Sending and Receiving Money from Pangangan

International money transfers allow you to get the amount you need and support your loved ones despite the distance.

There are several reasons why there is a need to transfer money to Thailand:

- Transfer of pension payments,
- Transferring money from a foreign bank to a Thai bank account in order to get a visa or to cover expenses while living abroad,
- payment for services from foreign companies.

Currently, there are many options. Which ones are available on Phangan Island and what is the difference between them?

There are three ways to transfer money - online e-wallet systems, wire transfers and bank transfers. Each method is serviced by different companies.

Linking your bank account to an e-wallet account is easy with the "Add Account" feature in that system. Immediately after creating an account, you will be able to receive funds online, transfer money between accounts through your e-wallet, and transfer money to your e-wallet via credit/debit card or wire transfer.

Wise is a very popular online money transfer service as it allows you to send money to Thailand at the real exchange rate, with no hidden fees and charges only 1% to 1.5% of the amount for a transfer to a Thai bank account. This is significantly cheaper than a bank transfer.

In addition, you have the ability to keep money in multiple currencies for free - and the actual exchange rate is used when converting.

Registration is quick and easy. Sign up online or in the Wise app with your email address or Facebook, Google, or Apple account. Then link your bank account to your new account so people can transfer money to your bank account.

Instructions on how to get money:

1. open a balance in the currency in which you want to receive money remotely, via a website or app.
2. Click "Get Account Details."
3. Provide these account details to the sender so they can send you the funds.
4. You will receive their payment directly into your account.

2 easy steps to send funds online:

1. Start the transfer: enter how much and where. Make a local payment by debit/credit card, bank transfer (SWIFT), or send funds from your online banking.
2. Money arrives locally: money is delivered to the recipient in their currency directly from their local Wise bank account.

Wise is about 13 times cheaper than major Spanish banks, 8 times cheaper than major British banks and 5 times cheaper than major Swiss, French and German banks!

Charges a fee of 3-8%, the amount depends on how much has arrived in your account. Withdrawal to the Thai bank account for free for amounts over 5000 THB.

You have chance to get money or refill your account for free and pay only small fee - 25 THB for transferring money to your Thai bank account (when transferring an amount 999,99 euro or less - their transaction limit).

Wire transfers are very fast, literally in minutes. These services are a great option if you need to get money from abroad but don't have a Thai bank account. But sometimes the fees can be very high - sometimes up to 20% for small amounts.

You must be 18 years old or older, and have a valid government-issued ID to send or receive money via Western Union (WU). Additional identification (such as proof of residency status or country of birth) may be required.

Your and the recipient's information depends on the sending or receiving method you choose in advance. If you have a WU account, most of the information you need will already be stored there. If you don't have one, have the following information nearby if you visit a WU branch or send money over the Internet.

The methods and information they require:

- WU.com or mobile app: your WU login information, credit or debit card information, the recipient's first and last name (as listed on their ID card), the recipient's country of origin and their full address.

- You can start online, finish at the store: your ID card to show to the agent at the store, cash or debit/credit card to pay for the transfer, the recipient's name, country and address.

- Transfer to a mobile wallet: Your cell phone number, the recipient's full name, country, address and cell phone number.

- Transfer to a bank account: The recipient's full name, country, address, phone number, international bank account number and the recipient bank's bank identifier code (or equivalent).

- Make a telephone money transfer: Your ID, credit/debit card information, and the recipient's full name, country and address.

- Send money to an inmate: your ID, the name of the recipient's correctional facility (or city and state code), the inmate's registration number and full name, and (if provided) the reference number.

- Pay the bill: company name (or city and state code), account number, amount to send, and (if provided) the reverence number.

There are four locations on the island:

Address: 214 3 Moo 1Ko Pha Ngan Ko Pha Ngan
Phone: +66-77-377035

Agent: Baac Ko Pha Ngan
Address: 44 59 Moo 1Koh Pa Ngan

Phone: +66-77-377044
Agent: BAY THA RUE THONGSALA FX BOOTH

Address: 50 8 9 Moo 1Koh Pa Ngan
Phone: +66-77-377651

Agent: BAY KOH PHA NGAN BRANCH FX BOOTH
Address: 50 8 9 Moo 1Koh Pa Ngan

Phone: +66-77-377276
Agent: BAY KOH PHA NGAN

In order to send money to an overseas Money Gram office through your local Money Gram office, bring these things to the nearest agent:

- Your ID, the recipient's full name (corresponding to their ID and location), and the amount you would like to send (plus commission).

To send money to a bank account through your local Money Gram branch, bring the following things to your nearest agent:

- your ID, the recipient's full name (corresponding to their ID and location), the amount you would like to send (plus commission), the name of the recipient's bank and their account number.

When sending money to a mobile wallet:

- your ID, the recipient's full name (corresponding to their ID and location), the amount you want to send (plus a fee), and the recipient's cell phone number with an international code.

To receive money in person at one of the Money Gram locations in Thailand, you will need:

- your ID and address, the sender's name and location, and a transfer control number.

You do not need to do anything if the money has been sent to your bank account, as it will be credited directly to your bank account.

- Your ID and address, the sender's name and location, and the transfer control number.

Two places where you can get Money Gram on Koh Phangan Island:

Address: 97/1 Moo.6, Tambon Ko Pha-ngan, Amphoe Ko Pha-ngan, Surat Thani, 84000
Phone: 077 375 483

Address: 97/1 Moo.6, Tambon Ban Tai, Amphoe Ko Pha-ngan, Surat Thani, 84000
Phone: 077 375 538

A great option is to transfer money from a foreign bank account to a Thai account, but only if you need bank records of your own transfers (such as when buying real estate, where TT3 is required) or if you need to transfer a considerable amount of money beyond what bank transfers or e-wallet systems allow. Fees and exchange rates vary from bank to bank.

There are three methods of transfer: wire transfer, check, or bank draft (cashier's check).


Wire transfer

To prepare a bank transfer through your foreign bank to a Thai bank account, you will need the recipient bank's SWIFT number. This can be done in person or online. You can find the SWIFT number of any Thai bank here.

Such transfers are more profitable than ATM withdrawals, but only if the amount exceeds 130,000 THB, as both the sending bank and the receiving bank charge a certain fee. The fee may be THB 1,800-2,400, regardless of the amount transferred.

Five working days is the processing time of SWIFT transfers.


Cheques and bank drafts

Not all banks accept foreign cheques or bank drafts (cashier's checks), so check with your Thai bank to see if they can accept a cheque. Such options take from several days to several weeks to be processed, respectively, and may result in a fee of up to THB 2,000.