I need to send the UK Inland Revenue about 125,000 bht. in order to bring my pension contributions up to date, but I don't have a British bank account. They state that the money transferred must be the exact amount and in sterling. So I need to transfer the cash from my Thai bank account somehow. Any of you had experience with this kind of transfer? And what is the best and most economical way to proceed? Thanks in advance.

An international wire transfer from your bank to the revenuers is the simplest and most reliable, probably also the cheapest. You need to get the details for the receiving account: beneficiary's name, account number, SWIFT code, address. Just take those to your bank and it will be in the UK in a day if all is correct.

Inland revenue do accept debit (not credit) card payments - can that work from a Thai bank account?

Or someone who you trust who wants to make the same amount of money transferred in the other direction. Saves both a swift charge. Used to do that all the time before ATMs.

you could use western union, but i think the max you can send in one trasaction is 70,000b, so i guess you need 2 tansactions.

To the OP:

Visit your bank in Thailand and purchase a draft Lloyds bank or Barclays bank sterling cheque for the amount you need in £s and pence for the Inland Revenue. Yes, they do have them.

Than send by post to the Inland Revenue.

The draft cheque is covered by your Thai bank’s insurance and would be cancelled or refunded if the cheque went astray somewhere.

The draft cheque can be cashed during a period of 6 months from date inception.

To the OP:

Visit your bank in Thailand and purchase a draft Lloyds bank or Barclays bank sterling cheque for the amount you need in £s and pence for the Inland Revenue. Yes, they do have them.

Than send by post to the Inland Revenue.

The draft cheque is covered by your Thai bank’s insurance and would be cancelled or refunded if the cheque went astray somewhere.

The draft cheque can be cashed during a period of 6 months from date inception.

... is the correct answer.

Bangkok Bank also sell Sterling cashiers cheques drawn on Bangkok Bank London which will clear the UK banking system in three days. Buying one of these cheques is the same as buying foreign currency at the TT rate.

Yes, I agree, a draft is the cheapest and easiest way to do this. 103 baht last time I did it. Much more for a SWIFT transfer.

CMMCB