bank account, whether it be exchanged overseas or in Muang Thai, that's all that matters.