Paying for hotel in Thailand with UK credit card

[Speedo1968]

It has been ages since I have used my UK credit card.

I have a card reader but never use it except to log on to my account details.

If I remember correctly when I last bought something expensive I had a phone text from the bank asking me to call them back to confirm whom I was.

 

I intend to book a hotel for a few nights and would like to use my credit card for ease of payment.

Would I need to use my card reader ?

[Speedo1968]

13 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Did you inform your C/C company you will becoming to the land of C/C fraud? 

Been with the same bank for years and in Thailand for many years, not only working but in my retirement too.

They have known ever since I started here and my statements are sent to my PO Box.

 

[phetphet]

Why not just phone your credit card company and tell them what you are planning to do? The number is normally on the back of the card. If pre- warned, they are not likey to block the transaction or the card.

[Cat ji]

1 hour ago, phetphet said:

Why not just phone your credit card company and tell them what you are planning to do? The number is normally on the back of the card. If pre- warned, they are not likey to block the transaction or the card.

Yes, NB, that is how it works.  You call the credit card division of the bank and tell them you want to use the card in country X between specific dates.  Make sure they have your email address. If applicable, send them your mobile phone number. 

[Chivas]

You're wasting your time ringing the Halifax in advance to tell them of possible/probable usage of my Clarity Card. Right battle royale but Halifax making it clear the automatic system pickes up an unusual pattern of payment and simple is unable to "read notes" left on clients file informing them of advance usage.

I tried screenshotting but it didnt allow it to be done on bank sites. I was going to put it up on TV before

 

It susbequently did work in Oman I will say

[Speedo1968]

From OP - managed to book online with my CC and arrange payment at hotel.   

The online booking states that the CC must be valid at the time of making the booking, mine is for this month but when I get to the hotel it will be next month.     I will pay cash anyway as the CC is charged in dollars.

 

Out of curiosity I had a Thai friend try and book direct with the hotel, again with my CC details, payment at hotel was accepted and, the price was much lower than online.    Should have done this first ..., a lesson learned !

[geisha]

Why wouldn’t you CC work ? I use mine all over the world, my bank knows where I am. Of course you must have money in your account. If next month your card is not valid you can’t use it anymore. I also don’t know how you can have *farang* rates and Thai rates ? Was this over the internet ? Generally the rates are all black and white. Why would you give your CC to someone else to use ?  If he was a walk in client they might have lowered their rates that day because of low occupancy, for example. Strange behavior.

[The Old Bull]

I had three gold shops reject my card.The fourth one had a slip of paper come out with a number for me to call.After I called it went through but those first ones made me look like a crook just declined no explanation

[Road Warrior]

take caution DONT LET YOUR CREDIT CARD OUT OF YOUR SIGHT  mine has  been cloned /copied several times when used in Thailand  

[steven100]

6 minutes ago, The Old Bull said:

I had three gold shops reject my card.The fourth one had a slip of paper come out with a number for me to call.After I called it went through but those first ones made me look like a crook just declined no explanation

It's got nothing to do with the gold shops rejecting your card ....  it's your bank that rejected it so don't blame the shop owner or staff for telling you your card payment has been rejected.

[stouricks]

43 minutes ago, geisha said:

Of course you must have money in your account.

You DO NOT need to have money in your bank for a Credit Card, only for a Debit Card.

[The Fugitive]

19 hours ago, Chivas said:

You're wasting your time ringing the Halifax in advance to tell them of possible/probable usage of my Clarity Card. Right battle royale but Halifax making it clear the automatic system pickes up an unusual pattern of payment and simple is unable to "read notes" left on clients file informing them of advance usage.

I tried screenshotting but it didnt allow it to be done on bank sites. I was going to put it up on TV before

 

It susbequently did work in Oman I will say

I have Halifax current account and also Clarity credit card. Very recently their web site was altered and now states it is not necessary to advise going abroad as their systems are secure and will correctly identify such use (well they would say that, wouldn't they!). A couple of weeks ago I telephoned to ask what had happened to my renewed debit card? Was told they had intercepted and destroyed it as there are certain Countries they won't send cards to, Thailand being one. However, they couldn't explain why I had more recently received my renewed credit card!

[CharlieH]

Gold shops would cause a security spike, usually a higher amount and you are buying easily exchangeable for money, typical fraud activity, to then try it several times in different gold shops screams probable fraud. No wonder you were asked to contact them.

 

 

[The Fugitive]

14 minutes ago, Road Warrior said:

take caution DONT LET YOUR CREDIT CARD OUT OF YOUR SIGHT  mine has  been cloned /copied several times when used in Thailand  

Top advice, thanks!

[DannyCarlton]

20 hours ago, Chivas said:

You're wasting your time ringing the Halifax in advance to tell them of possible/probable usage of my Clarity Card. Right battle royale but Halifax making it clear the automatic system pickes up an unusual pattern of payment and simple is unable to "read notes" left on clients file informing them of advance usage.

I tried screenshotting but it didnt allow it to be done on bank sites. I was going to put it up on TV before

 

It susbequently did work in Oman I will say

Halifax online app allows you to inform them of your travel plans.

[4MyEgo]

14 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

From OP - managed to book online with my CC and arrange payment at hotel.   

The online booking states that the CC must be valid at the time of making the booking, mine is for this month but when I get to the hotel it will be next month.     I will pay cash anyway as the CC is charged in dollars.

 

Out of curiosity I had a Thai friend try and book direct with the hotel, again with my CC details, payment at hotel was accepted and, the price was much lower than online.    Should have done this first ..., a lesson learned !

You might be able to cancel your booking without charge, subject to the policy of the hotel, try looking into it and then get your friend to book the hotel for you.

[Chivas]

40 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Halifax online app allows you to inform them of your travel plans.

Yep but you're not reading what I wrote.  The automatic system will overide any notes or notifications if the system detects an unusual payment request.

Its a pity I cant screenshot banking app online chat.  I was left in no doubt that it probably would be ok but they absolutely couldnt guarantee it. As I said it did work in Muscat last month but lets see if it works in the Phillipines next week.

 

I do agree with you it should be a simple case of notification of travel plans and thats it. Halifax defend it by saying we're protecting your funds whereas the reality is they're protecting themselves knowing they'd have to refund spurious transcations

 

(They did no sweat in 2015 when my normal ATM card got cloned in Pattaya for £105 money was back in account within 48 hours)

[scubascuba3]

Check your pin is set up before you go, although often in Thailand a signature is required, some ask for pins. 

 

Unless you have a good credit card like Halifax Clarity card you'll likely get charged extra for each transaction, 2%+

Edited February 6, 2020 by scubascuba3

[robertson468]

On 2/3/2020 at 8:04 PM, phetphet said:

Why not just phone your credit card company and tell them what you are planning to do? The number is normally on the back of the card. If pre- warned, they are not likey to block the transaction or the card.

I always send an email to my Bank to inform them of any Foreign travel I am undertaking.  So far it's worked and I have never had a payment stopped.

[Moonlover]

On 2/3/2020 at 6:57 PM, Speedo1968 said:

It has been ages since I have used my UK credit card.

I have a card reader but never use it except to log on to my account details.

I am confused by this comment O/P. I've never heard of a credit card being used in a card reader.

 

Are you sure that you're talking about a credit card and not a debit card?

[Max69xl]

On 2/3/2020 at 7:28 PM, Speedo1968 said:

Been with the same bank for years and in Thailand for many years, not only working but in my retirement too.

They have known ever since I started here and my statements are sent to my PO Box.

 

If worldwide online purchases is enabled your UK CC will work fine.  

[poohy]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

1 hour ago, The Old Bull said:

I had three gold shops reject my card.The fourth one had a slip of paper come out with a number for me to call.After I called it went through but those first ones made me look like a crook just declined no explanation

It's got nothing to do with the gold shops rejecting your card ....  it's your bank that rejected it so don't blame the shop owner or staff for telling you your card payment has been rejected.

Reason being... Gold shops are treated as cash advances not purchases

 

[khunjeff]

41 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Yep but you're not reading what I wrote.  The automatic system will overide any notes or notifications if the system detects an unusual payment request.

This was also my experience with a US credit card. The card issuer was fully aware that I was in Thailand, but still blocked a number of transactions (all online, not in person) due to fraud concerns. (The fraud angle made no sense given that these were all merchants I used regularly, but that's a different issue.)

 

I called their fraud department to clear the blockage, and asked if I could just notify them in advance that I would be buying from a particular website; they said no, the automated algorithm would still block the "suspect" transaction even if I had specifically told them about it ahead of time.

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, Road Warrior said:

take caution DONT LET YOUR CREDIT CARD OUT OF YOUR SIGHT  mine has  been cloned /copied several times when used in Thailand  

Some one on here posted quite a good idea a few weeks back-- for safety,  take the 3 digit number off of the back ---Put it in your phone or photo it. They don't have your card and its difficult for them to use it on the internet without quoting that number.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, khunjeff said:

This was also my experience with a US credit card. The card issuer was fully aware that I was in Thailand, but still blocked a number of transactions (all online, not in person) due to fraud concerns. (The fraud angle made no sense given that these were all merchants I used regularly, but that's a different issue.)

 

I called their fraud department to clear the blockage, and asked if I could just notify them in advance that I would be buying from a particular website; they said no, the automated algorithm would still block the "suspect" transaction even if I had specifically told them about it ahead of time.

My experience also. I use my US credit card only for online transactions now. The US banking system is light years behind other countries. I can advise my Australian bank about dates and places of overseas travel via their smartphone App and I've never had a problem

[sanuk711]

Spedo1968---why not book it through someone like Agoda---you can pay in any denomination----your probably get it a little cheaper---& their office is in the UK

[stouricks]

I have a Transferwise Borderless Debit card, and a Revolut one. Both work perfectly here and in Europe, and the beauty is that you can pre-load with THB or EUR or USD when the exchange rate is good, and use as needed. First thing, 6am,  last Monday the GBP - THB was over 42, so I changed some GBPs into THB in order to pay for an airline ticket. It saved me quite a bit as the rate dropped again on Monday daytime.

Both cards work in ATMs here and can get cash in banks.

[Bangkok Barry]

On 2/3/2020 at 8:04 PM, phetphet said:

Why not just phone your credit card company and tell them what you are planning to do? The number is normally on the back of the card. If pre- warned, they are not likey to block the transaction or the card.

If it's Barclaycard Visa, which I have, calling them would be a waste of time. They claim to have no way of recording on your account what you plan to do, unlike my HSBC bank account. I used to use my Visa card on my annual trips to Dubai, same time every year, year after year so not really out of the ordinary if they actually took the time to look at the card history, which obviously they don't. Easier to just arbitrarily block the card, which they started to do. I pointed out how that could lead to a massive problem for card holders if, for instance, they were out for a meal with business colleagues and went to pay, only for a perfectly valid card to be refused. They said they'd pass my comments on.

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Some one on here posted quite a good idea a few weeks back-- for safety,  take the 3 digit number off of the back ---Put it in your phone or photo it. They don't have your card and its difficult for them to use it on the internet without quoting that number.

yes that was a good idea, i scraped off the digits for a number of cards, but you need to plan it i.e. save the numbers elsewhere in 2 places

[scubascuba3]

22 minutes ago, stouricks said:

I have a Transferwise Borderless Debit card, and a Revolut one. Both work perfectly here and in Europe, and the beauty is that you can pre-load with THB or EUR or USD when the exchange rate is good, and use as needed. First thing, 6am,  last Monday the GBP - THB was over 42, so I changed some GBPs into THB in order to pay for an airline ticket. It saved me quite a bit as the rate dropped again on Monday daytime.

Both cards work in ATMs here and can get cash in banks.

I did a transfer too but it didn't get to 42