Best way to transfer money to Thailand please?

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, treetops said:

 

i've only ever done that once just to try something out.  I normally just set up a transfer and fund it from my UK bank, but that money never appears in my Wise account.

That's because it goes into your GBP account, gets converted, and out immediately in THB

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, orchidfan said:

I have recently (this week) used WISE to transfer AUD, which I first deposit into my Wise AUD account.

 

In the past, over dozens of transfers.  it took seconds to be in my THB, Bangkok Bank account.

 

BUT, this week, without explanation,it is taking until 2..13pm (exactly each time) the next day to arrive!! WEIRD.

 

Have always used "Personal Expenses " as the reason.

 

So something has happened at the thai end, I'm assuming .

No changes to accounts, banks or reasons whatsoever  

 

So, for me anyway, the 1 minute transfers seem to have stopped !

Send it a day earlier then. 555

[thrilled]

I use Schwab through wire. It’s easy

[orchidfan]

13 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Send it a day earlier then. 555

Thamks. Very helpful. Normally a day earlier and my pension hasn't aderived in my Oz bank!

[orchidfan]

1 minute ago, thrilled said:

I use Schwab through wire. It’s easy

Thanks but my bank is in AUSTRALIA.

"Westpac"

[KannikaP]

8 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Thanks. Very helpful. Normally a day earlier and my pension hasn't arrived in my Oz bank!

Then have a day not spending anything until it arrives in THB.

Try to be one month ahead of your pension, so not living hand to mouth.

[jas007]

On 5/15/2025 at 2:17 PM, problemfarang said:

Hi

im looking for a fast, easy and cheap way to transfer money to thai bank account (kasikorn or bangkok bank)

 

im aware that i can transfer money to the account directly from my account. it takes 2-3 days and also sender bank + middle bank + kasikorn or bangkok bank cuts almost half of the money. so im looking for another way

 

i also know about wise. but i think its only for USA? because it connects only usa bank account to wise mobile app i tihnk.. if not please let me know how to do.

 

bangkok bank mobile app also has western union / prompt pay international.. how fast is western union and cheaper than 3 bank cuts?

 

or please let me know if you know any other way.. 

 

thanks

I just occasionally wire money into my Kaisikorn bank from the US.  But they certainly don't take "almost half" of the money in the process.  I send US dollars and Kaisikorn does the conversion.  And I think there's a small incoming wire transfer fee.  

 

I just looked up the results of the latest transaction on May 1.  It looks like the exchange rate that day was 33.55.  After fees in Thailand, my net exchange rate was 33.267.   So a little bit of money at the Thailand end.  Not "almost half."

[pub2022]

On 5/15/2025 at 2:17 PM, problemfarang said:

 

 cuts almost half of the money

 

 

 

 

 

Cuts almost half? You must be kidding. Do your maths again.

SWIFT and Wise is the best you can find.

If you're looking for a free transfer I have bad news for you: there isn't any.

[Caldera]

On 5/15/2025 at 3:42 PM, problemfarang said:

yes thats what im doing. but like i said there are lot of cuts. like almost half of the money gone

so im looking for another way

 

Either that's nonsense or you're making VERY small transfers, I can't see how you're losing "almost half of the money" doing a SWIFT transfer otherwise.

 

You might get more help if you actually told us which country you're sending money from, in any case.

[PuiPuiHarry]

On 5/15/2025 at 10:42 AM, problemfarang said:

 

yes thats what im doing. but like i said there are lot of cuts. like almost half of the money gone

so im looking for another way

 HALF of the money ? ?  Maybe when you want to transfer a few US$ or €uros, but with normal transactionn a o,7 % or something like that.

Alternative: buy a ticket and bring it.... 

[jas007]

35 minutes ago, pub2022 said:

 

Cuts almost half? You must be kidding. Do your maths again.

SWIFT and Wise is the best you can find.

If you're looking for a free transfer I have bad news for you: there isn't any.

There doesn't seem to be any way to cut out the small fees in Thailand for the currency conversion and for the incoming wire transfer, but at least from Chase in the US, the worst case scenario is a $40 fee, unless you send more than $5000 or have an account that qualifies for free international wire transfers. 

 

The bottom line: it's no big deal. 

[JohnnyBD]

To OP,

It sounds like you are sending small amounts ($100 USD) using SWIFT, and your bank is charging an outgoing wire transfer fee of $30 or more. Kasikorn charges an incoming wire fee of 500 baht, so that can get really expensive if you're sending small amounts. Better to send a larger amount to Kasikorn and use the money, then when your balance starts to get low, send more.

 

Many foreigners in Thaialnd use Wise to send money from their home country, and it seems to work well for them. 

 

I get money in Thailand in two ways.

1. I wire USD from my US Chase Bank  (no wire fees due to my relationship), to my USD account with Bangkok Bank. I convert it to my THB account whenever I'm ready. Bangkok Bank charges min. 200B, max 500B incoming fee at .0025. So, if I send $2,400 USD, Bangkok Bank charges me $6.00. Chase doesn't charge me anything. My wire transfer take 1 day to post, but that's not a big deal because I keep enough to live on, so I don't have to rush to send money. I could send USD directly to my THB account, and let Bangkok Bank convert it automatically when they get it, but I prefer to watch the rates and convert it myself.

 

2. I watch the MC & Visa exchange rates, and get THB from the ATM using my Chase debit card. There's a 220B ATM fee for each transaction, but Chase reimburses me for the 220B fee. I also select NO, Continue Without Conversion" so that the Thai bank doesn't charge me their 5.5% conversion fee. That way I get the best exchange rate.

 

Good luck...

[jas007]

53 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

To OP,

It sounds like you are sending small amounts ($100 USD) using SWIFT, and your bank is charging an outgoing wire transfer fee of $30 or more. Kasikorn charges an incoming wire fee of 500 baht, so that can get really expensive if you're sending small amounts. Better to send a larger amount to Kasikorn and use the money, then when your balance starts to get low, send more.

 

Many foreigners in Thaialnd use Wise to send money from their home country, and it seems to work well for them. 

 

I get money in Thailand in two ways.

1. I wire USD from my US Chase Bank  (no wire fees due to my relationship), to my USD account with Bangkok Bank. I convert it to my THB account whenever I'm ready. Bangkok Bank charges min. 200B, max 500B incoming fee at .0025. So, if I send $2,400 USD, Bangkok Bank charges me $6.00. Chase doesn't charge me anything. My wire transfer take 1 day to post, but that's not a big deal because I keep enough to live on, so I don't have to rush to send money. I could send USD directly to my THB account, and let Bangkok Bank convert it automatically when they get it, but I prefer to watch the rates and convert it myself.

 

2. I watch the MC & Visa exchange rates, and get THB from the ATM using my Chase debit card. There's a 220B ATM fee for each transaction, but Chase reimburses me for the 220B fee. I also select NO, Continue Without Conversion" so that the Thai bank doesn't charge me their 5.5% conversion fee. That way I get the best exchange rate.

 

Good luck...

Sounds like you've got this down to a science. I never thought about having a US dollar account in Thailand and waiting to do the conversion until the exchange rate is favorable. 

 

As fort the time required to post?  There's a delay, but only because of the time zone differential and the fact that the Thai banks don't update my account until they're open for business.  

 

 

 

 

[Captor]

On 5/15/2025 at 4:21 PM, problemfarang said:

Thanks all

I think my brother will use western union to send kasikorn bank account

 

But i was wondering.. can he send turkish lira or usd better?

 

Because turkish lira has no currency change in kasikorn. Or western union doesnt care it and it will change it?

When you send with Wise you don´t link to any bank. You just make a transaction or payment from your bank in Turkey to the Kasikorn bank. Wise is between the banks and are taking care of the exchange from Lira to THB and then sending the money along. There are 4-5 different payment methods on the Wise webpage. Use the method that is best for you. Credit card is fastest but also most expensive. A normal bank transaction is the cheapest (2-3 days). Wise then exchanges the money and sends THB to the bank in Thailand. 

If you feel unsafe about the procedure you can always call them in UK. 

 

I personally prefer to do the transaction on computer in a browser and not in a phone app. Easier to understand the procedure on a bigger screen than the small phone.