Quick question . . . .I was thinking about paying some people in Thailand to do some tasks for me.  I had imagined that this would run me a few hundred or maybe a thousand baht per job as it is really pretty straightforward.  What's the best way to transfer someone money in such amounts?  I did a quick search and it seems like PayPal's fees are so egregious that it's not an option (2.5% FX plus 50 baht).  Any other options that are popular in Thailand?   

Western union.

Well, if I'm sending it in 500 - 1000 baht chunks then the 50 baht fee is more like 5% - 10%. I'm more used to stuff like PayPal going dollar to dollar or sterling to sterling where you can send for just the 2.5% fee. I wouldn't even mind if I could transfer 20,000 - 30,000 baht to someone like PayPal for a one time fee on the money and then pay out at 2.5% per transfer but I'm not aware that is an option as I don't believe they hold deposits in baht.

Or to put it another way, let's say I'm having a page of text translated at 2000 baht per page. That's 50 baht in exchange fees and another 50 baht per transaction for a total of 5%.

I don't necessarily mind paying the fee if it's the only way to do it but to charge a FX fee and charge a service fee is what I consider egregious and just grates me the wrong way if there's a cheaper alternative. :-)

western union, but do it in person, not online... they gouge you. also you get a lower exchange rate, maybe 2 baht less than the commercial rate. ask eddie, i am sure he is an expert.

Www.moneygram.com

For fucks sake, 500 - 1000 baht, it ain't really a chunk, if your sending pocket money just stick it in an envelope, of is a 20p stamp too much?

''Or to put it another way, let's say I'm having a page of text translated at 2000 baht per page. That's 50 baht in exchange fees and another 50 baht per transaction for a total of 5%.''

100 baht for Christs sake!

@Beej: If it was a one time thing then I agree with you. But if this is an ongoing thing where I have multiple people doing small jobs like this and getting paid out small amounts then it becomes quite expensive.

I have seen many cheap charlie,s in my travels all over Thailand. I hope the letters you are having tanslated are from a dating agent. Because then I am sure you are beeing taken for a ride.

Make a thai friend on here, email the letter or papers to them, and most likely they wil translate for free.

Thay way you can sllep at night noing you are not being ripped of for a $1 US.

Thanks Robin but it is for a website which is why the work will be ongoing and basically freelance as the need arises. There may also be an affiliate component to it which means I would be paying out many people. I'm trying to evaluate whether or not I can offer Thai people an affiliate scheme at a cost that makes it worth my while.

Listen, I can appreciate the fact that it looks like I'm being cheap here but I'm simply asking if there isn't a cheaper solution. Why pay 10% overhead if there's a less expensive way of doing it? Hell, I would rather pay out more to the people actually doing the translating and the affiliates rather than pay it to someone for simply moving money from point A to point B.

Get a K-Bank internet banking acc and do it all online.....

Hi Gracy,

Surprisingly with technology supposedly making things cheaper putting it in an envelope is starting to sound like the least expensive option :-) And on top of it, it may end up beaing the fastest.

Thanks

There are not many capitalists on this page, I guess. Since when was saving money a bad thing? Fight the good fight farangfarang!

I pay some of my bills to people in Thailand with savings accounts, and it is free for me to go to their banks and deposit the cash into their accounts. This is time consuming, however.