On 10/14/2025 at 8:02 PM, hotandsticky said:

I sent a copy of a condo rental report 

 

Don't have one of those either. In any case I've now proactively ditched my Wise account. 

 

39 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

Don't have one of those either. In any case I've now proactively ditched my Wise account. 

 

 

Let's hope that decision doesn't come back to bite you.

 

UK bank accounts are not something I would give up lightly.

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

UK bank accounts are not something I would give up lightly.

 

True, but Wise isn't even a bank.

6 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

True, but Wise isn't even a bank.

 

But is serves the same purpose for many expats

47 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

But is serves the same purpose for many expats

 

Does it? I hope not! I'd have thought most expats merely use it as a cheap alternative to SWIFT and still use real banks for other purposes such as saving and investing.

As expected there is always one, e.g. wordchild, gives an opinion, without any credible evidence to back up.

 

After the matter was resolved, thankfully quite quickly once evidence provided, the person whose bank account was frozen rang around and asked other high street banks about their policy in regard to freezing accounts.

 

Every single bank replied, "it is an automated computer system for which they have no choice in the matter!"

 

There was lots of legislation brought in under the radar during the covid shutdown, so that if you still believe the uk is the same free democracy that most british expats grew up in, then you've been totally asleep at the wheel.

Strange. Never had these problems 

On 10/12/2025 at 5:25 PM, RSD1 said:

The statement will display your Thai address at the top.

Unfortunately mine does not display an address......(SCB) and I tried this after going to the branch to make sure my address was current and correct.....so perhaps a call to the call centre is called for 

On 10/13/2025 at 5:02 PM, scubascuba3 said:

so it agreed with my driving licence in English,

The English written address on my licence is different to the Thai and misses out a key component making the address very vague. Next time I renew I will have to try and find a way to get the COR changed.

17 minutes ago, topt said:

Unfortunately mine does not display an address......(SCB) and I tried this after going to the branch to make sure my address was current and correct.....so perhaps a call to the call centre is called for 

The English written address on my licence is different to the Thai and misses out a key component making the address very vague. Next time I renew I will have to try and find a way to get the COR changed.

Yes my licence didn't mention Moo 12 in English, Bangkok Bank added it in English to their statement.

 

To keep things simple i use the address on my blue book, it's basic but enough, yes there's missing detail

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes my licence didn't mention Moo 12 in English, Bangkok Bank added it in English to their statement

Ok so same as mine - IE missing the Moo part. Thanks.

On 10/14/2025 at 8:02 PM, hotandsticky said:

I sent a copy of a condo rental report 

 

Presumably this was in English? Unlikely that it would be deemed acceptable back in the UK if only in Thai, I would have thought.

 

On 10/15/2025 at 10:47 PM, hotandsticky said:

 

Let's hope that decision doesn't come back to bite you.

 

UK bank accounts are not something I would give up lightly.

 

I was merely reacting to a decision made by Wise to suspend my account with them if I was unable to provide them with satisfactory (in their eyes) proof of my right to reside in Thailand - which I was not since I don't have a Thai driving licence or condo rental report in my name. In any event, I already hold a bona fide onshore UK bank account, which I have absolutely no intention of giving up.

 

What I find puzzling, though, is that, while there have been a number of reports on here of Wise asking for proof of address and/or ID, no-one else (apart from you, maybe?) has, as far as I can tell, has been asked for specific proof of their right to live in Thailand in the way I have. Thankfully I use the 800k bank balance method for my retirement extensions, but everyone reliant on Wise transfers from home country bank accounts for satisfying monthly 65k/40k income requirements for retirement/marriage extensions should IMHO be aware of the very real risk of the same thing happening to them as has happened to me - particularly if they are not the proud possessors of Thai driving licences or condo rental reports in their name.

 

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Presumably this was in English? Unlikely that it would be deemed acceptable back in the UK if only in Thai, I would have thought.

 

 

I was merely reacting to a decision made by Wise to suspend my account with them if I was unable to provide them with satisfactory (in their eyes) proof of my right to reside in Thailand - which I was not since I don't have a Thai driving licence or condo rental report in my name. In any event, I already hold a bona fide onshore UK bank account, which I have absolutely no intention of giving up.

 

What I find puzzling, though, is that, while there have been a number of reports on here of Wise asking for proof of address and/or ID, no-one else (apart from you, maybe?) has, as far as I can tell, has been asked for specific proof of their right to live in Thailand in the way I have. Thankfully I use the 800k bank balance method for my retirement extensions, but everyone reliant on Wise transfers from home country bank accounts for satisfying monthly 65k/40k income requirements for retirement/marriage extensions should IMHO be aware of the very real risk of the same thing happening to them as has happened to me - particularly if they are not the proud possessors of Thai driving licences or condo rental reports in their name.

 

 

 

I see it as no different to having to supply HMPO with address evidence. HMPO can be very helpful/flexible.....I cannot speak for whether WISE would be as flexible, but I have always found them accommodating in the past.

 

Yes, my condo rental agreement was in English - had it not been I would have it translated.

 

 

It is hard for a third party to say what they would do because they are not walking in your shoes - however, I think I would have tried with WISE along the lines of "this is what I have to evidence my address, it doesn't conform exactly to your list but it does evidence my address". I would also explain 90 day reports and TM30's as further evidence. I have never come across 'the right to stay in Thailand' but that is obviously easy to evidence with an extension.

18 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

I see it as no different to having to supply HMPO with address evidence. HMPO can be very helpful/flexible.....I cannot speak for whether WISE would be as flexible, but I have always found them accommodating in the past.

 

Yes, my condo rental agreement was in English - had it not been I would have it translated.

 

 

It is hard for a third party to say what they would do because they are not walking in your shoes - however, I think I would have tried with WISE along the lines of "this is what I have to evidence my address, it doesn't conform exactly to your list but it does evidence my address". I would also explain 90 day reports and TM30's as further evidence. I have never come across 'the right to stay in Thailand' but that is obviously easy to evidence with an extension.

 

The issue for me was not with providing proof of my address, since I was able to satisfy that particular Wise requirement OK with a (redacted) copy of my latest UK bank statement stating my Thai address. Instead it had all to do with a separate follow-up request of theirs for proof of my right to reside in Thailand.

 

The fundamental problem, of course, is that non-immigrants (as most of us longstayers are classed for IMM purposes) have no such right: only those foreigners who have managed to achieve permanent residency or citizenship status. Nevertheless, Wise, for their inscrutable reasons, do consider the Thai driving licence to be acceptable as proof of a right to reside in Thailand, but little (if anything) else in practice, it would seem. And, since I don't have a Thai driving licence, that means curtains for Wise as far as I am concerned -  as Wise, themselves, have made abundantly clear to me.

 

I assume that Wise have only asked you for proof of your Thai address (which you were able to satisfy with your condo rental agreement), and that you have not received any follow-up request on the completely separate issue of proving your right to reside in Thailand, as I have done. Since I have not heard of any other AN contributors being specifically asked for evidence of this particular right, I can but infer that Wise have singled me out for special treatment for some reason or other. And, since I have little time for individuals or corporate entities who behave in this manner, it's definitely a case of goodbye and good riddance to Wise as far as i am concerned. As I've said previously, they've now fallen from hero to zero in my eyes.

 

6 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

The issue for me was not with providing proof of my address, since I was able to satisfy that particular Wise requirement OK with a (redacted) copy of my latest UK bank statement stating my Thai address. Instead it had all to do with a separate follow-up request of theirs for proof of my right to reside in Thailand.

 

The fundamental problem, of course, is that non-immigrants (as most of us longstayers are classed for IMM purposes) have no such right: only those foreigners who have managed to achieve permanent residency or citizenship status. Nevertheless, Wise, for their inscrutable reasons, do consider the Thai driving licence to be acceptable as proof of a right to reside in Thailand, but little (if anything) else in practice, it would seem. And, since I don't have a Thai driving licence, that means curtains for Wise as far as I am concerned -  as Wise, themselves, have made abundantly clear to me.

 

I assume that Wise have only asked you for proof of your Thai address (which you were able to satisfy with your condo rental agreement), and that you have not received any follow-up request on the completely separate issue of proving your right to reside in Thailand. Since I have not heard of any other AN contributors being specifically asked for evidence of this particular right, I can but infer that Wise have singled me out for special treatment for some reason or other. And, since I have little time for individuals or corporate entities who behave in this manner, it's definitely a case of goodbye and good riddance to Wise as far as i am concerned. As I've said previously, they've now fallen from hero to zero in my eyes.

 

 

 

I am afraid @OJAS that you do seem t be in a special group of one..😉

 

 

Absolutely no criticism but I would not like to think that you have given up too soon.

 

Your comments say it all (and I am sure that WISE will accept your explanation of the difference between residence and domicile) and you have enough accumulated evidence to satisfy WSE.

On 10/13/2025 at 8:43 AM, Caldera said:

I'd get a bank statement for the very account your relative attempted to send money to. Serves both as a proof of address and as a confirmation of account ownership; chances are a UK bank considers that acceptable. 

 

Thai Bank statement and a copy of recipient's passport photo page should be sufficient for the UK sending bank. Proves receipent's identity, correct bank and address. 

 

On 10/26/2025 at 2:06 PM, topt said:

Unfortunately mine does not display an address......(SCB) and I tried this after going to the branch to make sure my address was current and correct.....so perhaps a call to the call centre is called for 

Sorry to hear that. I'm not sure what the issue is because I never requested them to put my home address on the statement, so it seems like something they setup for me automatically. But then again, I think I opened my account 20 years ago, and maybe if you opened your account more recently, then maybe they don't include the address on the statement by default anymore for security reasons. So hopefully if you go into the branch and request it, maybe they can add it for you. I think it should be possible because bank statements typically do showing an address for the account holder on the statement. It's pretty much standard for every bank. Let me know if you find out what the answer is and if you can have it changed on your account. 

On 10/12/2025 at 2:49 PM, Jay0kay said:

Never had problems before, but now a family member has had their UK bank frozen because they wanted to send about a thousand pounds to my Thai bank, which I've had for over 10 years. I have lived non-stop in TL for nearly that long, so long that my UK driving license expired and now I can't get a new one online either.

 

There UK bank said they will not unfreeze the account until they have proof that I the recipient live in TL. I don't really know what they will accept, but an offically stamped translation of a certificate of residence seems to be one solution. I live in Bangkok, so there is an undesirable waiting time, plus tomorrow's a public holiday.

 

Has anyone experienced anything similiar and did an official stamped letter from a Thai bank or bank statement with my address suffice, as it doesn't prove I live here.

 

I read that the British Embassy has discontinued their 45minute fast track proof of residency service or has it been replaced by some other equivalent service?

 

The source of funds is of course legitimate and it is hardly an amount that could be considered money laundering, but I read on another thread that Lloyds bank considered Thailand an embargoed country, which officially it is not, and also First Direct refused to send funds to TL, despite the account owner banking with them for over twenty years.

 

Any help, advice and solutions to similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Given that you got a form to fill in, let it it be stamped at the City Hall. Present your passport.

If you don't have the form, download from Google.

On 10/12/2025 at 4:31 PM, Jay0kay said:

Q: Why have the U.K. bank frozen the account?

 

A: Absolutely no idea, except that TL was mentioned, I have read online that it is AI based and the people asking for the evidence have no idea either. The Tories slipped in legislation during covid which allowed banks to freeze accounts indefinitely without giving any justification. Complete madness I know and I won't be rushing back soon!

 

The person sending the funds doesn't have a history of sending funds abroad and has reached an age in which anything out of the ordinary, e.g. shopping at amazon and waitrose, is deemed suspicious activity by their bank despite working nearly 30 years in the public sector and also having served as a magistrate for over a decade.

Why not just ring up the bank and ask what they need from you?

I have a Lloyds Bank UK account and have had it frozen on several occasions. The reason has always been for what they considered unusual activity. All I have had to do to unfreeze it is contact the bank and confirm the 'activity" I am trying to do. I have never had to involve a third party to sort it out. 

Had an absolute nightmare trying to prove I lived in Thailand. It had to be either a bank statement a utility bill with name and address on it. They would not even accept a letter from HMRC addressed to my Thai address. Didn't try the embassy as I don't live anywhere near BK. They wanted 2 proof one a utility and one photographic evidence. 

In the end I gave up and proved I lived in the UK which I didn't. That was for transferring pension funds. They don't make it easy for sure.

Good luck.

Please post how you solved the issue.

On 10/12/2025 at 2:49 PM, Jay0kay said:

Never had problems before, but now a family member has had their UK bank frozen because they wanted to send about a thousand pounds to my Thai bank, which I've had for over 10 years. I have lived non-stop in TL for nearly that long, so long that my UK driving license expired and now I can't get a new one online either.

 

There UK bank said they will not unfreeze the account until they have proof that I the recipient live in TL. I don't really know what they will accept, but an offically stamped translation of a certificate of residence seems to be one solution. I live in Bangkok, so there is an undesirable waiting time, plus tomorrow's a public holiday.

 

Has anyone experienced anything similiar and did an official stamped letter from a Thai bank or bank statement with my address suffice, as it doesn't prove I live here.

 

I read that the British Embassy has discontinued their 45minute fast track proof of residency service or has it been replaced by some other equivalent service?

 

The source of funds is of course legitimate and it is hardly an amount that could be considered money laundering, but I read on another thread that Lloyds bank considered Thailand an embargoed country, which officially it is not, and also First Direct refused to send funds to TL, despite the account owner banking with them for over twenty years.

 

Any help, advice and solutions to similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

We had a similar situation when there was a death in my family back in the UK, in the end, I had to get a letter from a Thai Lawyer, (not a notary - something weird in Thai Law about notaries, so fdon't waste your money, go straight for the organ grinder.

On 10/12/2025 at 4:31 PM, Jay0kay said:

Q: Why have the U.K. bank frozen the account?

 

A: Absolutely no idea, except that TL was mentioned, I have read online that it is AI based and the people asking for the evidence have no idea either. The Tories slipped in legislation during covid which allowed banks to freeze accounts indefinitely without giving any justification. Complete madness I know and I won't be rushing back soon!

 

The person sending the funds doesn't have a history of sending funds abroad and has reached an age in which anything out of the ordinary, e.g. shopping at amazon and waitrose, is deemed suspicious activity by their bank despite working nearly 30 years in the public sector and also having served as a magistrate for over a decade.

 

No — the claim that the Conservative Party (“Tories”) slipped in legislation during COVID that allowed banks to freeze accounts indefinitely without giving any justification is not accurate. Here’s a summary of the actual situation:

---

✅ What is true

• Under UK law (specifically Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) and regulations implementing anti-money-laundering and “know your customer” obligations) banks can freeze or suspend accounts if they suspect money-laundering or financial crime. 

• Banks often must not tell the account holder the reason for freezes when the freeze is linked to a suspicion of crime (due to “tipping off” rules under POCA, e.g. Section 333A) — so from a customer’s perspective it may appear “without justification”. 

• There is no law that says banks can freeze a standard account indefinitely without reason; there are legal procedures and time-limits (e.g., moratorium periods, court orders) in criminal/asset-freezing contexts. 

• Recently, the UK government announced forthcoming rules (from April 2026) to strengthen consumer protections against account closures (not exactly “freezes”) — e.g., requiring 90 days’ notice and written explanation before closing payment accounts. 

---

❓ Why the claim is misleading

• The claim suggests a COVID-specific legislative change by the Conservatives that broadly and indefinitely empowers banks to freeze accounts without justification. I found no evidence of such a change.

• While emergency legislation like the Coronavirus Act 2020 was passed at the start of the pandemic, it covered public-health and economic support matters — not specifically broad new freezing powers for banks. 

• The usual legal basis for a freeze remains criminal/AML suspicions rather than a “general” power to freeze any account indefinitely.

• If someone’s account is frozen for what seems no reason, it may be due to suspicion of financial crime, bank risk-policy, or automated systems — but that’s not the same as a blanket “indefinite freeze without justification” power introduced during COVID.

Isaan Lawyers, John Spooner UK lawyer owner, Thai legal staff, 084 471 5775.  isaanlawyers[at]gmail.com.  Get a notarized statement from them and ask Mr Spooner to call if req'd, 555.  Or, use Wise Transfer to send money to their account in Europe and they send it on to you.  It is what I do as my French bank will not transfer money to Thailand.

On 10/12/2025 at 3:20 PM, Jay0kay said:

Thanks Bacon1 for the reply. No yellow book, I'm afraid.

 

Copy of extension of stay method would hopfully be faster than a certificate of residence, here in Bangkok.

 

My last three annual extensions are on the same ajoining pages, but I presume that it would need to be notarized to say that it was visa extension stamps in my UK passport.

 

Any suggestions for a business in Bangkok, who could do this in a timely and preferably price efficient manner?

 

Does the British Embassy here provide any service that would suffice?

 

Does the British Embassy here provide any service that would suffice?....555 ! 555 !

On 10/12/2025 at 4:22 PM, Jay0kay said:

Just realised that the visa extension stamps are mostly in English, so maybe just needs to be notarised that they are in my passport, but as scubascuba3 rightly says, the odds of a UK bank accepting visa stamps is not very high.

 

I am trying to get a definitive list of things the bank would accept. All they have said is that anything in Thai will be be translated by them at cost, which I can only imagine will be far greater than anything translated officially here.

Deleted - didn't notice the date.

On 10/12/2025 at 3:00 PM, Bacon1 said:

Copy of Yellow Book

 

Certificate of residence 

 

Copy of your extension of stay

 

Why don't they try a WISE transfer or WU?

 

 

Of interest, I recently received an email from Wise asking me to confirm that I live in or was a resident of Thailand, with the note that if they required further 'proof of residence' ,they would be in touch. (So far they haven't)

 

Also, my Australian bank now requires that I fill in the "note to recipient" box. If left blank, the transfer is not completed and not activated. 

To Wise,  I now just write "please credit to my AUD balance." 

It's getting crazy!!!

7 hours ago, alanrchase said:

I have a Lloyds Bank UK account and have had it frozen on several occasions. The reason has always been for what they considered unusual activity. All I have had to do to unfreeze it is contact the bank and confirm the 'activity" I am trying to do. I have never had to involve a third party to sort it out. 

Transferring £1000 is hardly unusual nor does it suggest money laundering. And all the time they ignore far larger iffy transactions. The person concerned needs to lodge a complaint with the bank then after 8 weeks refer it to the Financial Ombudsman (who I think is actually a woman). I fail to see the reason to freeze an account with all the problems and implications that entails. They can simply block that transfer not freeze the account, then put the onus on the recipient to get the account unfrozen. They may be thought the person had been sucked into a scam but I still don't see the need to freeze the account. How are they supposed to survive without access to the account?

 

On 10/12/2025 at 9:49 AM, Jay0kay said:

Never had problems before, but now a family member has had their UK bank frozen because they wanted to send about a thousand pounds to my Thai bank, which I've had for over 10 years. I have lived non-stop in TL for nearly that long, so long that my UK driving license expired and now I can't get a new one online either.

 

There UK bank said they will not unfreeze the account until they have proof that I the recipient live in TL. I don't really know what they will accept, but an offically stamped translation of a certificate of residence seems to be one solution. I live in Bangkok, so there is an undesirable waiting time, plus tomorrow's a public holiday.

 

Has anyone experienced anything similiar and did an official stamped letter from a Thai bank or bank statement with my address suffice, as it doesn't prove I live here.

 

I read that the British Embassy has discontinued their 45minute fast track proof of residency service or has it been replaced by some other equivalent service?

 

The source of funds is of course legitimate and it is hardly an amount that could be considered money laundering, but I read on another thread that Lloyds bank considered Thailand an embargoed country, which officially it is not, and also First Direct refused to send funds to TL, despite the account owner banking with them for over twenty years.

 

Any help, advice and solutions to similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

Wise.

2 hours ago, Geoff914 said:

Transferring £1000 is hardly unusual nor does it suggest money laundering. And all the time they ignore far larger iffy transactions. The person concerned needs to lodge a complaint with the bank then after 8 weeks refer it to the Financial Ombudsman (who I think is actually a woman). I fail to see the reason to freeze an account with all the problems and implications that entails. They can simply block that transfer not freeze the account, then put the onus on the recipient to get the account unfrozen. They may be thought the person had been sucked into a scam but I still don't see the need to freeze the account. How are they supposed to survive without access to the account?

 

A transfer to Thailand could be considered unusual activity if the person has never made an international transfer before. The account is generally frozen to prevent further transactions in case the account has been hacked. Every time it happened to me it was immediately unfrozen after phoning them up and confirming the activity they were concerned about. What the OP is describing is strange. I don't see the relevance of the recipient giving proof of address. I would have thought if that sort of thing was required they would want some proof of identification as well.

12 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

A transfer to Thailand could be considered unusual activity if the person has never made an international transfer before. The account is generally frozen to prevent further transactions in case the account has been hacked. Every time it happened to me it was immediately unfrozen after phoning them up and confirming the activity they were concerned about. What the OP is describing is strange. I don't see the relevance of the recipient giving proof of address. I would have thought if that sort of thing was required they would want some proof of identification as well.

What you say is true but surely just asking the sender if it was a legit transaction should suffice, may be a visit to a branch and provide ID. Leaving the sender without the ability to pay for anything and then need the recipient to provide proof of residence seems a bit daft. But as somebody said two posts up, transfer to Wise and they wouldn't bat an eye lid.