Social Security Check

[kaa ha]

I been told by Bangkok Bank they will no longer cash my SS check unless it is send to then by Direct Deposit. Does anyone know were to cash a SS check in Thailand without

Direct Deposit?

[12call]

Try the other banks.

[lopburi3]

Bangkok Bank seems to have established new procedures as of September 1 for a number of things and has a new web site on line today with a lot of new information.

Did they explain how you could obtain "direct deposit"? This has not been available for Thailand AFAIK. If it is I would strongly advise using it rather than depend on mailed checks.

I assume you have a savings account so did they say they would not cash any check or that you would have to wait for it to clear? Did they mention other checks?

It really seems that there must be more to the story. Anything that you can add would be most helpful to other readers as this seems to be the first report.

Thanks.

[Thaiquila]

I assume you are talking about US social security checks.

Thailand is not on the list of countries where direct depost is offered according to this site, although the site says to check with them if your country isn't on the list.

Obviously, if you have a US bank account, you could have the checks direct deposited into that account.

http://www.ssa.gov/international/your_ss.html#when

[kaa ha]

lopburi3 I did not ask about other checks. yes I know you can have Direct Deposit

to a Thai or US Bank. I have enought funds deposit in Bangkok Bank but I also need

a USD account to pay for other things. It is a lot easer for me to send a SS check to my US bank once every few months. I have had my US bank wire me funds before and each time it was a pain in the ass with Bangkok Bank were it would take 3 weeks for then to release my funds.Now if I use Direct Deposit, I don't how long it will be before they cerdit my account and then it's all in Thai Baht. Also US Bank now require a written

signature for wire tranfer and it can not be fax. This has to do with the war on terrorism.

Belive me It's a lot easier to mail a check to my US bank.

[Khun ?]

Get an ATM card from your american bank then withdrawl as needed at ATM in Thailand.

Do not bother with having money sent all over the place it is costly.

[lopburi3]

lopburi3 I did not ask about other checks. yes I know you can have Direct Deposit

to a Thai or US Bank. I have enought funds deposit in Bangkok Bank but I also need

a USD account to pay for other things. It is a lot easer for me to send a SS check to my US bank once every few months. I have had my US bank wire me funds before and each time it was a pain in the ass with Bangkok Bank were it would take 3 weeks for then to release my funds.Now if I use Direct Deposit, I don't how long it will be before they cerdit my account and then it's all in Thai Baht. Also US Bank now require a written

signature for wire tranfer and it can not be fax. This has to do with the war on terrorism.

Belive me It's a lot easier to mail a check to my US bank.

If you have a US bank account you should be sending your SS to it via direct deposit but it appears you are getting a check here. Now you say you send a check back to your US bank every couple of months? And other check(s) have been deposited here with Bangkok Bank?

So is Bangkok Bank saying they will not accept your check for collection or just that you will have to wait for it to clear?

A wire transfer using SWIFT should not take more than 48 hours to be into your account with Bangkok Bank and available for use. If it is taking 3 weeks I would ask why.

I was not aware that SS checks could be direct deposited into a Thai account - their web site says that they can not be. But I believe you are required to use direct deposit if you have a US account; so I believe that is what you should be doing. Perhaps Bangkok Bank is also using that logic?

If your present bank is a problem area for wire transfers you might look into moving your US account to another bank. Not all are equal in service or charges. If you can use a credit union often they are more helpful.