Retirement Visa Extension and Wise (Transferwise)

[HHTel]

I've been using Transferwise for some time now.
Transferring a small amount this morning had some problems I've not seen before.

Having completed the transfer, I got a status 'Sending paused' with a message above saying that it needed attention. I couldn't see anything amiss in what I've done.

The progress showed that 'transfer set up' ---- 'Money received' ------- Money will be transferred tomorrow at 10:18 ----- You will receive your money at 14:13.

In the past, and I only used it a month ago, the transfer into my Thai bank has been super quick.

Does anyone know of the current situation?

[PeteC]

Could it be because it was Sunday in the UK?

[HHTel]

I've transferred funds on a Monday morning before and the funds have been in the bank in a matter of hours. The prediction this time is that the money will be sent at 10 am tomorrow (Tuesday) and delivered after 2pm. Never happened before.

[Big Boy]

I transferred my monthly sum over the weekend - no problem.

[sateeb]

Same here, I did my transfer at 6am this morning, TW sent me an e mail that they had sent the funds to my Bangkok Bank a/c at 9.45. The funds usually in situ around 2pm.

[HHTel]

Then I don't understand. Mine is to Bangkok Bank also. NEVER had a problem before!

[HHTel]

By email:

We’ll pay out your money shortly. And it should be there tomorrow, June 2.

We’ll send you another email when your money’s on its way. You can always track your transfer from your TransferWise account.

On tracking:

Today at 10:13 am
You set up your transfer

Today at 10:18 am
We received your GBP

Your money's being processed

We'll pay it out in the next 22 hours.
Tomorrow at 10:00 am
We pay out your THB

Tomorrow at 2:13 pm
You receive your THB

[sateeb]

HHTel..I would advise to call them with that info. you may not get the transfer any quicker but you may well end up with a couple of free of charge future transfers

[sateeb]

It also may have to do with the time you made the transfer, I always do mine as early as possible on the day.

[Nereus]

Then I don't understand. Mine is to Bangkok Bank also. NEVER had a problem before!

Just checking for money laundering. All new swimming pool owners get checked.

[HHTel]

Well done, Nereus. I think you've hit the nail on the head.

lol

[Big Boy]

A BIG WORD OF WARNING

This month marks the 2nd anniversary of me using monthly transfers via Transferwise. After the first couple of anxious months where everybody was learning a new system, it became the most simple method ever. It was such a doddle i.e.

- Transfer cash
- Request a Credit Advice
- Credit Advice e-mailed
- Credit Advice printed
- Collect 12 Credit Advices and cash them in for a visa renewal

I've done this religiously every month, always fearing that if something went wrong, I had chance to rectify the problem. Just one month's Credit Advice missed, no visa renewal. I've always thought when hearing others (lomuamart springs to mind, but not trying to single him out) getting their advices every few months. What happens if a transaction goes wrong? No Credit Advice issued?

Well, today I marched up to the desk at my bank, the girl knows what I want, and we start the procedure, which involves me speaking to Head Office on the phone. Everything was fine, then the girl at the other end says, "No," My transaction had arrived via a strange route - Kasikorn couldn't help. My assistant took over, and was clearly having a hard time, she got the assistant manager involved, and he in turn got the manager involved. I could see things were not good.

After what seemed like an eternity, the manager approached me, apologised and handed me a bit of paper. She said I had to take it to Bangkok Bank, and only they could sort it. It was 90 day report day, and I was going to Bluport anyway. I asked if Bangkok Bank at Bluport was OK? They said any Bangkok Bank. They had written all of the information down, and said just hand it to the clerk, and they would know what to do.

Off I go. First stop, Immigration. Nobody else in there, and sorted within a minute. An expression I'd never heard of before from Mrs BB - if she'd farted, it wouldn't have cleared because I was soooo fast - apologies, but I had to share that one (she did).

Next it was into Bangkok Bank. I sat at the desk, and explained what I was there for. The girl asked if I had any money deposited in Bangkok Bank. I said no, and she basically told me to get on my bike and leave. She was there to deal with real customers of Bangkok Bank. I somehow kept my cool, but if I was considering using Bangkok bank, I wouldn't be now.

So it was back to my own bank. We sat down to wait for our number to be called, but the manager spotted us, and came straight over. We told her what Bangkok Bank had said, and the manager phoned Bangkok Bank, and gave them what for. She was passed from pillar to post, but she got there in the end. She got one of the clerks to write us another note, and we were asked to go back to Bangkok Bank, but to avoid Bluport.

I took Mrs BB to the branch slightly North of Market Village. It must be the most wheelchair unfriendly bank to get into (actually, I guess the banks opposite the Tessebahn aren't very wheelchair friendly either). We got inside. First impressions were what a horribly designed bank this was, but if a bank is it's staff, it must be the best bank in Thailand. They were so helpful, spoke so well, and I think my Credit Advice will be with me soon.

So what is the warning? This transaction was 2 days old, and it took me 3 hours and 12 minutes to resolve. I could have quite easily lost it with the less than helpful clerk at Bluport, and all could have been lost. What if I was trying to get my documentation several months later? What if they continued to say no? Several months later would have seen me with no Credit Advice, no way of rectifying that month's transfer and ultimately, no visa renewal.

Getting your advices on a monthly basis is the only way to ensure no hitch. This happened to me after 24 successful monthly transfers.

[PeteC]

Maybe I missed something several pages back, but how did Bangkok Bank get involved, and what happened with this particular transaction that K Bank couldn't help with?

Is this "strange route" something that you need to worry about going forward?

[Big Boy]

I'm not 100% sure what the strange route was, but when I transferred the money, I received confirmation all was well, but nothing arrived. When I enquired, I was told it should appear in my bank within 6 hours, which it did. However, that has never happened before. It seems it went to Bangkok Bank, and they held onto it for 6 hours. Because it went to them, only they could issue the confirmation of transfer.

Probably nothing to worry about as I know what to do now. However, if I was doing it 4 months after the event, would it be as easily resolved?

[PeteC]

Is it going into a foreign currency account, or does the receiving bank convert it to Baht? The delay could have had something to do with exchange rates and the "6 hours" was waiting for a more favorable rate, for them.