I need to have some major dental work done in the next few months at the same Dentist I have going to for years.  The office has instituted a new payment policy.  The minimum to use a credit card is now over 20,000 Baht.  Cash payments will get one a 10% discount and this is great news.  But I need to get an implant and the total for implant will be close to 50,000 Baht.  As a practice I never walk anywhere with that much cash in my wallet.  The office sounds like they do not want me to pay with my Credit Card  Has anyone else experienced a reluctance to accept a credit card for payment of major dental or medical services?

This is first for me. 

It costs them extra to process credit cards, that's why they're reluctant. If you have a Thai bank account, you can offer to pay them via PromptPay.

They do not offer bank transfer?

There is no ATM "round the corner"?

You don't have a Thai bank account/ATM card?

 

I rarely walk with less than 10000, better 20000.

 

I have never had a problem walking around in daytime with cash.. if reluctant, ask if a bank cashiers check is ok... should be fine or do a bank transfer so the money goes directly into their account and you don't have to leave the bank...

3 minutes ago, redpill17 said:

It costs them extra to process credit cards, that's why they're reluctant. If you have a Thai bank account, you can offer to pay them via PromptPay.

Add, if it's a small business then the credit card processing fees and bank commission fees the bank takes is a sizable %.

 

If the OP doesn't normally carry 20,000Baht in cash then go to an ATM on the way to the dental clinic. 

I've seen Thais walk out of banks with bags full of cash, up to a miilion baht to pay for a pickup presumably. I don't have a problem with walking around with 100,000 baht. The person who tries to take it off me may do, but the situation has never arisen in ten years.

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Add, if it's a small business then the credit card processing fees and bank commission fees the bank takes is a sizable %.

 

If the OP doesn't normally carry 20,000Baht in cash then go to an ATM on the way to the dental clinic. 

Yes, 3% or more if I'm not mistaken. But upmarket clinics like Grace usually don't charge extra for paying with card.

 

I too don't see a problem carrying 50k in Chiang Mai. Though personally I rarely have more than 1000-2000 ???? If I need something expensive, I pay with bank transfer. And many street vendors in CM have PromptPay (QR code).

4 minutes ago, redpill17 said:

Yes, 3% or more if I'm not mistaken. But upmarket clinics like Grace usually don't charge extra for paying with card.

 

I too don't see a problem carrying 50k in Chiang Mai. Though personally I rarely have more than 1000-2000 ???? If I need something expensive, I pay with bank transfer. And many street vendors in CM have PromptPay (QR code).

"Yes, 3% or more if I'm not mistaken. But upmarket clinics like Grace usually don't charge extra for paying with card."

 

True but larger traders / clinics often add something in the price so that if it's paid by CC their CC fees are covered.

 

If paid by cash then the shop has a little extra win. 

So what is the problem? You withdraw the money and go to the dentist. Any idea how many Thais walk around with 1M baht cash in their purses? You will be fine. So many problems in the world but this would be the last one, yet it is written on TV lol.

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.  I do have a Thai Bank Account(do not keep that much in it) and my US ATM card has daily withdraw limits and I would need to make multiple withdraws for consecutive days in order to meet this amount.  Maybe it’s time for a new Dentist? 

24 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.  I do have a Thai Bank Account(do not keep that much in it) and my US ATM card has daily withdraw limits and I would need to make multiple withdraws for consecutive days in order to meet this amount.  Maybe it’s time for a new Dentist? 

I think so.

The costs for selling via credit card are negiligable.

We only charge on credit cards for sales under 500bt, anything over is tbh nrither here nor there.

The 3% charge covers, the telephone line cost from your swipe machine and maybe 5bt. Then the bank, give you the visa machine and charge us 321bt a month, it was free up until 2yrs ago.

I understand its actually against Visa,Amex,Mastercard rules to ever charge customers for using these cards.

 

As  for dentists, your proceedure costing this amount will need lets say 4/5 visits just like the precedure for having a crown.

For sure they will charge you each visit, so i dont see the problem of having 10k in your pocket each time you go

36 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

The costs for selling via credit card are negiligable.

They pay about 3% fees, so when OP is paying 50k THB they will be charged 1500THB in fees, not really negiligable.

But it seems they offer a 10% discount for cash, so if the customer pays by credit card they would obviously earn more, so it's kind of strange if they are reluctant.

“As  for dentists, your proceedure costing this amount will need lets say 4/5 visits just like the precedure for having a crown.

For sure they will charge you each visit, so i dont see the problem of having 10k in your pocket each time you go”

 

It is 50,000 for one visit.  Check what a dental implant costs?  They are not cheap. Also, the dental crown comes after the implant has fused.  The cost of crown is in what I would call “In the Cash and Carry Range”. 10,000 to 15,000.  

 

 

39 minutes ago, jackdd said:

They pay about 3% fees, so when OP is paying 50k THB they will be charged 1500THB in fees, not really negiligable.

But it seems they offer a 10% discount for cash, so if the customer pays by credit card they would obviously earn more, so it's kind of strange if they are reluctant.

That is incorrect, a company will pay for the time charge of the telephone connection which is say 15 secons plus tge connection. The break even point is at 500bt for most people. A charge of 15bt on 1000,5000,10000bt is nothing.

 

Some credit card companies (the big ones) may want ro charge a company a rental fee of 500/1000bt a month if thry do not spend 50k a month. Our machine came from Kasikorn and costs 10bt a day.

 

There is no waiting for payments, a 10pm credit card transaction will be in the bank 7.am next morning, so cash is no real advantage and excuse to detercustomers using it.

 

They will find very soon they are in a minority as cards, and epay systems are the way forward.

14 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

“As  for dentists, your proceedure costing this amount will need lets say 4/5 visits just like the precedure for having a crown.

For sure they will charge you each visit, so i dont see the problem of having 10k in your pocket each time you go”

 

It is 50,000 for one visit.  Check what a dental implant costs?  They are not cheap. Also, the dental crown comes after the implant has fused.  The cost of crown is in what I would call “In the Cash and Carry Range”. 10,000 to 15,000.  

 

 

I would make a substantial bet with you that you cannot go to a dentist and have this procedure in a once only visit.

I needed 4 visits for a crown, gum surgery, post gum check suture removal, mould impressions, adjacent fillings, crown fitting and 25k bt kick in the stomach

4 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

The office sounds like they do not want me to pay with my Credit Card

maybe they are not paying their taxes and CC leave paper trails.

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

 

50,000 is nothing, and anyway who would know what you were carrying. Most people draw 20-30,000 when they go to the ATM.

36 minutes ago, Henryford said:

50,000 is nothing, and anyway who would know what you were carrying. Most people draw 20-30,000 when they go to the ATM.

So losing or having 50K stolen from you would be No Big Deal?  I have never drawn 20,000 from an ATM.  

52 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

I would make a substantial bet with you that you cannot go to a dentist and have this procedure in a once only visit.

I needed 4 visits for a crown, gum surgery, post gum check suture removal, mould impressions, adjacent fillings, crown fitting and 25k bt kick in the stomach

First Visit: Tooth Extraction 2000 Bath Cash and Carry Second Visit: Dental Implant 50,000 Baht -Credit Card Third Visit: Crown Installation-10,000 to 15,000 Cash and Carry.  

4 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.

This isn't America.  Thailand is a cash society.  Carrying significant amounts of cash is the norm.  Read the forum's Thailand News.  How many armed robberies in broad daylight do you see a year compared to the US?  It's not unheard of, but you're more likely to be killed in a traffic accident on your way to the dentist.  

Don’t most 20 year olds know how to make a $2,000 payment?

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.  

Americans and their ever present fears bring us continuous wars and the Trump soaps. Better they kept their sheeat at home.

 

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.  I do have a Thai Bank Account(do not keep that much in it) and my US ATM card has daily withdraw limits and I would need to make multiple withdraws for consecutive days in order to meet this amount.  Maybe it’s time for a new Dentist? 

50K is a lot of cash to carry? An ex-g/f's mother often kept 500K in her purse. Seriously, there are many Thais walking around with even more than that on them. Just stop at the ATM on the wqay to the dentist. You'll be fine.

It would seem that there are some grown adults who just can't manage their money.

I have had UK issued credit cards refused on several occasions, by big Thai companies, internet and TV provider for one, private hospital also.

I have never had my Thai Bank cards refused in either Thailand or UK.

I agree it is amazing the amount of cash I have seen Thai citizens carry, B300,000 was largest I ever carried but I have seen on more than one occasion, Thai citizens walk into a money changer, in Bangkok, with a plastic carrier bag of US $ and leave with several carrier bags of Baht.

 

john

No problem in carrying this amount of cash in Thailand during the day for a short period of time.  I've carried much larger sums -- heck this is only 50,000 baht -- only 50 bank notes. 

 

Nearly every week Hubby goes to the bank and gets 100 - 100 baht notes and 100 - 20 baht notes plus a few 1000s for our spending money and carries it home in his cargo short pockets.  50 baht notes is not going to cause much of a bulge in the pocket of a pair of cargo shorts and wouldn't be noticed in a manbag.  I'd jump that the chance for a 10% cash discount.

20 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

So losing or having 50K stolen from you would be No Big Deal?  I have never drawn 20,000 from an ATM.  

I never draw less than 25K

probably it is all about not wanting to pay TAX on that / not reporting income

On 3/1/2020 at 3:12 PM, sqwakvfr said:

As an American, I come from the land of street robberies and Grand Theft, carrying that much cash is something I am having a hard time accepting.  I do have a Thai Bank Account(do not keep that much in it) and my US ATM card has daily withdraw limits and I would need to make multiple withdraws for consecutive days in order to meet this amount.  Maybe it’s time for a new Dentist? 

No wish to sound insulting, but maybe time to rethink the way you manage your Thai bank account.