HOW TO SEND MONEY TO AND FROM THAILAND
If you've searched online for ways to send money (or receive it in the country from abroad), it's likely because you've inquired at your bank and found the costs and transfer times to be excessive. Why pay such high fees?
Transferring money has never been easier and more affordable. Discover how to do it with a Digital Wallet.
Last Update
21.12.23
Transferring Money is Simple
If you've searched online for ways to send money from Thailand (or to receive it in the country from abroad), it's likely because you inquired at your bank and found the costs and transfer times excessive. You probably also checked with well-known companies (those with outlets in shopping centres) and came to the same conclusions. Save the cost of your transfer and keep your Baht.
Imagine you're working, and for some reason, you must send money to your family. Or if you're travelling somewhere and something happens (you get robbed, have an accident, or want to pay for that once-in-a-lifetime volcano excursion that costs a fortune) and you urgently need money... What do you do?
International money transfers have become increasingly common because people travel more, relocate to different countries more often, and experience more life events. The need to transfer money to or from our country often arises unexpectedly and urgently. That's why it's better to be prepared: In this article, we will describe the latest trend in bank transfers, led by highly innovative technology firms, designed to solve these problems for people in a simple and extremely affordable way. We then present two excellent e-wallet options that offer obtaining a Mastercard without fees.
What are e-wallets?
E-wallets, or Digital Wallets, are the latest financial solutions in payment platforms, shopping, and transfers, revolutionizing traditional banking. As online accounts for depositing money and operating securely and swiftly online, Digital Wallets represent a new method to hold funds in various currencies, exchange spot currencies, transfer, and shop online with Digital Money.
Essentially, they function (as if they were) as a bank account, but online. There is almost no difference between these types of accounts and the Online Banking or Digital Banking of any traditional banking institution.
How They Work
If two individuals in different countries need to transfer money instantly, they can do so with the wallet sets (one for each person), transferring money from one e-wallet to the other. It is as simple as that.
Suppose one needs to transfer through a traditional bank. In that case, it will probably require visiting the bank branch, signing numerous documents, and then getting charged up to 5% on the transaction, often with a minimum of 5 to 10 dollars. This is all without mentioning that a transfer between different jurisdictions (two countries or regions) can sometimes take 3-5 days to arrive. Suppose specialized transfer providers like Western Union are chosen. In that case, the transfer is instantaneous, but the fees are very high (and the recipient, depending on their location, may have to present themselves at the office).
In contrast, through an e-wallet, one can instantly transfer money from one account to another from their phone. The best e-wallets, moreover, offer prepaid cards issued by Mastercard, which allows the recipient to withdraw cash at any ATM or spend the money from the card. This is why e-wallets are not only a solution for transferring money between different countries but are also used by many as their regular bank account (to deposit, withdraw, spend, and save). Below, we introduce two e-wallet options that only charge 1% per transaction for depositing or withdrawing money (spending with the card or making online purchases from the digital wallet is free of charge):
Skrill
Skrill is a platform owned and operated by the global company Paysafe Group. Founded in 2001 as Moneybookers, the firm is headquartered in London and has offices in various European countries and the United States. Skrill is not a bank and does not lend out customer funds. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the firm under electronic money and payment instruments regulations. It's important to note that Skrill must keep customer funds separate from the company's funds and maintain sufficient liquidity to cover all customer balances simultaneously (something banks could never achieve). The FCA of the UK is one of the world's strictest regulatory bodies, making it very safe to deposit, transfer, and hold money in a Skrill account. Through ALEXON, you can access Skrill's VIP program.
Neteller
Founded in Canada in 1999, the company moved to the Isle of Man (a UK-controlled jurisdiction) in 2004. Like Skrill, Neteller is not a bank and must cover all funds customers maintain in their accounts.
Neteller Net+ Prepaid Mastercard
As mentioned, Neteller's Net+ cards are physical prepaid cards operating on the Mastercard platform. These cards provide customers instant access to the money deposited in their Neteller account. The Net+ Prepaid Mastercard allows you to make online and in-person purchases and withdraw cash from the Neteller account. Once an account with Neteller is opened and the Net+ card is requested, it is mailed to your address within 2 to 10 days. In terms of costs, the first Net+ card is free; subsequent cards cost 10 euros. Open a Neteller account and get the Mastercard for free.
Sending money to or can be expensive and complex, but it doesn’t have to be.
New technologies enable instant money transfers without incurring prohibitive fees.
How to Open an Account with Skrill or Neteller
Download the app on your phone or open the account from your laptop. This will require some personal information to set up the account.
Deposit Funds into the Account. They allow depositing money into customer accounts via credit cards, bank transfers, other payment processors like Paypal and Paysafe, or even depositing with Bitcoins.
Receive money from other Skrill or Neteller accounts or online services (Trading Platforms, Casinos, Payment Services, Shopping) that use these platforms. Another person or online company can send money online to the account quickly and easily.
Make Payments and Purchases. The e-wallets function as an online account and can be used for internet purchases.
Make low-cost transfers. Once the account has deposited money, low-cost local and international transfers can be made, some of which are free, depending on where the money is sent. For this reason, it is a service widely used by expatriates to send money.