ANZ Travel Card

[bluejets]

On previous visits since 2008 I've used American Express travel cheques in Aussie dollar value.

However have decided to look at Travel Card for this trip for several reasons.

One being in Aus it is difficult to get bank staff to issue American Express and another is the rather large (now) charge per cheque to convert at the Thailand bank.

Looked at some of the details on the web for travel card but as is sometimes the case, it leaves more questions than answers.

I'd imagine there are some here who would have used them.

Plan was to load it with Aussie dollar and then go to, I guess as an example, Bangkok Bank branch and ask for whatever value of Baht to be withdrawn.

Is that how it works?

Aware there are facilities to use certain ATM's as well.

 

One hotel we booked with Agoda for some reason or other had only pay on arrival. (PIA)

I'd booked through Agoda using my debit card number on file there so with the Travel card in mind I sent an email off to the hotel to see if they accept the travel card.

Apparently they do but again, do I simply present the card and the rest is done through ANZ.

 

Cheers Jorgo

[gearbox]

If you have ING account in Australia with ING everyday Visa card, this is the best one to use in Thailand if you meet certain conditions. AFAIK the only Aussie card to avoid the Thai ATM fees. You can't get any better exchange rate. The other card without fees is Citibank plus, but fee free only with their ATMs in Bangkok, only a few.

There are very informative threads at the Australian Whirlpool forum in regards to withdrawing cash overseas.

[ThaiBunny]

Bank travel cards are a rip-off as far as FX rates go. My preference is for the HSBC Everyday Global Debit card but ATM fees are a killer in Thailand 

[AlexRRR]

Travel card of any Aussie bank should be seen and used as a back up when running low of funds, its a bit of a con job really, I used in Mexico and Thailand still got gouged at the ATM, plus <deleted> exchange rates, cash is king and your credit card for most purchases like hotels and tours.

 

Why on earth you have a debit card attached to your Agoda is beyond me if your compromised its your money there taking not the Banks and they work a lot harder when there money is being ripped off mean while your waiting a few months to get your $ back...

 

Get your self a money belt strap it to your waist and put a few grand in there, use credit card to pay for hotels etc and bigger expenses if you need cash you can go to any bank in Thailand and get a withdrawal from your credit card maybe even a local debit card some AU banks are partnered with Thai...

 

Visa and Mastercard branded travel, debit and credit cards can be used for over the counter purchases and ATM withdrawals in Thailand. ... Even if you have a card that doesn't charge foreign withdrawal fees, you'll find that Thai ATMs charge $4 to $5.

 

Changing $AU cash in Thailand for Bhat is the best and cheapest option if your on vacation obviously if you plan to be away for a considerable length of time then its a whole new story.

[bluejets]

37 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

Travel card of any Aussie bank should be seen and used as a back up when running low of funds, its a bit of a con job really, I used in Mexico and Thailand still got gouged at the ATM, plus <deleted> exchange rates, cash is king and your credit card for most purchases like hotels and tours.

 

Why on earth you have a debit card attached to your Agoda is beyond me if your compromised its your money there taking not the Banks and they work a lot harder when there money is being ripped off mean while your waiting a few months to get your $ back...

 

Get your self a money belt strap it to your waist and put a few grand in there, use credit card to pay for hotels etc and bigger expenses if you need cash you can go to any bank in Thailand and get a withdrawal from your credit card maybe even a local debit card some AU banks are partnered with Thai...

 

Visa and Mastercard branded travel, debit and credit cards can be used for over the counter purchases and ATM withdrawals in Thailand. ... Even if you have a card that doesn't charge foreign withdrawal fees, you'll find that Thai ATMs charge $4 to $5.

 

Changing $AU cash in Thailand for Bhat is the best and cheapest option if your on vacation obviously if you plan to be away for a considerable length of time then its a whole new story.

Always used a debit card with amounts transferred in just prior to use for safety reasons.

Had a Thai bank account when I had a non-immigration O visa back in 2012 but the wife emptied it after I went back to Aus and it was cancelled.

Tried to get it reopened but no luck on just an entry permit.

Usually do carry some cash but risky there too.

I was aware that there are ATM fees, that part at least was shown on the ANZ site, 95 baht presently I believe.

Still it is much cheaper than the American Express at almost 150 baht per cheque.

I would imagine that if the bank I decided to visit has Visa facilities then I would be able to draw cash on my debit card, thanks for other info as well.

 

[AlexRRR]

4 minutes ago, bluejets said:

Always used a debit card with amounts transferred in just prior to use for safety reasons.

Had a Thai bank account when I had a non-immigration O visa back in 2012 but the wife emptied it after I went back to Aus and it was cancelled.

Tried to get it reopened but no luck on just an entry permit.

Usually do carry some cash but risky there too.

I was aware that there are ATM fees, that part at least was shown on the ANZ site, 95 baht presently I believe.

Still it is much cheaper than the American Express at almost 150 baht per cheque.

I would imagine that if the bank I decided to visit has Visa facilities then I would be able to draw cash on my debit card, thanks for other info as well.

 

 

Ive never had issues with theft in Thailand and have carried 5000 cash in plus cards, I do travel normally with 2 credit cards, one was compromised in Sri Lanka and closed while I was in BKK...lucky I had the back up.

 

I also had a Thai bank account unfrotunalty it got closed too had I known to pop some money in from time to time even if out of the country I would have, never mind as it would have made life easier for me these days.

[JamJar]

As has been suggested, definitely not to any prepaid travel card.

 

For payments/purchase etc; https://www.28degreescard.com.au is a good choice.

 

It's not really for ATM usage, but if you need cash at a push you should use it over the counter at a bank but cover any withdrawal you make with a online payment from your Australian bank.

 

You'll be charged 3% for cash advances in this way. So better to just use it for International purchases. But it is still an option and not a terrible one.

 

But at current rates, even with the 3% charge, you would receive a rate of 20.2433 baht to the AU$ as opposed to the full Mastercard rate of 20.85 baht to the AU$. 

 

With, for example, a Travelex Australia money card, you would only receive; 1 AU$ = 19.2475 THB and you would not have the option of avoiding the Thai ATM fee. So even worse.

 

https://www.mastercard.us/content/mccom/en-us/consumers/get-support/convert-currency.html/

 

Of course if you are eligible for the aforementioned account; https://www.ing.com.au/everyday-banking.html even better. You'll have the best of both worlds. A credit card for purchases, when there are no extra charges levied, and a debit card for ATM withdrawals.