Transferring money out of Thailand

[BangkokHank]

After 20 years of living in Thailand, much of that time spent working - on a work permit - I am now about to leave the country. Today I went to my bank (Krungsri) to transfer my savings out of the country to an account that I have abroad. They wouldn't allow me to make the transfer - because I don't have a work permit NOW. (I stopped working a few month ago.) I told them that I had a work permit when I earned the money. Isn't that what should matter? One of the employees kept asking "What is the PURPOSE of the transfer?" Why should that matter? It is my money, and the purpose of the transfer is to get it out of Thailand, where I will no longer be residing.

The bank manager suggested that I try getting another bank to do the transfer. I am thinking, if the bank where I have an account won't do the transfer, what are the chances of a bank where I don't have an account doing the transfer - if I just show up with a million baht in cash?

So, to my question: Does anybody have any suggestions about how I can transfer my money abroad from Thailand? Is this a government rule? Or do different banks have different rules? Is there a bank that I can just show up at with a million baht cash and have them do the transfer for me?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[meatboy]

where do they get the staff from?more brains in a faggot.

if its only 1million draw it out in cash,make them count it for you,check all notes are clean,put it in your pockets and tell them ?????????????????????????????????????????.

[Sandman77]

Where is the problem when you only pay 100 baht each withdrawl with Thai atm in your home country you not need any bank for transfer

Reason why you canot send us gov make prasure to Thai gov

For harder laws against money laundering

Ps every credit card company supports visa cash

You can go to your counter in the bank in your home country

Show your passboard like I here also do and

Get your savings out in your currency!

My bank charge for this service only 5€

For one time use, no matter how high the amount I

Want will be , but every bank have diffrent fees ask first!

[Sandman77]

Another idea!

Maybe it's also possible that you give the right to use your atm card and account to a 2. Person friend or family member , that may have a work permit, in Europe I give a name of a 2. Person that have full use of my account not sure this is possible here also!

[steve187]

do you have someone that has cash in your home country that needs cash here. straight swop.

[IMA_FARANG]

Do you have proof .... tax documents ..... that show that you paid Thai tax on the income you earned in Thailand?

If not , it's going to be hard to get that money out of the country until you can show such Thai tax receipt or, better yet, can prove that you were not required to pay Thai tax on the money.

Otherwise, you have a problem.

[Cpkt8]

Why don't just withdraw cash out from account and change to your currency at money changer. Stuff here and there in your luggage and in your hand carry bag. A million baht is not much after converting to your currency after all. No need to go through so much hassle.

[johnh869]

I transferred money out of Thailand about 15 years ago from BBL and you cannot transfer money to yourself. It has to be someone else. In my case, I had a joint overseas account with my wife so I sent it to her name. It was an either/or account. No problem, but it took a clearance from the head office in BKK before it could be transferred.

[Chriso12]

If it is really just 1 Million THB then I would take some with you on your flight home and withdraw the remaining cash on your atm in your home country. You wouldnt even have to worry about tax issues in your country. (as long as you stay below the amount that you need to declare at customs at the airport) I did this myself 2 times already.

You should have set up an international transfer option in your internet banking while you were on your WP.

Walking into a bank here in Thailand is always a gamble. ALWAYS have someone with you who can speak Thai. From my personal experience this has significantly increased my chance to get what I wanted.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Chriso12

[BangkokHank]

In response to some of the above comments, for which I am grateful.

Interestingly, in my case, some of these suggestions won't work - for the following reasons: I am not moving to my home country, but to Vietnam. But I want to send the money to my brokerage account in my home country. And for the same stupid so-called anti-money laundering reasons, any money sent to my brokerage account HAS to come from an account that is also in my name. So getting a Thai friend, for example, to send the money to my account won't work.

Hand-carrying the money into Vietnam won't work either because I wouldn't be able to deposit most of the money into an account in Vietnam. For the same money laundering reasons, only up to $5,000 brought into Vietnam can, if declared upon entry, be deposited into a bank account. Anything above $5,000 won't be able to be deposited into an account - and therefore would not be able to be transferred out of Vietnam.

For the same reason, withdrawing it by ATM once I'm in Vietnam won't really work either, because that won't solve the problem of getting the money into my brokerage account.

It's not a total loss because I will be able to withdraw the money via ATM while I am in Vietnam and spend it there. But I'll also be earning money in Vietnam - and I wonder if the money I save there will likewise be trapped in Vietnam?

How I miss the simple days when my money was mine - and I could do what I wanted with it.

[jacky54]

Where is the problem when you only pay 100 baht each withdrawl with Thai atm in your home country you not need any bank for transfer

far worse exchange rate

[jacky54]

Why don't just withdraw cash out from account and change to your currency at money changer. Stuff here and there in your luggage and in your hand carry bag. A million baht is not much after converting to your currency after all. No need to go through so much hassle.

i think super rich only do 100k at a time

[South]

A while ago I could just walk into my bank and transfer money. Last time I went, I wanted to send some money to my daughter who doesn't live in Thailand. They wanted an invoice and HER passport!

I have 2 Paypal accounts and just send money using those now, easy.

Edited March 29, 2015 by South

[jacky54]

how do you do it from your bank to paypal and what is the exchange rate like?

[BangkokHank]

In the end I managed to get my money transferred out - just in time - on my last day in the country. How did I manage to do it? I went to another branch of my bank - at the next mall down the street. There they were much more accommodating. How could the policy be so different at two branches of the same bank 300 meters away?!

[Bcgardener]

Super Rich in Prutunam will do a discrete transfer for you at a good fx rate. Used them to send several million out.

[Ducnguyen]

In response to some of the above comments, for which I am grateful.

Interestingly, in my case, some of these suggestions won't work - for the following reasons: I am not moving to my home country, but to Vietnam. But I want to send the money to my brokerage account in my home country. And for the same stupid so-called anti-money laundering reasons, any money sent to my brokerage account HAS to come from an account that is also in my name. So getting a Thai friend, for example, to send the money to my account won't work.

Hand-carrying the money into Vietnam won't work either because I wouldn't be able to deposit most of the money into an account in Vietnam. For the same money laundering reasons, only up to $5,000 brought into Vietnam can, if declared upon entry, be deposited into a bank account. Anything above $5,000 won't be able to be deposited into an account - and therefore would not be able to be transferred out of Vietnam.

For the same reason, withdrawing it by ATM once I'm in Vietnam won't really work either, because that won't solve the problem of getting the money into my brokerage account.

It's not a total loss because I will be able to withdraw the money via ATM while I am in Vietnam and spend it there. But I'll also be earning money in Vietnam - and I wonder if the money I save there will likewise be trapped in Vietnam?

How I miss the simple days when my money was mine - and I could do what I wanted with it.

Where are you transferring the money to? When you are in VN, you can bring your VND to the local gold shops and they will transfer the money (USD/ pounds, etc.) to your oversea account. I have transferred money to my accounts in the US and the UK but not sure about other countries. Local Vietnamese don't use the bank transfers because they will ask us the same questions :why are you transferring the money and is there any documents proving this, etc.

If you need any help in VN, just drop me a PM.

[gk10002000]

They ask "why transfer". Answer, " Personal reasons and I need the money". You gave an answer. If they don't like it, demand to see the list of reasons that are acceptable. Or, just write a check from that account to your overseas or home bank. My wells fargo account accepts foreign checks, although my Etrade bank accounts do not.

[rocketboybkk]

Speak with head office. I had an issue about five years ago. Branch staff wouldn't do it, spoke with head office & hey presto all transferred.

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