Is it still possible to receive US Social Security benefits directly into Bangkok Bank or any other Thai bank account?

An elderly friend living in Thailand is quite frail and travel to the US not really possible. His US bank that receives his SSI has notified him that starting February, any change in phone number must be done in person. His phone of record is his sister's phone and address in the US and she is quite ill and not expected to live much longer. He could possibly face cut-off of his access to his account after she passes and her phone is discontinued.

Ideally, his SSI could be transferred to the US Bangkok Bank and then made available in Thailand. I remember this was possible several years ago but do not know if still a possibility. IRRC, people had to withdraw the money in cash and redeposit it or something odd like that. Is this service still available to US citizens?

I know this is asked a lot. Are there phone services wherein a person can get a US phone number that will forward calls to a mobile phone in Thailand?

4 hours ago, dddave said:

Is it still possible to receive US Social Security benefits directly into Bangkok Bank or any other Thai bank account?

Yes

This is how I did it… Works great and is deposited to my Thai bank… One caveat is that SS will send you a letter each year to confirm your still alive… If you do not return the notice they will suspend payments until you resolve…

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1199-op107.pdf

If your friend doesn't need the US bank for anything other than receiving SS benefits, then having him change to receiving those in a Thai bank will be the easiest solution. I still get my SS benefits sent to a US bank, so I don't know how quickly changing that to a Thai bank can be accomplished.

Many on AN have done so and most likely someone will post more on that process.

SSA IDD From for Thailand:  https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1199-op107.pdf

Oh sorry, already posted 2 posts above.

Thanks very much for the very helpful responses.

A related question to this. If SSA payments are directly deposited into a Thai bank account, I assume the amount is deposited in Thai baht. What exchange rate is used for the conversion into Thai baht - is it converted by the sending bank or the receiving bank ? And I assume it is tied to the market rate on the date of transfer. Curious to know this since I take SSA payment in $$ in my US bank but I only transfer when the rates are favorable. I know sending bank rates are very poor and receiving bank rates are much better.

You might want to check with the FBU office in Manila. I Changed my bank last year from one bank in the US to another in the US. I was required to also go to the US Embassy and get a notarized copy of my passport to accompany the form. The notarization was free but I still had to go to the embassy.

As for how fast the change takes place, it took about 3 months total. Two months were test and verify everything was correct.

Anyway, the personnel in Manila were great and very helpful. Good luck.

I changed from Bangkok Bank to Kbank last year. It took around 60 days. I changed to Kbank to eliminate having to personally make trip to Bangkok bank each month. Bangkok Bank will set up a special SS account that you cannot use as checking. Not required at Kbank

4 hours ago, Arkie said:

I changed from Bangkok Bank to Kbank last year. It took around 60 days. I changed to Kbank to eliminate having to personally make trip to Bangkok bank each month. Bangkok Bank will set up a special SS account that you cannot use as checking. Not required at Kbank

So one can make the transfer to KBank? What re the rules once it is transferred?

Admittedly I'm old fashioned (beware digital currency), but here's how I've been doing mine for years. I don't have to leave my house for any part of this, except to visit my neighborhood ATM for a cash withdrawal.

1. Open a WISE (currency broker) account - done online. Link it to your US bank account: ACH payment.

2. When SSA funds are deposited in the US bank, go to the WISE site and transfer the amount you choose, to your Thai bank. The exchange rates are very good, and the transfer fees are lower than most brokers (much less than a SWIFT bank transfer).

Since we are in Thailand, it's difficult to access the US Social Security website (foreign phone numbers don't fit their system for confirmation codes).

Four question for aid in making a plan:

1. IF you want to change your bank account from Bangkok Bank to K Bank, can you close the Bangkok Bank account and have it transferred to K Bank without having to withdraw the money or getting a cashier's check and then physically going to the K bank and depositing it in person?
   
   2. Why does it take 60 days to transfer the account?
   
   3. Also if you receive Social Security checks in a US bank, and want them transferred to a Thai bank is it better to do it via Wise transfer on a month to month basis or simply request to social security that your check be sent to your Thai bank?
   
   4. If you change your option and want your social security check sent to Thailand, do you have to request this in person?

3 minutes ago, jingjai9 said:

Four question for aid in making a plan:

1. IF you want to change your bank account from Bangkok Bank to K Bank, can you close the Bangkok Bank account and have it transferred to K Bank without having to withdraw the money or getting a cashier's check and then physically going to the K bank and depositing it in person?
   
   2. Why does it take 60 days to transfer the account?
   
   3. Also if you receive Social Security checks in a US bank, and want them transferred to a Thai bank is it better to do it via Wise transfer on a month to month basis or simply request to social security that your check be sent to your Thai bank?
   
   4. If you change your option and want your social security check sent to Thailand, do you have to request this in person?

I suppose that's the choice to make... let SSA do the complete transaction, or do it yourself through WISE.

With a WISE account, you pick the day and time: transfer made in US Dollars, which is then converted to Baht. You can see the exchange rate and transfer fees (total cost and amount received) before you execute the transfer. These days it takes maybe 3 days for the process to complete, but the rate is fixed when transfer is initiated.

47 minutes ago, Old John said:

Since we are in Thailand, it's difficult to access the US Social Security website (foreign phone numbers don't fit their system for confirmation codes).

Both my wife and I had MySSA accounts before leaving the US. After we left, SSA changed the login security to now use Login.gov or ID.me. The wife and I were able to set up both those options while living in Thailand. It is not difficult. Logging in to SSA takes a couple more steps using the new methods. Login.gov doesn't need to use a phone number... instead it uses Google authenticator which is an app that can run on a smartphone or in your browser.

Thanks for the replies