I have the Chase Sapphire, it costs $100 a year but you make that back pretty quickly with cash-back points. I also have a Chase IHG card I use for hotels the is no foreign exchange fees. Lot of sign-up bonuses so shop around.

I retired from JCI earlier this year after working in Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, India and the US for 20 years and have had a couple consulting gigs since then and I love it.

I get charged 3%


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I appreciate the finesse with which some businesses have handled this.  When paying by card it has been mentioned that there is a X% discount for cash.

 

It is the same thing,  just worded in a more palatable form and it doesn't irritate me half as much as the add add add to the price.

I recently visited a gold shop in Pattaya to buy a gold ring costing 20,000 Baht. The store assistant informed that the charge for paying with credit card would be 5% = 1000 Baht.  I went to ATM and withdrew 20,000 Baht.  Fee 220 Baht

3% discount for cash payment.

problem solved.

16 hours ago, sirineou said:

What card from the US would you recommend for use in Thailand? 

If eligible the USAA "Limitless Cashback Rewards Visa " gives you 2.5% on all charges, a $25,000 limit and no foreign transaction fee.  Hard to beat

 

If not then the Capital One "Quicksilver" Master Card, gives 1.5% cash back, don't remember the limit, but no foreign transaction fee

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by Langsuan Man

3% discount for cash payment.
problem solved.

Plus write that the 3% is already included in the price displayed as cash is used more and credit card prices will be calculated separately .



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If eligible the USAA "Limitless Cashback Rewards Visa " gives you 2.5% on all charges, a $25,000 limit and no foreign transaction fee.  Hard to beat

 

You were one of the lucky ones in getting that particular USAA card during it's "pilot" test which end Dec 17.   USAA decided to stop rollout of the card after rolling it out to 20 states or so.  Members who got it get to keep it; but signup for new members was terminated...and the card no longer appears on the USAA website as an available card. Guess the 2.5% cash back reward wasn't leaving USAA with enough profit so they terminated issue of any more.

 

https://communities.usaa.com/t5/Banking/Limitless-Cashback-Card/td-p/159832

 

I think Capital One has a 2% cash-back card now.

The Chase Sapphire is 2% on travel & meals, 1% on everything else.

A good simple one is the BofA Travel Rewards credit card. No FTF, no AF. Gives back between 1.5%-2.625% (1.65% by simply having a BofA bank account, and higher rates for different levels of preferred rewards customers).

 

Although technically you must redeem your "points" against "travel expenses", the definition is so wide that it's almost a joke. It's also very easy to redeem them as cash in various ways (e.g. book a 100% refundable hotel stay, use rewards to pay for it, and cancel the booking).

 

 

...by simply having a BofA bank account...

Therein lies the rub...

55 minutes ago, mogandave said:

Therein lies the rub

Looks like I need to clarify. There's no rub. The card doesn't require opening a bank account with BofA. Non-BofA/Merrill Edge customers get the normal 1.5% reward.

 

Having a bank account with BofA or with Merrill Edge only provides an additional bonus to the rate given. It starts at 1.65% (10% bonus) and goes up to 2.625% (75% bonus).

Looking at the posts here, it seems to be an issue for Americans mainly. Not exactly the biggest group of expats or tourists.

Well, I thought that 3% were customary. Was charged that at guesthouses etc. And personally, I would prefer the fee over having to carry much cash. 

 

Have yet to be asked for just 1%. 

 

The customer will get his bill like a month from now, so it's not all bad.