Sending and Receiving Money From Koh Samui Thailand

You can use international money transfer services to obtain required finances and support relatives and friends no matter how far away they are.

Other reasons you might need to transfer money to Thailand are:

• transferring pension payments,
• transferring money from a foreign bank account to a Thai bank account for visa purposes, or using your funds to support living expenses while overseas
• getting money for services from companies outside, allowing for the digital nomad lifestyle.

But nowadays, there are so many options. So, which ones are available on Koh Samui, and what makes them different?

There are three methods for moving money: online e-wallet systems, wire transfers, and bank transfers, all of which are served by different organizations.

Accounts on the Internet

Using the system's "Add An Account" functionality, it's simple to link your bank account(s) to an e-wallet account.

Once set up, you can receive money online, use the e-wallet to move payments between accounts, and deposit money into the e-wallet using a credit/debit card or bank transfer.

Wise (formerly known as Transferwise)

Wise is the most popular online money transfer service in Thailand because it allows you to send money at the real exchange rate with no hidden fees or charges only 1% to 1.5% of the amount to transfer into a Thai bank account, which is significantly less expensive than a bank transfer.

Plus, you can keep money in several currencies for free, and when you convert, it utilizes the actual exchange rate.

It's quick and straightforward to sign up. First, register with an email address, Facebook, Google, or Apple account online or in the Wise app, then link your bank account to your new profile so that people may send money directly to your bank account.

Here's how you can get money:

• Open a balance in the currency you wish to receive money via the website or app from your own home.
• Select "Get account details" from the drop-down menu.
• Give the sender these account details so they can pay you money.
• The system will deposit their payment immediately into your account.

In two simple actions, you can send money online:

• Begin your transfer by entering how much you want to send and where you want to send it.
• Make a local payment with your debit or credit card, a bank transfer (SWIFT), or an online banking transfer.

Money is distributed locally: the beneficiary receives money straight from Wise's local bank account in their currency.

Wise is 13 times less expensive than top Spanish banks, eight times less costly than leading UK banks, and five times cheaper than leading Swiss, French, and German banks!

PayPal

PayPal charges a 3–8% fee, depending on the amount of money you receive into your account.

For more than 5000 THB, withdrawals to a Thai bank account are free.

Skrill (formerly known as Moneybookers)

You can receive funds and load your account for free, and then transfer the money to your Thai bank account for a nominal fee of 25 THB (on transfers of 999.99 Euros or less - their transaction maximum).

Transfers by Wire

Wire transfer services are exceptionally fast, with transfers taking only a few minutes. If you need to receive money from outside Thailand but don't have a Thai bank account, these services are suitable. However, their costs might be high - up to 20% on minor amounts in some cases.

Western Union

You have to be a minimum of 18 years old with a valid government-issued ID to transfer or receive money using Western Union (WU). In addition, a supplementary ID (for example, a residency status certificate or information about the country of birth) is sometimes required.

Depending on which send or receive method you use, you'll need to provide information about yourself and your receiver. The agency will already keep most of the essential information in your WU profile if you have one. If you don't already have it, bring it when you visit a WU location or send money online.

The approaches and information they require include:

WU.com or the app on your phone.

• Your WU login information, credit or debit card information, the recipient's first and last name (as it appears on their ID), the recipient's country of origin, and complete address are all required.

Begin online and end in-store.

• Your photo ID, cash or a debit/credit card to pay for the transfer, and the receiver's first and last name, nationality, and address.

Transferring funds to a mobile wallet.

• Your phone number, the receiver's entire name, nationality, and address, as well as your phone number

To deposit into an account.

• The whole name, country, address, phone number, International Bank Account Number, and Bank Identifier Code of the recipient bank (or the receiving country equivalent)

Make a money transfer over the phone.

• Your photo ID, credit/debit card information, and the full name, country, and address of the recipient

Send money to an inmate.

• Your identification, the name of the receiver's correctional facility (or the city and state code), the inmate's register number and complete name, and (if provided) the reference number

Obtain payment for a bill.

• The reverence number, billing account number, amount to send, and (if provided) the firm name (or code city and state).

There are twenty WU locations across the island - very convenient!

Moneygram 

Bring the following items to your nearest Moneygram agent to send money to a Moneygram location abroad via a local Moneygram outlet:

• your ID, full name of the recipient (which matches their ID and location), and the amount you want to transfer (plus fees)

Bring the following items to your nearest Money Gram agent to send money to a bank account via a local Money Gram outlet:

• your identification, the recipient's full name (which must match their ID and location), the amount you want to send (plus fees), and the recipient's bank name and account number

If you wish to send money to a mobile wallet, follow these steps:

• your identification, the recipient's full name (which must match their ID and location), the amount you desire to transfer (plus fees), and the recipient's mobile phone number with an international dial code

You'll need the following items to receive money in person at a Money Gram facility in Thailand:

• your name and address, the name and location of the sender, and the transfer reference number

If the funds were paid to your bank account, you would not need to take any action because the funds will be placed directly into your account.

On Koh Samui, there are two Moneygram locations:

Address: 67/12-13 Moo.3, Tambon Ang Thong, Amphoe Ko Samui, Surat Thani, 84140, 84330
Phone: 077 421 137

Address: 25/29 Moo.6, Tambon Bo Phut, Amphoe Ko Samui, Surat Thani, 84000, 84000
Phone: 077 245 891

Bank Transfers

A money transfer from a bank account abroad to a Thai bank account is the ideal option only if you need bank records of your transfers (for example, if you're purchasing a house and need a TT3) or if you need to send enormous quantities of money that wire transfers or e-wallet systems can't handle. Wire transfer, check, or bank draft (cashier's check) are the three options.

Fees and exchange rates differ from one bank to the next.

Wire Transfer

To make a wire transfer from a foreign bank to a Thai bank account, you'll need the receiving bank's SWIFT number. You can complete the transaction in person or over the internet. You can find any Thai bank SWIFT number here.

Because the sending and receiving banks charge fees, such transfers are only more cost-effective than an ATM withdrawal if the amounts are more than 130,000THB. Regardless of the amount sent, the total costs can range from 1800 to 2400 THB.

It can take five business days for SWIFT transfers to be completed.

Bank Drafts and Cheques

Because not all Thai banks accept international cheques or bank drafts (cashier's cheques), you should check with your Thai bank beforehand. These choices can take days to weeks to process and can result in fees of up to 2,000 THB.