Just noticed the4 figure on Social Security. That might be off a bit, mine is my Police Retirement. Others have VA payments. A lot widows use the service. Yep $10.00 seems high but that is the equal to two ATM fees. It would cost a lot more for me to just use the ATM.

They are going to get their money one way or another

I will attempt to give you a little bit of the History. Americans who have Direct Deposit not only do the have to fill out Bangkok Banks application they must also fill out the US Direct Deposit form. That form is also required to be signed by the Bank.That form clearly shows your deposit are in fact going to Bangkok Bank NY. It is show on their web site as Deposit Accounts (restricted). The NY Branch under US Laws is required to fully disclose upon opening the account a full disclosure of fee's including the amount of in writing. Bangkok's application does not as it only states fee's. The US Treasury can only do ACH Transfer to NY and that is where that account is maintained. It is the exact same number

I have Bangkok Bank direct deposit and all I know is that when it started and the 1st deposit arrived. I went to the lady on 2nd floor and she printed out a copy of the transfer. It had a $5.00 US dollars fee at Bangkok Bank, New York USA and a 400 baht Bangkok Bank Thailand fee. It also gives a better exchange rate than I get with ATM card.

If my widget says that the rate is now 35 baht to the dollar, with my ATM card I will be lucky to get 33.50 plus 150 baht fee, while on the direct deposit I will get around 35.20

I think my widget gets its numbers from Yahoo and they will never match the buy / sell rates on the board at Bangkok Bank, sometimes they are not even close other times, they are real close.

When I use a US credit card, which is often, the rate is really close to what my widget says. After using it I key in the baht amount and it gives me the dollar amount, I record that in Quicken and when I check the CC account its within pennies.

Being that US Big Banks are crooks and that fraud is their business model, I am fairly happy with Bangkok Bank

RLTrader wrote: ....I think my widget gets its numbers from Yahoo and they will never match the buy / sell rates on the board at Bangkok Bank, sometimes they are not even close other times, they are real close....

One reason the rate can be different is the rates displayed by sites like Yahoo are from money exchange sites who base rates on very large sums exchange between banks not individuals like us.

Stantheman wrote: One reason the rate can be different is the rates displayed by sites like Yahoo are from money exchange sites who base rates on very large sums exchange between banks not individuals like us.

Hmm, maybe why When I use a US credit card, the rate I get is really close to what my widget says.

For all concerned the letter from Bangkok Bank is starting to arrive I have received mine and a neighbor also.

Peter USNR wrote:For all concerned the letter from Bangkok Bank is starting to arrive I have received mine and a neighbor also.

I received mine last week.

The Court in New York has approved the settlement it becomes final 23 Sept which is 30 days after the approval. I would expect deposit made in October to be fee free from NY

My PERS retirement goes in there, cheaper then doing ATM withdrawls The only thing I don't like I have to be there to take the money out each month. Cant have an ATM card on that account. Going to be a real problem if I'm sick and I csnt get there

Yes Bangkok Bank denies all Americans an ATM card yet many other Foreigners have one on their account and similar deposit and rules. I know the reason why they do this. Once before a Thai wife hid her husbands death and kept on taking the money using his ATM card. Eventually she got caught but Bangkok Bank said they were the ones who had to repay that money and then go after the Wife. Also if sick and in Hospital I understand you can get a letter from the Hospital and have your Wife go for you. With Account book, passport and her ID.

Well we told that with social Security they require that. PERS is a completly different thing. Bit it is still required. I asked how we get money in event an illness I never really got an answer. Hopefully it wont come to that But, the probability becomes higher with each passing year.

bumper wrote: I asked how we get money in event an illness I never really got an answer.

If your concerned about it, do this:

.Open a US bank account with on-line access.
.Open a new Bangkok Bank account with on-line access and a ATM card.
.Change your Direct Deposit checks to be deposited into your new US bank account.
.At the beginning of each month log onto your US account and do a bank-to-bank transfer to
Bangkok Bank New York. (They will send it to your Thailand account.- takes a few days) Your money will be available via ATM without having to show your face at the bank.

.Show your wife how to do the monthly transfer so she can take care if it should you become too ill to do it.

If you want to use your ATM card from the U.S. find a bank that will rebate fees. My bank, Chase, allows up to 4 free ATM withdrawals per month. The ATM here charges it and the bank reimburses it.

A search of Google showed several banks that offer this service, most without huge minimal deposits,

Jello wrote:

bumper wrote: I asked how we get money in event an illness I never really got an answer.

If your concerned about it, do this:

.Open a US bank account with on-line access.
.Open a new Bangkok Bank account with on-line access and a ATM card.
.Change your Direct Deposit checks to be deposited into your new US bank account.
.At the beginning of each month log onto your US account and do a bank-to-bank transfer to
Bangkok Bank New York. (They will send it to your Thailand account.- takes a few days) Your money will be available via ATM without having to show your face at the bank.

.Show your wife how to do the monthly transfer so she can take care if it should you become too ill to do it.

That sounds like a good idea

bumper wrote:

Jello wrote:

bumper wrote: I asked how we get money in event an illness I never really got an answer.

If your concerned about it, do this:

.Open a US bank account with on-line access.
.Open a new Bangkok Bank account with on-line access and a ATM card.
.Change your Direct Deposit checks to be deposited into your new US bank account.
.At the beginning of each month log onto your US account and do a bank-to-bank transfer to
Bangkok Bank New York. (They will send it to your Thailand account.- takes a few days) Your money will be available via ATM without having to show your face at the bank.

.Show your wife how to do the monthly transfer so she can take care if it should you become too ill to do it.

That sounds like a good idea

Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

semperfiguy wrote:Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

I think you can join Pentagon Federal Credit Union online https://www.penfed.org/About-PenFed/ Click join

semperfiguy wrote:Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

I've opened two accounts online from here. Capital One and Schwab.

Lone Star wrote:

semperfiguy wrote:Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

I've opened two accounts online from here. Capital One and Schwab.

Lone Star, I'm guessing that was awhile back before they changed all the rules. I hope I'm wrong about that, but can you tell me how recent that was?

The Pentagon Federal website will not give my computer access since it recognizes an IP address from Thailand.

semperfiguy wrote:

Lone Star wrote:

semperfiguy wrote:Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

I've opened two accounts online from here. Capital One and Schwab.

Lone Star, I'm guessing that was awhile back before they changed all the rules. I hope I'm wrong about that, but can you tell me how recent that was?

The Pentagon Federal website will not give my computer access since it recognizes an IP address from Thailand.

The Capital One account was opened in the last 2 months. The Schwab account was within the last six or seven years. I'm not sure what "rules" you're talking about that changed things. I haven't had any issues with anything, and I do business with at least five or six different financial institutions in the US.

On accounts where there are international blocks, I have been able to call those financial institutions and get through after they reset things on their end to allow it. They were happy to do it.

Lone Star wrote:

semperfiguy wrote:

Lone Star wrote:

semperfiguy wrote:Problem here is that a US bank account cannot be opened except by face to face interview back in the US. Then, not all banks have transfer capability from their online site. Because of money laundering and some people funding terrorism through the money transfer channels, many banks have implemented plenty of hoops through which one has to jump to get a transfer done from a US bank to a foreign bank.

I've opened two accounts online from here. Capital One and Schwab.

Lone Star, I'm guessing that was awhile back before they changed all the rules. I hope I'm wrong about that, but can you tell me how recent that was?

The Pentagon Federal website will not give my computer access since it recognizes an IP address from Thailand.

The Capital One account was opened in the last 2 months. The Schwab account was within the last six or seven years. I'm not sure what "rules" you're talking about that changed things. I haven't had any issues with anything, and I do business with at least five or six different financial institutions in the US.

On accounts where there are international blocks, I have been able to call those financial institutions and get through after they reset things on their end to allow it. They were happy to do it.

Thanks for the suggestions Lone Star. I'll give it a shot!