Using monthly amount rather than money in the bank seems the way to go for annual extensions.

On checking my SCB account yesterday, i noticed that my UK pension payments I receive from DWP, derive from Citibank in USA, who transfer to Citibank in Thailand, who transfer to my SCB account here, and the transfers are shown as BNT 1/DEPARTM CITITHBX, and I understand the banking code to mean a domestic transfer originating from a Citibank Thailand account (using its BAHTNET code) into my Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) account, which would mean I couldn't use money in bank method. Annoying.

I am therefore considering whether to change to have my UK pension payment in to my UK bank account (instead of SCB) and transfer the amount per month here by WISE.

I know nothing about WISE, so any comments/ advice would be helpful.

What is the cost of transferring say b50k by WISE to UK?

How do they use the exchange rate on the amount you transfer?

Can you set up a monthly standing order to transfer money by WISE or have to do monthly one-off transactions?

Anything I should be aware of using WISE?

Money in bank method for extensions has nothing to do with the source of money. You just need to have the correct amount of money in your account for the correct amount of time.

The source of the funds only matters if you try to convert from a tourist to a 90-day non-O visa inside of Thailand using 800,000 baht in your Thai bank account, or if you are trying to do monthly transfers as proof of income.

OP, suggest you chat with either Citibank (Thailand) and or SCB.

What you need is "credit advice" to show funds transferred from abroad.

As for exchange rates they are done at mid market rates which is the best rate.

All fees and WISE charges and exchange rate is shown when you set up the transfer.

I do the monthly transfer manually however you can set up regular payments to be made on certain date.

Mine are 14th of every month.

If you do it yourself each month have it noted in your Google Calendar on phone.

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

suggest you chat with either Citibank (Thailand) and or SCB.

What you need is "credit advice" to show funds transferred from abroad.

Thanks Jack, I will follow-up up on that, and if neither bank can provide "credit advice" to show funds transferred from abroad, then ill look further in to receiving my UK pension in UK bank (instead of SCB) and transferring money monthly from my UK bank by SWIFT or doing WISE transfers.

Thousands of people must be using Wise to transfer the monthly 65.000 THB to Thailand.

The combination of exchange rates and fees are the best on the market. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, I'll gladly switch instantly...

Just set up a Wise account on your phone. This is free. You can simulate a transfer, so the rate and cost will be displayed.

I do the montly automatic Wise transfers. Again, just follow the instructions in the app. Very easy.

16 minutes ago, khrai said:

Again, just follow the instructions in the app. Very easy.

Your post provides good advice.

I use WISE and find it great option for transfers at lower end.

In my case 100k per month.

I have also used them for much larger transfers for Real estate.

My understanding is better option for large amounts.

I use WISE as familiar with it and it's instant.

Folk could search in banking forum

8 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

I am therefore considering whether to change to have my UK pension payment in to my UK bank account (instead of SCB) and transfer the amount per month here by WISE.

I know nothing about WISE, so any comments/ advice would be helpful.

What is the cost of transferring say b50k by WISE to UK?

Wise

I just checked in the Wise app. To send THB 50K to a UK Bank:

THB 50000 -> GBP 1133.38 (this includes fees of THB 302.57)

Exchange rate: GBP 1 = THB 43.8489

Effective FX rate: (50000 + 199)/ 1133.38 = 44.29 THB/ GBP

8 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

How do they use the exchange rate on the amount you transfer?

See above. The exchange rates adjust to the FOREX markets. From memory their spread amounts to 0.5% + fees.

SCB

I set up the same in the SCB app. I was pleasantly surprised. I expected to be screwed over on the exchange rate.

Rate: GBP 1 = THB 44.2103

THB 50,020.88 -> GBP 1131.43 (amount recipient gets)

FEE: THB 199.00 - Since 50020.88/44.2103 = 1,131.43 I expect THB 199.00 would be deducted from my SCB account.

Effective FX rate: (50020.88 + 199)/ 1131.43 = 44.39 THB/ GBP

That's a difference of 0.2%.

Edited May 25May 25 by BeastOfBodmin
Added headings to make things clearer.

I use Wise for monthly transfers into my Kasikorn account. Since KBank is a partner with Wise, my bank statement shows it is a foreign transfer. Likewise if using Bangkok Bank where it is shown with the FTT code (foreign transfer). It is my understanding that Wise's arrangements with these two banks is to have money on deposit with them.

If you are using other Thai banks, Wise will have either Kasikorn or Bangkok bank send the funds from Wise's account with them. Thus as with the OP's experience with City Bank, the transfer into his SCB account will still be shown as a domestic transfer. Thus, it will be necessary to get credit advices to show Immigration the deposit, although coded a domestic transfer, originated from outside of Thailand.

In the past I used Wise to transfer 65k every month from my US account to my Bangkok Bank account. Usually I saw the FTT as mentioned above but last fall the code changed.

Have your pension paid into your UK bank account join wise using your UK address not thai address as changes with wise are being introduced later this year look it up on U Tube then transfer your pension via wise I believe you could also have it paid into your wise account

Thanks for everyone's informative posts 👍 appreciated

16 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Thanks for everyone's informative posts 👍 appreciated

Yes my frozen state pension gord directly to my account here each month and yes from Home computer have a Wise set up with my UK bank and the bank send to my Thai account.

On 5/25/2026 at 11:03 AM, Bredbury Blue said:

I know nothing about WISE, so any comments/ advice would be helpful.

I was very afraid to use WISE, but still did a comparison of my cost to transfer from my CHASE account using the SWIFT system. With SWIFT, you get the luck of the draw on your exchange rate (meaning the Baht could have a sudden strengthening between the time you gave the instruction or the bank gets around to your instructions. Of course the opposite could occur). The point is that until you money arrives in your Thai account, you are at the mercy of the "Buying" rate, which is lower than what WISE will offer you, which currently is 32.665 at this moment. WISE will take their fee from the amount that you are transfer. To transfer $1,000 will cost you $9.65 and will be deducted from the US$1,000 before they complete the exchange (so you will only get $990.35 actually exchanged), but the key thing is your transfer exchange and all cost is locked in. In this example, the net rate comes to 32.35 baht/$. The cost for a Chase transfer and the buying rate today of 32.5 will actually equate to 31.25 when you add in the bank's charge of $40 to pay for the transfer.

That was a long way to saying I use WISE all the time. My daughter who was in Poland for many years used WISE all the time (and never told me about it until last year). The only glitch I've had is when I try to make a 2nd transfer in less than 5 working days. They won't do it.

Anyway, yes, I recommend them. I've never tried to use Wise to send money to the US.

For anyone interested Expat Tax have just done an webinar, (which I understand is available on their website) on the changes that Wise is making to their Thailand transfers. I understand they have set up a Thai Company in compliance with Bank of Thailand and all future Thai Baht transfers and Thai user accounts will be through/held by the Wise Thai Company. The indication was that this would make transfers easier for users, but if you use other Wise Facilities such as holding securities or having a holding account with them then these facilities would be affected.

If I use WISE to transfer money to SCB, will it show in my SCB account as an international transfer?

5 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

If I use WISE to transfer money to SCB, will it show in my SCB account as an international transfer?

the last question you have to answer before you enter your password is

Will you require proof of international transfer yes/no

On 5/25/2026 at 11:03 AM, Bredbury Blue said:

I understand the banking code to mean a domestic transfer originating from a Citibank Thailand account (using its BAHTNET code) into my Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) account, which would mean I couldn't use money in bank method. Annoying.

A little serendipity: Reports have shown that the Revenue Dept might call you in to discuss the taxability of your international remittances. Thus, an international remittance masked as a domestic transfer just might keep the renenuers away ('tho nitnoy amounts probably wouldn't garner their interest).