TMB Secured CC Account

[alfieconn]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'm calling BS on that one.

Lots of foreigners driving cars in the UK for more than 1 year.

You can call what you like, try applying for a UK driving license when you aren't resident in the UK !

Please explain what foreigners have to do with it ?

[pattaya1234was]

I went through all this a few years ago when I notified Barclaycard of my address here in Pattaya. I tried virtually every Thai Bank but I was over 70 years old-so no go. I wrote to Citibank, HSBC without any luck. As a last resort I tried Amex in Bangkok and within a week I had a card with the same credit limit as my Barclaycard. They have been very helpful and very efficient. The only drawback is the annual charge of 4000 baht if you do not spend a certain amount during the year. Like the OP I too just need the card for emergency medical problems.

[BritManToo]

10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Foreigners can drive in the UK on their own DL for up to 12 months but beyond that, they need to sit the test and get a UK one. I have no idea what the penaltry is for breaking that law.

1

But if they're not resident, they can't apply, which contradicts what you said.

[dinsdale]

17 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

Simple answer is Yes, in the last ten plus years I have never had a problem using a Thai Debit Card in Thailand for anything. If you are worried about a 'reserve' then obtain a Overdraft Facility for a given amount, which is what I have done and no problem hiring cars or paying hospital bills. You just have to discipline yourself to not use the facility for everyday expenses.

So you can book and pay for an airline ticket online?

 

[keithcresswell]

I have a Thai Amex card which doesn't require a work permit or a secured amount. It doesn't work everywhere but it is accepted at Bangkok hospital Pattaya, to name one.

[toolpush]

On 7/20/2018 at 9:59 PM, BritManToo said:

Better off with a debit card.

Don't see any advantage in a secured  CC.

Try renting a car with a debit card: can't

[toolpush]

20 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Can you buy an airline ticket / book a hotel room with a debit card?

Airline ticket: no problem. Hotel: sometimes

[toolpush]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why not pay cash.

As for hotels, I've always used Booking.com and they always want cash on arrival.

If they have a bank account (in any country), you can just transfer into their account using Transferwise.

 

The western world wants plastic, Asia wants cash.

I've got used to the difference now.

Your second last sentence does not apply to China. Most Chinese now use WeChat to pay for everything

[doctormann]

Well, I never thought that this thread would run for this long.

 

Lots of useful info though so thanks to everyone that has contributed.

 

However, the original question remains unanswered.  Has anyone managed to get a secured CC with TMB?  Seems not!

[toolpush]

7 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Well, I never thought that this thread would run for this long.

 

Lots of useful info though so thanks to everyone that has contributed.

 

However, the original question remains unanswered.  Has anyone managed to get a secured CC with TMB?  Seems not!

This is a little off topic, but about two years ago, I needed to open a joint account with my partner and had a heck of a time finding a bank that would do so. I tried most of the banks with no success. But at the Midtown Asoke branch of TMB I was pleasantly surprised when they said : no problem. They were very friendly and helpful. In fact I was so impressed by their service that day that I sent an email to their head office praising their performance.

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

But if they're not resident, they can't apply, which contradicts what you said.

If a foreigner is legally in the UK on visas for a year or longer, there's a pretty good chance that they are already on some form of long-term, residence enabling plan that does allow them to apply for a UK DL. Non-UK employees of British companies, foreign students and foreign spouses of British citizens would fit this category.

 

A British citizen choosing to live in another country and forswearing actual, physical residence in the UK cannot renew his UK DL legally, online or by post.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, doctormann said:

Well, I never thought that this thread would run for this long.

 

Lots of useful info though so thanks to everyone that has contributed.

 

However, the original question remains unanswered.  Has anyone managed to get a secured CC with TMB?  Seems not!

You referred to the main branch in Pattaya, I wouldn't know which one that was. I use the one on 2nd Road which I think is at Soi 13/3. The manager there speaks good English and is fairly knowledgeable, may be worth a visit if you haven't already been.

I never bothered with a CC as I have the one from my account in England.

When I was admitted to the ED at Pattaya Memorial a few years back they just took my passport, said it would be returned when I had paid. When I was discharged I went and got the money and paid the bill.

[doctormann]

2 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You referred to the main branch in Pattaya, I wouldn't know which one that was. I use the one on 2nd Road which I think is at Soi 13/3. The manager there speaks good English and is fairly knowledgeable, may be worth a visit if you haven't already been.

I never bothered with a CC as I have the one from my account in England.

When I was admitted to the ED at Pattaya Memorial a few years back they just took my passport, said it would be returned when I had paid. When I was discharged I went and got the money and paid the bill.

 

It is the 2nd Road branch that I have banked with for nearly 14 years and that's where I enquired about the CC.  I've found them to be OK until now - no problems at all.  Opening the savings account initially was very easy, unlike SCB who just didn't want to know!

 

My UK CC has worked fine here over the years.  However, Barclaycard  has changed their terms and conditions such that an ex-pat without a permanent, verifiable UK address is no longer allowed to hold one of their cards.  I don't know if this is specific to Barclaycard or if other UK CC companies will follow suit.  I guess that you'll be finding out!

 

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, toolpush said:

Your second last sentence does not apply to China. Most Chinese now use WeChat to pay for everything

Everywhere I went in China hotels and Apartments wanted cash on arrival.

Didn't use anything but cash.

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, doctormann said:

 

It is the 2nd Road branch that I have banked with for nearly 14 years and that's where I enquired about the CC.  I've found them to be OK until now - no problems at all.  Opening the savings account initially was very easy, unlike SCB who just didn't want to know!

 

My UK CC has worked fine here over the years.  However, Barclaycard  has changed their terms and conditions such that an ex-pat without a permanent, verifiable UK address is no longer allowed to hold one of their cards.  I don't know if this is specific to Barclaycard or if other UK CC companies will follow suit.  I guess that you'll be finding out!

 

Almost as long as me, opened mine in 2000 with the address as Room 235, Apex Hotel.

My UK CC is with HSBC and about 6 years ago I changed my address from my friends to an online postal service. Shortly after I got a message to get in touch with the bank, I said I was abroad and would call in the next time I was in the UK. Six months later I went to see them and it turned out to be about the address. I explained the situation and they said generally it was not bank policy to service accounts for non residents but under the circumstances said they would allow the account to continue, probably because my pension is paid to the account. They took my Thai address and asked for details of my Thai bank account, only proviso was that they would not send cards to Thailand, that I would have to make arrangements for them to be collected from the branch.

Been ok since and not too much of a problem for me as I go back every summer for a couple of weeks. I can see a bit more of a problem with the likes of Barclaycard where the card is not tied to a bank account.

[asiaexpat]

Since few are responding to the OP question about other banks that offer retired persons credit cards, I will. As a retired person, Bangkok Bank gives me the best service on my secured cc. I get a reasonable interest rate on the fixed account and points from the credit card. I was refused by KBank and Krungsri due to no work permit and not offered a secured card. This is in Bangkok.

[KittenKong]

56 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Since few are responding to the OP question about other banks that offer retired persons credit cards, I will. As a retired person, Bangkok Bank gives me the best service on my secured cc. I get a reasonable interest rate on the fixed account and points from the credit card. I was refused by KBank and Krungsri due to no work permit and not offered a secured card. This is in Bangkok.

Four pages and several days ago I posted a link to the Krungsri website which describes the requirements for a secured credit card. I see nothing excessive in them.

 

In my experience Bangkok Bank seems to offer very low interest rates generally.

 

For Secured Credit Card Customers
Enjoy the credit card that does not require a minimum income declaration from you. Simply open Krungsri Saving account to be pledged for secured credit card. Variety of Krungsri’s credit card privileges and benefits line up for you.
Qualifications:

• Age 20-65 years old

• Home or office telephone number must be provided

• For foreigner, residence and mailing address in Thailand are required

Required Documents:

• A copy of identification card (for foreigner, a copy of passport required)

 

 

[doctormann]

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Four pages and several days ago I posted a link to the Krungsri website which describes the requirements for a secured credit card. I see nothing excessive in them.

 

In my experience Bangkok Bank seems to offer very low interest rates generally.

 

For Secured Credit Card Customers
Enjoy the credit card that does not require a minimum income declaration from you. Simply open Krungsri Saving account to be pledged for secured credit card. Variety of Krungsri’s credit card privileges and benefits line up for you.
Qualifications:

• Age 20-65 years old

• Home or office telephone number must be provided

• For foreigner, residence and mailing address in Thailand are required

Required Documents:

• A copy of identification card (for foreigner, a copy of passport required)

 

 

 

Krungsri would have been convenient as they have a branch just down the road from me.  However, I don't meet their age requirements.  This is the same branch that managed to invalidate a bunch of AMEX travellers' cheques by having me sign them and then refusing to cash them, so I wasn't that impressed with them to be honest.   AMEX eventually refunded the money but what a PITA that was!

 

Anyway, to get back on topic, I went to Kasikorn today, armed with a residence letter from Chonburi Immigration.  No problem getting a secured CC from them.  OK, I don't have it yet but I will do, just as soon as I transfer some money from UK.  I have already set up a savings account with them - debit card provided - and will transfer the cash into there and then use some of that to set up the fixed deposit account, as required.  The fixed account needs a minimum of 30k Baht but I shall put enough in there to act as a guarantee in the event of a medical emergency.

 

Everything should be completed within a month.

 

This was done at the Kasikorn branch in Pattaya Tai, just by TukCom.  Very friendly in there so everything is looking good, so far.

 

 

[blackcab]

On 7/21/2018 at 9:58 AM, KittenKong said:

I thought that all credit cards were secured here? Hard to imagine a bank being stupid enough to lend money to anyone in Thailand without security. I certainly would never do it. In fact, I would think twice about doing it even with security.

 

I have an unsecured credit card with SCB. There is no annual fee because I spend over the set amount per year, and I pay off the balance in full each month.

 

I use it to slowly accumulate air miles.

[KittenKong]

7 hours ago, doctormann said:

Krungsri would have been convenient as they have a branch just down the road from me.  However, I don't meet their age requirements. 

That was the one requirement that I found odd.