Funding Initial Condo Rental

[AAArdvark]

I think this subject is a fairly common concern.  Someone arrives in Thailand and shortly thereafter they find a property they wish to rent.  So, they have to come up with the first month's rent and two months for deposits.  In my case that is about ฿75,000 (no comments that there are much cheaper places please).  Because we are talking about a new arrival, they most likely do not yet have a Thai bank account.

So, the question is, how do they obtain that much money all at once.  Using a debit card would be a multiple day ordeal.  My debit cards limit me to ~ ฿7,500 per day at an ATM.  Maybe I could use Transferwise to directly transfer the money into the landlord's or agent's account.

Suggestions?

[Airalee]

Call your bank

[jackdd]

Bring cash with you and exchange it in Thailand (is also the cheapest option)

Do a cash advance at the bank counter (not all are able to do it, and some might charge a fee, but regarding the fee we are talking about 200THB, which is not much if you withdraw 75k), then just the total limit of your credit card applies.

[ukrules]

Bring it in cash. No problem.

[Metapod]

7,500 thb a day limit? get a new bank

[AAArdvark]

53 minutes ago, Metapod said:

7,500 thb a day limit? get a new bank

This is an ATM limit.  I can spend more than that and this is with several banks.

[AAArdvark]

12 hours ago, Airalee said:

Call your bank

My home country bank?  And what would I ask them?

[AAArdvark]

12 hours ago, jackdd said:

Bring cash with you and exchange it in Thailand (is also the cheapest option)

Do a cash advance at the bank counter (not all are able to do it, and some might charge a fee, but regarding the fee we are talking about 200THB, which is not much if you withdraw 75k), then just the total limit of your credit card applies.

Cash: Although this is not a tremendous amount of money, I would have to keep it safe in a hotel for a week or more.  I can do that but I would be nervous.

Cash advance: Are you talking about using my credit card at a Thai bank where I don't have an account for a cash advance.  I was not aware that I could do that.

[AAArdvark]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

Bring it in cash. No problem.

Except keeping it safe in a hotel for a minimum of a week.

[Airalee]

30 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

My home country bank?  And what would I ask them?

You would ask them...

 

”what is the best way to handle my situation?”

 

after all, they’re the ones with your money.

 

 

[Airalee]

37 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

This is an ATM limit.  I can spend more than that and this is with several banks.

Huh what?

 

I’ve never heard of an ATM limit so low.

[Peterw42]

37 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

My home country bank?  And what would I ask them?

To up your limit for foreign ATM withdrawals. Any restriction like that would be put on by home bank or card provider.

 

[Airalee]

This should answer all your questions.

 

https://www.dontworryjusttravel.com/asiapacific/thailand/avoid-the-150-baht-atm-fee/

[AAArdvark]

9 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

To up your limit for foreign ATM withdrawals. Any restriction like that would be put on by home bank or card provider.

 

I don't need to ask.  Two banks already told me that the limit was $300.

[AAArdvark]

9 hours ago, Airalee said:

This should answer all your questions.

 

https://www.dontworryjusttravel.com/asiapacific/thailand/avoid-the-150-baht-atm-fee/

Thanks.  I guess I will just take the cash with me.  I just don't trust hotel safes.  I'll put a third in the safe and another third in each of two hidden compartment items that I have and hope for the best.

[Lacessit]

10 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

This is an ATM limit.  I can spend more than that and this is with several banks.

The usual ATM limit is 20K to 25K baht. As another poster has said, change your bank.

[Airalee]

3 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Thanks.  I guess I will just take the cash with me.  I just don't trust hotel safes.  I'll put a third in the safe and another third in each of two hidden compartment items that I have and hope for the best.

Bringing cash is usually the best with regards to exchange rates, especially when using Superrich to exchange the money.  Most of the time, using an ATM is a rip-off as one (usually) gets hit for fees on both ends and a worse exchange rate.

 

I never leave anything in the hotel safe and would prefer to keep my cash on my person.  Just think about how many stories you have read (if you’ve been around a while) where tourists have their possessions stolen from their hotel room vs being “mugged” on the street. Nobody knows what is in your backpack.

 

if you leave it in the room, I think there are better places to put it than in the safe.   This is where you need to get creative.

 

[AAArdvark]

8 hours ago, Airalee said:

Bringing cash is usually the best with regards to exchange rates, especially when using Superrich to exchange the money.  Most of the time, using an ATM is a rip-off as one (usually) gets hit for fees on both ends and a worse exchange rate.

 

I never leave anything in the hotel safe and would prefer to keep my cash on my person.  Just think about how many stories you have read (if you’ve been around a while) where tourists have their possessions stolen from their hotel room vs being “mugged” on the street. Nobody knows what is in your backpack.

 

if you leave it in the room, I think there are better places to put it than in the safe.   This is where you need to get creative.

 

Thanks, I have a realistic fake Pringles package and a fake hair brush with screw on bottoms.  They look real to me but I am not an experienced thief.

[YT3k72Em]

18 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I don't need to ask.  Two banks already told me that the limit was $300.

Which bank is this? Maybe it's just the default limit if you don't ask to increase it.

[AAArdvark]

4 hours ago, YT3k72Em said:

Which bank is this? Maybe it's just the default limit if you don't ask to increase it.

Wells Fargo.  The branch cannot increase it.  I had to call to increase it to $500.00.  I was told they had to "see if I was eligible".  When I asked how that was determined they didn't know.  Anyway, I have it increased and it is on to the next bank's debit card.