Bank of Thailand SWIFT/BIC code

What BOTHTHBK means for a payment to Bank of Thailand

If an invoice shows BOTHTHBK or BOTHTHBKXXX, it is the same identifier for Bank of Thailand in Thailand. A SWIFT code tells the sending bank exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. It comes up mostly for payments that cross a border or a currency.

Further down you will find the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to check a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code on its own does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN .

About this information

The codes here are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. The figures we show are based on our own data.

Treat the information on this page as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Bank of Thailand have the final say. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers and not part of Bank of Thailand. If you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a short note via the contact page.

Tracking a transfer to or from Bank of Thailand

An international transfer usually needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Weekends and public holidays in the sending or receiving country add a day or more. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause some delay, even when all details are correct.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Money transfer services usually show a status online so you can see how far the money has got.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid should contact the bank that sent it. On the receiving end, you can look at your statements to see a partial amount.

What a transfer from Bank of Thailand abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad can cost more than the fee suggests. You pay the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: the bank converts using an exchange rate that includes a margin. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For many routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. Next time you send money, take a minute to compare the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Bank of Thailand.

What the XXX in BOTHTHBKXXX means

A BIC is made up of fixed blocks: the first four letters stand for the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. Combined, those parts make up BOTHTHBK.

The 11-character version has a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office, which is why BOTHTHBKXXX and BOTHTHBK lead to the same place.

Type the code in one piece, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. Pasting the code beats retyping it.

Bank of Thailand: head office code versus branch codes

Our database contains 17 SWIFT/BIC codes for Bank of Thailand, spread over 2 locations. Next to the head office code BOTHTHBKXXX, there are codes for regional offices and specialised units.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code BOTHTHBKXXX is what you need. Branch codes are only needed when the account holder explicitly asks for it, which is more common for corporate accounts and trade services.

The best way is to take the code directly from the account holder’s bank details. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Watch out for payment fraud

A common scam works like this: you receive a message claiming that a supplier has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. That BOTHTHBK is a real code is no guarantee that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Always confirm a change of bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Already paid? Contact the bank you paid from without delay and have them try to recall the payment; also report it to the police.

Fraud can also target the receiver. Someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to return the extra to a new account. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing; only your own account shows what has arrived.

Incoming international payments to Bank of Thailand

If you expect money from abroad, send the payer everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC BOTHTHBKXXX and your address, which some banks require.

The sender’s bank may request the address of your bank, in which case the Bangkok head office is the usual answer. A typo in the IBAN is harder to fix than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

What lands in your account is often lower than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Sending THB to Bank of Thailand

The national currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB). When you pay another currency it gets converted at some point – by your bank, by Bank of Thailand or by a bank in between. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Often it is cheaper to send THB straight away through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

The THB rate changes constantly. For regular payments, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

Is BOTHTHBK still correct? How to check

Have the recipient copy the bank details straight from their banking app. When the code you were given differs from BOTHTHBK or BOTHTHBKXXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or Bank of Thailand.

An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a returned payment or additional charges. Do not forget the account number: a mistake there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. Where available, a name check on the recipient gives an extra layer of safety. Sending a small amount first is worth it for large sums despite the extra fee.