ATM Withdrawal is cheaper than Wire transfer?!

[Obb]

I suggest investigating transfer of money from your Canadian Bank to the Bangkok Bank in New York (assuming you have a dual account there). It may be possible (and I use the word 'may') to transfer using the ACH system -- Automated Clearing House... American banks of course do this from bank to bank... this is a low fee to no fee funds transfer method...

Bangkok Bank New York is a corresponding bank in the ACH system... And since Canada and the U.S. have close working relationships on many matters I would not be surprised if the ACH system reaches into Canada.

I just looked it up via Google and from what I just read it seems quite possible. An ACH transfer is not a Wire transfer... Between Canada and the U.S. it is called an International ACH..

I suggest work with your back to see if this is possible and of course compare all fees involved and see if it is feasible / usable.

What do you mean by "dual account"?

If this unlikely scenario is indeed possible, it is likely to involve a second forex conversion: CAD to USD.

[jacksam]

Best way I know of is use a debit card issued by Visa or Mastercard from your Canadian bank, then when you use a Thai ATM, find one that has a 'credit' button when selecting which account.

This way you won't get charged any overseas transaction fees, only the 180 baht or whatever it is, plus the exchange rate which are usually not too bad.

You should have been able to see how much your transfer fee was going to be before you wired to your Thai bank. It's never very cheap as you know.

Am I missing something. Yes 180 this end for ATM also about 150 your bank end. Plus about sometimes one baht less exchange on what I can get here. 20k baht which is about 700$. Do the sums. 700 plus 180 plus 150. ... .umm about 1100 baht ice not much change from 40$ on a 700$ withdraw. Try doing that for a year or so. I spend 700$ plus a week. Stuff banks they are criminals

[umbanda]

I think something is missing on your calculations about Thai Banks ATM charges on a foreign ATM card.....180thb fee + 2% charge.+ foreign fee

For a 20000thb withdraw on a foreign ATM card, the total cost will be 180thb plus 400thb = 580thb plus the foreign bank ATM fee, about 150thb.

Something like a 630thb loss for a 20000thb withdraw. Am I wrong?

Edited September 17, 2014 by umbanda

[gk10002000]

I have often found the ATM rates to be as good if not better even then some cash exchange rates