Originally Posted by
moondog
While it's true that Schwab does free SWIFT wires, receiving foreign currency in a Chinese bank account is a major pita (i.e. requires a branch visit, a boatload of forms, and sometimes a justification for the wire). I wouldn't be surprised if other countries in Asia had similar hurdles.
I was specifically addressing the OP, and Thailand, which is, of course, relevant to this thread/sub-forum, while circumstances in China are not.
There are no hurdles when transferring funds from the U.S. to Thailand. Some forms of extensions of stay (based on retirement, or marriage) may require monthly qualifying foreign transfers (or lump-sum cash on deposit).