How does an international bank transfer work?

[Fabio1980]

How does an international bank transfer work? Does the money go from my bank in Italy to the head office in Bangkok and then into my account in Pattaya, or directly into my account in Pattaya? Thank you.

[KhunLA]

The routing is irrelevant, as doesn't cost you anything, or take that much, if any extra time.  Simply leaves your one account, and shows up in your other account.  Hopefully in a timely manner.

 

Simply do a tester from you bank.  You might get lucky, and transfer done in a day or 2.  Or five days, as some banks like holding as long as possible.  

 

Just don't wait till last minute if you need money.  

[Fabio1980]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

The routing is irrelevant, as doesn't cost you anything, or take that much, if any extra time.  Simply leaves your one account, and shows up in your other account.  Hopefully in a timely manner.

 

Simply do a tester from you bank.  You might get lucky, and transfer done in a day or 2.  Or five days, as some banks like holding as long as possible.  

 

Just don't wait till last minute if you need money.  

First of all thanks you. I always find your answers really accurate.

I  asked because I opened an account at Central and the bank it's always open. So I just wanted to know if the money would arrive today despite it being a holiday. I know I could check, but since I am on 4 days leaves this week, I'm quite far from the nearest ATM and I don't use any apps on my phone. Thanks for your reply.

[FlorC]

For me is goes from bank back home , through another bank and SWIFT to the bank in Thailand.

Straight to my account the next day.

Ask credit nota in your bank.

It shows the cost your bank charges and exchange rate.

The SWIFT thieves take around 1000 B/25 euro.

 

[Fabio1980]

8 minutes ago, FlorC said:

The SWIFT thieves take around 1000 B/25 euro.

 

Same for me: around 30 euro.

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, Fabio1980 said:

Same for me: around 30 euro.

You bank often doubles, triples or in the case of some US banks multiplies it many times.

For me the fee is 9.50 pounds per wire which is nearer to the real cost.

It's a money maker for the banks to add a 200 to 300% markup to these.

 

[Cameroni]

For me nothing moves at all, as I send from my EU bank account to Wise, who pay out of locally maintained accounts.

[KhunLA]

38 minutes ago, ukrules said:

You bank often doubles, triples or in the case of some US banks multiplies it many times.

For me the fee is 9.50 pounds per wire which is nearer to the real cost.

It's a money maker for the banks to add a 200 to 300% markup to these.

 

Geez, y'all need to change financial institutions.   My brokerage has no fee for intern'l transfers and BBL charges 200-500 THB for incoming transfers.  

 

Which case, I don't even bother and just use ATM, no fee either end.  Paying to have access to your own money ... NO THANKS

[topt]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Geez, y'all need to change financial institutions.

For some of us that is not so easy if already non resident and there may be other reasons to stay with the current provider. 

 

3 hours ago, Fabio1980 said:

So I just wanted to know if the money would arrive today despite it being a holiday

Depends on the bank and possibly the amount but there could be a delay. For SCB for larger amounts it would pass through Bangkok who would call me to ask for the purpose of funds - so obviously isn't going to happen on a holiday......

 

Again if SCB and before I started taking all charges (overall much cheaper for me) there would be an extra 20 baht on top of the min 200 max 500 as routing to Pattaya. The last time was some years ago so no idea if still in place.

 

 

[TimBKK]

23 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Geez, y'all need to change financial institutions.   My brokerage has no fee for intern'l transfers and BBL charges 200-500 THB for incoming transfers.  

 

Which case, I don't even bother and just use ATM, no fee either end.  Paying to have access to your own money ... NO THANKS

Most, if not all, brokerages (as I suspect you know) only waive the wire transfer fee if the assets on file are over a certain - generally quite high - amount.  Vanguard, for example, is 1 million USD.  The devil is in the details, in this case.

 

For minor purchases/small cash an ATM works well but what if you need a large amount in one transaction?  Or make regular transfers for immigration purposes?  I am happy to pay a nominal fee for a (generally) quick, safe and transparent process to access my money in another country halfway around the world.  
 

With this infrastructure in place it is folly to think the transfer process would be free.

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Most, if not all, brokerages (as I suspect you know) only waive the wire transfer fee if the assets on file are over a certain - generally quite high - amount.  Vanguard, for example, is 1 million USD.  The devil is in the details, in this case.

 

For minor purchases/small cash an ATM works well but what if you need a large amount in one transaction?  Or make regular transfers for immigration purposes?  I am happy to pay a nominal fee for a (generally) quick, safe and transparent process to access my money in another country halfway around the world.  
 

With this infrastructure in place it is folly to think the transfer process would be free.

The charge isn't the problem, it's the principle of it.  They make money off your money, then charge you to have access to it.   I don't think electronic transfers cost them anything additional to their normal operating overhead.

 

I don't really keep much (relative) in my Fidelity Inv. brokerage account and surely not $1M.  Have a few IRAs and my company pension (pittance) gets deposited there.   Don't trade anything so they aren't really making any money from me.

 

I think the IRAs are the only reason they haven't given me the boot, maybe 

[bamnutsak]

4 hours ago, Fabio1980 said:

So I just wanted to know if the money would arrive today despite it being a holiday

 

IME, SWIFT transfers from the U.S. to BBL/THL have to be manually cleared at Bangkok Bank/HQ. And that occurs on working/business days. So for me it would clear on Monday, 14 July ~ 09:30 - 13:30. If in foreign currency then they get converted at the TT rate, less the 200 min - 500 max baht (0.25%) fee.

 

I'm assuming both today and tomorrow are "holidays".

 

 

[norsurin]

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

For me nothing moves at all, as I send from my EU bank account to Wise, who pay out of locally maintained accounts.

Same i do And sometimes use my Wise atmcard to withdraw or tap.

[Seeall]

5 hours ago, Fabio1980 said:

How does an international bank transfer work? Does the money go from my bank in Italy to the head office in Bangkok and then into my account in Pattaya, or directly into my account in Pattaya? Thank you.

no,  it goes into a type of holding account. And if you are a regular, high value client, they call you, and you can actually negotiate the exchange rate. something a lot of people don't know. The main thing is only send in. your currency do not convert it in your country.

If a large mount. I believe it's 50 K USD. You can get a incoming transactional report. transfer form, call what you'd like. It's just easy to get it there and then. then try to get it at a later date. Why not? It's an official recognised record of your exchange. incomeing funds.

[Fabio1980]

55 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

IME, SWIFT transfers from the U.S. to BBL/THL have to be manually cleared at Bangkok Bank/HQ. And that occurs on working/business days. So for me it would clear on Monday, 14 July ~ 09:30 - 13:30. If in foreign currency then they get converted at the TT rate, less the 200 min - 500 max baht (0.25%) fee.

 

I'm assuming both today and tomorrow are "holidays".

 

 

Tomorrow is not bank holiday, at least for my bank HQ in Bangkok. Money sent on Monday I suppose will reach my account tomorrow.

[1FinickyOne]

Boom - Quick as an email !!! - At least it should be... 

 

I send in my transfer requests at night, which is day time in the USA and it is always here by the next afternoon - Kasikorn has been terrific for me... 

[khunPer]

On 7/10/2025 at 6:07 AM, Fabio1980 said:

So I just wanted to know if the money would arrive today despite it being a holiday.

It depends on which option you choose for transfer, more expensive express transfer might be necessary to use to get the money transferred instantly or same day or during a holiday.

[newbee2022]

in a slow way, so that they can earn money

[nglodnig]

As someone who supported the messaging product that SWIFT relies on, I can tell you that the transaction occurs in MILLISECONDS even traversing the SWIFT interchange.

 

Bangkok Bank then let the money sit over weekends and public holidays until some PERSON gets round to manually send it to your account. The delay is procedurcal not electronic - BBL gets the interest on your money for a few days