I'm in Bkk and need to send about $500US to my US bank account. What's the best, cheapest method to do this? I guess I could FedEx or UPS actual dollars, but that seems slow and old-fashioned. TIA for any help.

My wife & I have started using Western Union. They have a bank-to-bank feature that is free (other than the crummy exchange rate). We just tried sending funds from my U.S. bank to her Thai account and it seems to be working, although the money is still en route. Again, there is no fee.

Ha, solved! Jawnie puts $500 equivalent in Mrs. USNRet's Thai account and USNRet puts $500 into Jawnies US account. No fees to pay and better a exchange rate, win win.

Ha, solved! Jawnie puts $500 equivalent in Mrs. USNRet's Thai account and USNRet puts $500 into Jawnies US account. No fees to pay and better a exchange rate, win win.

Great idea! But will have to put $500 + diff in exchange rate loss....

....or USNret (Go Navy!!!) could use Western Union i/o Jawnie

Ha, solved! Jawnie puts $500 equivalent in Mrs. USNRet's Thai account and USNRet puts $500 into Jawnies US account. No fees to pay and better a exchange rate, win win.

Not a bad idea. I did something like this in Japan... I had a bunch of yen that I didn't need and found someone who did need it. We split the difference between the yen buy/sell rate at the bank and made a swap. We each saved about $50 and cut the bank out of the loop.

I was also able to buy lots of baht this way, from troops returning from an exercise in Thailand. They had no use for the funny money they brought home and couldn't sell it at the local bank; I was able to buy it off them dirt cheap (like 50 thb/$ when the going rate is 30). Regrettably, I figured out this ploy too late and am no longer in Japan but I made a good bit while it lasted.