Travel money

[Starman]

Is it still one baht for one baht in every bank?

[urleft]

Keith, what is the benefit of using Siam bank vs BKK?  I have a BKK account and transfer just as you mentioned.  I think you said you use Siam for larger transfers.  Is it because you use Siam for telex transfer?  Just trying to develop a strategy.  Thanks for the help.

DD, I use Siam because that is what bank my TW used.  Her logic was that the lines are smaller.  And I have to agree.  I have taken a BB number at big C, gone to Siam conducted my business, then returned to BB for another 10 minute wait.   

And I am getting lots of issues from BB on internet banking and SMS.  Still trying to get it after months of working with BB. 

Otherwise Siam will charge 25 baht if you make a withdrawl from a none Buriram ATM (e.g. Korat and Surin). 

And I continued to use Siam for international wire transfers because it has been successful every time.  A proven conduit for transferring large amount of money means a lot.  Besides, I can check Siam on the internet, BB has still not worked. 

[CO-CO]

Keith, what is the benefit of using Siam bank vs BKK?  I have a BKK account and transfer just as you mentioned.  I think you said you use Siam for larger transfers.  Is it because you use Siam for telex transfer?  Just trying to develop a strategy.  Thanks for the help.

DD, I use Siam because that is what bank my TW used.  Her logic was that the lines are smaller.  And I have to agree.  I have taken a BB number at big C, gone to Siam conducted my business, then returned to BB for another 10 minute wait.   

And I am getting lots of issues from BB on internet banking and SMS.  Still trying to get it after months of working with BB. 

Otherwise Siam will charge 25 baht if you make a withdrawl from a none Buriram ATM (e.g. Korat and Surin). 

And I continued to use Siam for international wire transfers because it has been successful every time.  A proven conduit for transferring large amount of money means a lot.  Besides, I can check Siam on the internet, BB has still not worked.

I have internet banking with BB and Kasikorn.

Kasikorn is great and I like the attitude of that bank. Always very helpful in Prakhonchai.

Bangkok Bank in Ban Kruat are crap! - no more than you would expect from a one-horse town in Buriram. Took them 3 goes to get me up and running with Bualuang ibanking

[Starman]

I use internet banking with Krung Thai. Very good.

[urleft]

Bangkok Bank has some really great options, like using their branch offices in New York and London to easily electronically transfer funds. 

But then they go and dork it up with a difficult process to achieve internet banking.   


However, the international branch office feature is only with BB.  You would make my day Star to prove me wrong here. 

[DeputyDavid]

I also have ibanking with BKK Bank.  It also took a lot of paperwork and several calls from USA to their call center but finally we got an understanding soul who got it set for us.  Have had no problems since then.  I have made several transfers and they all make it but it takes about 3 or 4 business days.  I am loving the idea of not carrying cash on the journey there.

[mxyzptlk]

For the Brits there has been little better than using Halifax Bank @ GBP 9.50 a time to transfer to your Thai bank.

I have used Bangkok Bank both with a Sterling transfer in and also via the London office where they fix the Baht rate. It is well described on their website.

Anyone still using an overseas card must be mental - or have a special reason for doing so.

Last week I tried HSBC bank who have an offer of GBP 4 per transfer. Because I wasn't sure they would remit Sterling (they quote 'GBP equivalent' on their online form) I just tried it out by sending GBP500 and it was here the next day. I will try with a larger amount later this month.

I am interested in the Super Rich rates because my daughters are visiting later this month.

HSBC has been my UK banking provider for the last 30 years. I've been using them for around 5 years to send sterling to my Thai accounts. It used to cost £17 per transfer (£10K per day) but they revamped their charges and it now costs £4 per transaction as stated by Ray above. The money is transferred the same day from my HSBC account to my SCB account. The SCB account has a better exchange rate than banks like Kasikorn.

[mxyzptlk]

I use internet banking with Krung Thai. Very good.

SCB & Kasikorn also both have good internet banking services IMHO

[urleft]

I just have to wonder, where is dassyurus providing questions and guidance into his topic?   


He starts a topic, then fails to give follow up input.   


Am I missing something here? 

[dassyurus]

My apologies urleft, Thought it was obvious that I was enquiring about the best/safest way to carry fonds,... and was seeking guidance, not offering it.
I am landing at BKK international, spending 2-3 days in Bkk, then going up to Chaiyaphum for about 2 weeks. Then home
Am just wanting advice on card s cash vs travellers cheque...
And thanks to everyone ofr their imput,
Dass

[SOM LUCK]

Check whether your home bank is also charging you each time you use the Thai ATM, mine in the States was and at a rate that was much greater than the 200 BTS here.

[dassyurus]

Thanks everyone,
Turns out Commonwealth BAnk here has a travel money card... not linked to an account. Just load with up to 6 different currencies, in this case Bhat, and can be used at any ATM that accepts Mastercard. In Thailand, will be charged 80THB per withdrawal. Withdraw up to 2500AU a day, efpos purchases up to 7500/day.

Also comes with a spare cad to keep in luggage, then if I lose my wallt, can cancel that card immediately but still continue using account with the spare card/. Don't have to wait for a new card to be issued as with credit cards.

Will try to give an update when I get back as to ease of use ect
Thanks again for all advice, Alan

[Wayne from Aus]

Dassyurus, That was the card I was referring to in my previous post. Promised me all that too, but when you get to Buriram the ATM will display something different. And what rate that the Comm Bank give you in Baht? Hope it all works out for you

[Voodoo]

Recently the wife and I opened accounts at Bangkok Bank in Nang Rong.. I signed up for the internet banking for my account and have had no problems with it at all.. There is quite a bit of paperwork involved and it does take about 5 business days to get the internet account started... Urleft... I guess it's like everything else here in Thailand... It all depends upon what branch you use and who you are dealing with when you set the internet banking up.. I have a stateside account with USAA and they are absolutely great.. Smooth as silk between them, and Bangkok Bank's New York office.. Fees are damn near nil and you get the going TT rate.. But you are right about the long lines.. They seem to be very popular and are always very busy... BTW I have had problems with the bank software using internet explorer.. You can't sign on using it.. At least I can't but Google Chrome works for me...

[DeputyDavid]

Voodoo, exactly same here with the Chrome vs IE here.  Must use Chrome for iBanking.  Please do confirm, when we transfer from states to BKK in Thailand, we do get the advertised TT rate and not the advertised note rate?  I did the calculations last time but the change in the rates from the time of the transfer to the actual deposit I was not quite sure what rate I got.  I appreciate your help.