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What is the best way to transfer THB 800,000 to a Thai bank account for a retirement visa?

Jul 18, 2025
2 days ago
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am leaving for Thailand on retirement visa initially with non O visa via Siamlegal.

As understood Australian Authorities allowed maximum A$ 10000 in cash carriage to overseas. I have WISE ACCOUNT and TRAVEL MONEY CARD and COMMON BANK ACCOUNT. My question is what is the best way to transfer the money requirement of THB 800000 in Thai Bank account for retirement visa. I am looking foward your valued inputs.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The best method to transfer THB 800,000 for a retirement visa in Thailand varies by individual circumstances. Suggestions include using bank-to-bank SWIFT transfers, which provide documentation needed for international transfers, and utilizing services like Wise for smaller amounts, although it may be less cost-effective for larger sums. It's recommended to declare any cash over AUD 10,000 when leaving Australia. Additionally, it's important to have a Thai bank account ready, and terminology regarding the visa type (retirement visa vs. extension of stay) should be clearly understood.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Mike *******
Before you finalise your plans, note that there is not a limit on how much cash you can take out of Australia. However, you must declare it if it’s more than AUD $10,000. Good luck.

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Robert ********
Don’t carry the money. You will need to prove that it came from outside. That needs a foreign transfer into your account.
Joseph *************
Always remember if your bring big money with you never come at night and always take a big bus not a private car unless it's your own private call the airport security scanners know if you are carrying a lot of money you never know who could be waiting outside!
Howard *******
There is no limit on cash you can carry leaving Australia. If you have AUD10,000 or more (or equivalent in another currency) just declare it and you are good to go,
Oo *****
I used Wise as they have a better exchange rate than the banks.
David ************
Lot depends on which thai bank your with as right now with Wise you can't transfer money to certain thai banks ,on their website and app they tell you which are ok
Graham ******
I have never heard of someone getting a visa to enter Thailand from a Thai visa agency. You mean you paid someone to upload the documents to the eVisa system that you had to upload to send to them?
Graham ******
@Jim ******
What's your point? I know eVisa is not free, I've had many so I know the process.
Wannikea *********
Do you have a Thai bank account already, I think so if SiamLegal assisted you. Swift transfer to your Thai bank, and perfect/new large denomination bank notes for best exchange rate, don't exchange at a bank, use SuperRich etc.
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wannikea ********
I dont have Thai bank account yet. Yes Siam legal will assist me with opening bank account when I arrive Thailand. My bank which is commonwealth bank Australian's curent
*****
/25 exchange rate is 20.12THB/A$1. So if I use SWIFT money transfer I think this conversion rate will be what I can expect to.
Wannikea *********
@Val ******
losing a whole 1 point, current mid market rate is 21.13

Typically the rate you see is for notes, TT has a better rate
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wannikea ********
this conversion rate for commonwealth bank Australia is as of today 19 of july 2025 10 am. So what will be the best way to send THB
*****
0 to Thai bank which is required for retirement visa/ stay permit.
Wannikea *********
Ask your banks what the TT/Swift rate is. It will be better than the exchange rate for notes, which your converter is showing.
Wannikea *********
@Val ******
I'd send in the neighborhood of 40,000AUS, better more than less
Von ***********
You can take MORE than 10,000 AUD!!! You just have to declare it and as such you have a legitimate reason!

Nominate used to satisfy Retirement Visa requirements for Thailand, you have the Non O so you can show the Narcs at Australia Immigration when you declare. Fugg Albanese and his sycophants!!!

It is YOUR money and you are entitled to take your cash with you.
Howard *******
@Von **********
Nothing to do with Albanese or any politician. This ruling has been in force for years to try and control illegal money tranfers.
Rod *********
Take as much cash as you want just have the proof its yours and declare it. Don't know where you get your information from
Joseph *************
I think it's best not to have any money in a thai bank I don't trust them !
Lee *************
2 lots of transfer in Bhat from the bank, no fees. Exchange rate, on par, but changes daily.

The hardest part will be setting up your bank account in Thailand, get that sorted before you worry about how you going to transfer the money.
Mike *******
I use Wise to transfer all my funds from the USA to Thailand because it is very simple and easy to use 
Christopher ******
No $10,000 is only the limit you can carry with you without DECLARING it.

If the cash is legit, you have noting to worry about. Just declare it. If it's black money, don't risk carrying it undeclared, it is a serious crime.
Matt **********
Send to wise convert the send to thai bank
John **********
Is that joint account in Thailand? If so you will be better getting your own account. Some immigration offices won't accept joint accounts and if they do they will want double the money in it.
Melissa *********
I used wise when I needed my 800k Thb to show as intl transfer
Nongnuch ********
@Melissa ********
Yes but you need to pick the correct "reason" for the WISE transfer to get it coded as being a foreign remittance. Only TWO reasons on the WISE list will provide this. If you chose the wrong reason, the WISE transfer will be coded as an inner Thailand (domestic) transfer
Sean ********
@Nongnuch *******
Hi, please can you confirm the TWO reasons. Thanks
Nongnuch ********
@Sean *******
either one of these:
Gerg **********
I did a wire transfer from my U.S. bank using my Thai bank’s SWIFT code. Worked great.
Pho *****
Dsgpay?
Kool *******
Do a bank to bank SWIFT transfer, as this will give you an FET, foreign exchange transaction, receipt, which you will need if you change your mind in the future and want to transfer the money out of Thailand as a lump sum.
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
thank you
Graham ******
You will be getting an Extension of Stay not an in country issued Retirement Visa. A Retirement Visa needs the 800k to show as an international transfer whereas an EoS does not, terminology is key.
Peter **********
@Graham *****
Indeed terminology is key.

A “retirement visa” does not exist. Neither out country nor in country. The term is invented by expats who don’t want to write either “non-immigrant O visa based on retirement” or “extension of stay based on retirement”.

That causes confusion because nobody can definitively define what a “retirement visa” really is.

But I will accept to be corrected when you show me the document from Thai Immigration specifying “retirement visa”.

Like you said (and I do agree with you!): Terminology is key! 👍
Tracey ********
@Peter *********
no need to be a dick about it, when someone ask a question, try to help rather than be a complete w Anker.
Peter **********
@Tracey *******
No need to insult. If you can't normally communicate then you may consider not touching your keyboard.

I am not being a dick at all. Many people mention a "retirement visa", which does not exist. Some use this to indicate a 90 days non-O visa while others use the term for the extension based on retirement (which in fact isn't a visa at all).

So "Terminology is Key" and it's important to use the correct wording.

If you don't understand my point then no need to start insulting. It's perfectly fine to write "I don't understand. Please elaborate." and most of the time it's followed up with much nicer responses than demonstrating your lack of understanding with an insult.
Melissa *********
@Graham *****
thanks. Learning something new every day
Bob **********
Wise
Bruce ********
I've always transferred via OFX good exchange rate and no fees if transferred amount is over $5000Aud.
Brandon ************
Countries do not set limits on how much money you can carry. They just require you to declare the money as you leave and some countries require you to declare it when you enter, depending on how much you are carrying.
Robert ***********
@Brandon ***********
If carrying and declaring more than $10k (and really any large amount) from the US you should have a paper trail in your possession. There are a few reports of DHS doing seizures until you can prove where the funds came from. I would SWIFT the 800k.
Erhardt *********
@Robert **********
That’s correct, declare any amount and make sure you can show where it came from. I’m going to take over $100, 000 with me upon my enter. Plan on an Elite Visa for my wife and I. They will help set up a bank account for us. Wise limits you at $50,000 from the US.
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Erhardt ********
as far as I can see Wise has higher exchange rate compare to other banks. How is the difference between SWFT via the bank via SWIFT and WISE in terms of exchange rate and ATM fees ect.
Erhardt *********
@Val ******
Wise shows you the fee they charge for any transaction and you get the international rate exchange. Visa told me that they do not charge for money transfers, but they do not give you the proper international exchange rate. This could mean hundreds or thousands of dollars on larger transactions.

I don’t know about Swift accounts. I’m sure it’s used in the commercial world.
Kenneth *******
@Brandon ***********
not true i tried to take more then $10.000 out of Australia as asked do I have more then 10.000 in cash answer yes so I had to deposit 3.500 back into com account
Howard *******
@Kenneth ******
the original poster was correct. If you did that it was to avoid declaring.
Kenneth *******
@Howard ******
no can not take more then 10.000 in cash
Howard *******
@Kenneth ******
I had a close friend who worked with Border Force. He assured me you can and gave me a copy of the declaration form in case I needed to take $10,000 or more. If you don't have one filled in, when they ask if you are carrying $10,000 or more and you answer yes, they will take you aside and have you complete the form. Before you give misinformation, go to the web site and check.
Brandon ************
@Kenneth ******
yes you can. They literally say you can right on the government website.
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"There is no limit to the amount of money that you can travel with, receive and send overseas."
Stuart *********
For 800K you’ll probably find a swift transfer is less in fees than Wise. Wise is great for smaller amounts over swift, but for larger amounts it becomes less so.
Robert ********
@Stuart ********
Idk what they mean. Every bank gives you a statement. And wise is no exception.

You can download a statement for each currency that you hold whenever you want.

If you transfer your kasikorn it almost always takes a second. To Bangkok bank it takes longer - sometime quick sometimes next day, and not on weekends (maybe because Bangkok bank keeps the money to not pay interest?)
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert *******
thank you for the informations. Curently I am in Australia and will be landing to Thailand in mid August with O visa. I have WISE account with ATM card. Is it good idea to put the THB 800k for stay permit extension in my WISE account and transfering that amount to Thai bank account once I have opened it.The only thing is I need to declare it with the authority.
Stuart *********
@James *******
I use wise all the time. Great rates. Usually arrives in minutes.
Rudi ***********
@Stuart ********
ik ook, en nooit problemen. Ik zal wise gebruiken om de
*****
0 bath te storten als ik een Thaise bankrekening krijg met mijn Non O Visum van 90 dagen vanuit België
Robert ********
@Rudi **********
good choice. The exchange rate is exceptional compared the the small fee
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Robert ********
@Val ******
Ignore people talking about fees!!!!

The fees of wise are 0.5% or less.

The difference in exchange rate is 2-3%. You loose with all banks compared to wise!

I’ve done the comparison with my Swiss bank. I had a flat fee of 5CHF and thought the more I send the less favorable wise will be, but then I saw the exchange rates.

Whatever you transfer 10 bucks or the maximum of 2m baht, wise will always win by 1.5-2.5%.
Val *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert *******
thank you for the input. A fb friend of mine said the good thing for SWIFT money tranfer is it will give you a receipt and in case you change your mind and if you want to transfer the money to the original country more easier. I have no experience about it at all. If you know some thing about that please share with me and all members' benefit.
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