Direct Deposit for US Federal Payments

[mak]

Message for U.S. Federal Benefits Recipients:

The United States Department of the Treasury now offers direct deposit of federal benefit payments, including Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to banks in Thailand. The payments are automatically converted to Thai Baht (THB) at the international exchange rate before they are deposited in the account. U.S. dollar payments are not available. The United States Department of the Treasury does not charge fees to make the deposits. However, Thai banks may charge fees.

Direct deposit is the safest, most convenient and reliable method of receiving your benefits. The payment is electronically transmitted to your bank account and you have immediate access to your funds by the payment date. There are no delays, including missing and stolen checks.

You do not have to do anything if you are currently enrolled in direct deposit. Your payments will continue to be sent to your current bank.

If you wish to sign up for direct deposit or switch your direct deposit arrangement to another bank in Thailand, please contact the agency listed below.

Social Security Administration
U.S. Embassy Manila
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita 0930
Manila, Philippines
Email: FBU.Manila@ssa.gov
Phone No.: +63 2 301 2000 ext. 9 (from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Manila Time, Tuesdays and Thursdays except Philippine and U.S. Holidays)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Email: DIRECTD.VBAMUS@VA.GOV
Phone: +1 (918) 781-7550 (from 9:00am to 5:30pm, Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday)

Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
PO Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017 U.S.A.
Email: retire@opm.gov
Phone: +1-888-767-6738 (from 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

[fdimike]

Any info regarding which Thai banks will be participating?

[mak]

As far as I know all banks in Thailand. This is something the US Embassy Bangkok has been working on since they made the decision, last year, to stop income affidavits.
However, I have asked ACS the question and will forward their answer.

[fdimike]

Thank you

[Jello]

Great news, thanks for posting this Mak!

[Jing Jing]

Go Direct – Are you still receiving Social Security, VA or other federal benefits by paper check? You are required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to switch to electronic payments. The U.S. Department of the Treasury can deposit your benefits into a U.S. bank account or into a special direct deposit Bangkok Bank account (the only direct deposit account available in Thailand). For more information about opening a direct deposit account with Bangkok Bank, including terms and conditions, contact your local Bangkok Bank branch or the Bangkok Bank main office at 02-230-1323. Note that direct deposit to a Bangkok Bank account via ACH (U.S. ABA Routing Number) is a U.S. domestic funds transfer; international SWIFT codes do not apply.

This is from the US Embassy and Consulate in Thailand website. So is this outdated?

[mak]

You do not have to do anything if you are currently enrolled in direct deposit. Your payments will continue to be sent to your current bank.
However, you now have the option of the above mentioned payments being sent to your Thai bank by Direct Deposit.

[Jing Jing]

I think BKK Bank and maybe Kasikorn are the only banks in Thailand that have a US bank routing number. The routing number is needed for making a direct deposit.

[parrot]

Kasikorn used to have a branch in LA.....but I believe that's long been closed. And if you use the routing number for BBK NY, you'll be charged the nominal fees for transfer. I'll be curious to see if direct deposit to a bank in Thailand (vs going through NY) results in lower/no fees. And, yes, the SSA.gov website asks for routing numbers when you try to set up direct deposit.

[seagulls]

Hi .Is this service for US citizens only ? I receive Social Security payments into my US Bank In the past I have tried to get a Direct deposit Via New York Bangkok Bank into my Bangkok bank in Udon but my application was never processed as I am not a US Citizen .Is this a new service for everyone receiving entitlements ?

[fdimike]

Actually Kasikorn Bank still has some sort of banking operation in the US. I transferred some money form my US bank to our Kasikorn Bank here in Udon via the Kasikorn Bank in the US.

[Jing Jing]

Direct deposit Via New York Bangkok Bank into my Bangkok bank in Udon

the US SSA uses BKK Banks US routing number and your account number to make direct payment of your SS monthly benefit. BKK banks in Thailand do not have their own unique routing number because they are not in the US.

you'll be charged the nominal fees for transfer

I have not been charged for a direct deposit into my BKK bank account. This is subject to change, but I don’t think it would go over too well.

[seagulls]

My Question was "Is this service for US Citizens only ??

[Jing Jing]

"Is this service for US Citizens only ??

Only SSA can answer your question. See OP Email SSA in Manila FBU.Manila@ssa.gov You will need to contact them to set up a change in direct deposit.

[Jing Jing]

Is this service for US Citizens only

I forgot. There are probably thousands of Thais that are receiving SS benefits. If any of them are getting a check SSA wants this to stop.

[mak]

Many Thai citizens (non US citizens) receive SS payments through BBL NY. This will continue. You don't have to be a US citizen to receive SS benefits.

[Stantheman]

Many Thai citizens (non US citizens) receive SS payments through BBL NY. This will continue. You don't have to be a US citizen to receive SS benefits.

But you are not to receive benefits if you are outside the U.S. continuously for period greater then 6 months as a non-citizen

[Tango Sierra]

Sent an email to OPM asking which form to use for direct deposit to Thailand, hard to believe each country has a different form. Was told Thailand is not on their approved list of countries for direct deposit. Sent the Embassy notice to OPM waiting for a response. Was able to get things changed with DFAS, took 30 days but has been changed to SCB.

[Jello]

Was able to get things changed with DFAS, took 30 days but has been changed to SCB.

I saw on your other thread "DFAS and IAT format" that you spent alot of time trying to set up DD from DFAS to Bangkok Bank.
Good news that you were able to set it up with SCB, but what was the diffrence between SCB and Bangkok Bank?

Was the problem because you were sending it to the New York BkBank branch? Could you not send it direct to your Thailand BkBank branch?

I'm going to submit a DD form to my Thailand Bangkok Bank branch. Any advice you can give me before I send it would be apreciated.

As of today the DFAS website still does not list Thailand as a eligable country for international direct deposits.
https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/manage/idd.html

[Tango Sierra]

After my many phone calls to DFAS and help tickets, the Customer Care (555) told me to fax the OF-1199 to them and see what happens. Emailed the form to sister in US and she faxed it to them.The folks at Customer Care are not the ones who approve anything, they could not understand why it needed the IAT format when going to NYC. Maybe could have used Bangkok Bank, but they should be the ones who put it into the proper format just like any other bank in the US. What do we pay them for? So now it goes from DFAS to the Treasury Dept. who converts it to Baht (at no cost) then to SCB. Have emailed the Embassy about the response from OPM, have not got a reply.