How To Get Credit Card

[jumbo]

The way I understand it is that AMEX 'always' gives you a card when you have the minimum required salary for foreigners evn when going to them directly

The banks have a minimum required salary depending on the bank

Some banks ask for a deposit, but if you work here longer than 3 years you do not have to deposit anything and the requirement is just the minimum salary

Thai issued CC can be used anywhere and for anything but it usually has a credit limit, which I understood is there to 'check' sudden high spendings and prevent unlawfull usage of the card. They eill ask you to call them in cases like that straighten the purchase out and you can use the card on the spot.

Also if you inform them beforehand of high spendings they will allow a higher limit on the card

J

[steveromagnino]

What on earth is isaanpaul talking about? Low credit limits and impossible to use abroad, my arse. I suggest he is confusing credit cards with debit cards, a mistake common to people who's idea of a good night out is two large bottles of Beer Laos from the 7-11.

I've recently had my Thai-issued credit cards upgraded. I've got a HSBC Visa card with a credit limit of 775,000 baht and newly acquired American Express credit card with a credit limit of 1.1 million baht. I've also got an American Express Charge Card which, of course, has no limit.

HOld on. This is just wrong.

You claim that there are not low limits, and then you start saying you only have 775,000b limit on one of your cards?

How are you supposed to buy a new footie team on ya card for that? I suppose you could pay cash, but come on, any other country, any other bank would be happy to give you a 500 million baht limit to acquire:

FOR SALE Slightly used football team located in sunny England. One previous lady owner. Currently in Championship but the right new owner could take the team down even further. Includes a number of hopeless players, incompetent coach and moderate sized stadium. Trophy cabinet used to hold First Division and League cup but is currently missing, presumed lost. For confidentiality, full details will be available to any serious buyers. No time wasters please. Please forward offers over 200 million baht to 1 Elland Road, attention - the management. For your convenience we take VISA

[samran]

thai credit cards have no credibility in my experiance outside of the kingdom. 1, very low credit limit, 2, useless to use aboroad.

Hmmmm.... not sure whether I would want a limit much bigger than $10k USD, but I guess not everyone is a high rolling Louis Vuitton limited edition kind of guy, I know I am not ;-) Never had it not work abroad, but then again, I only travel around the globe ocassionally, I am not Herr Taksin. Other than that....don't really agree with you but wha'eva.

Andy1308 is a good example of who can get a card; decent income, paperwork, etc = no problems. :-)

35k is pretty low and actually below the threshold for many countries to even get a work permit; not surprisingly many banks do not wish to lend to such a person. (and effectively a CC is a form of revolving loan).

But worth trying; in my own experience, the purpose built CC companies tend to be better excluding Citibank who are fairly hopeless for non-Thais (and arguably the biggest source of unsolicited direct marketing in Thailand; get ready for endless spam phone calls if you have a Citbank card). Am express is another option, but again, I think you may be pushing the praverbial with 35k income.

Incidentally, BOT regulations are I think a max of 5X monthly salary; based on this 35k would be getting you a limit of something like max 175,000b or about $3.5k USD - not too small IMHO.

What on earth is isaanpaul talking about? Low credit limits and impossible to use abroad, my arse. I suggest he is confusing credit cards with debit cards, a mistake common to people who's idea of a good night out is two large bottles of Beer Laos from the 7-11.

I've recently had my Thai-issued credit cards upgraded. I've got a HSBC Visa card with a credit limit of 775,000 baht and newly acquired American Express credit card with a credit limit of 1.1 million baht. I've also got an American Express Charge Card which, of course, has no limit.

The credit limits are more than enough - far too much, in fact. I use them for all my daily living and pay them in full each month. I never have more than 50-60k on them, except for exceptional purchases.

And as for using overseas - nonsense. I used both last week to pay for carhire, hotels and all sorts of things in the UK. I also use them monthly in countries all around Asia when I travel on business.

If you're going to post informatively, isaanpaul, could I respectfully suggest you get informed?

Even in my experience, Thai debit cards with visa electron works fairly well at EFTPOS machines outside of LOS. I'm talking UOB and Kasikorn used fairly easily at checkouts in Singapore, UK and OZ.

[Wellyoudidask]

then ask your freinds,

also if you are looking to apply for a credit card in thailand i think its time to go home

Be nice, he may want one for car hire in another country or internet purchases or similar,

[Wellyoudidask]

<P>I applied for a credit card at SCB and was surprised to be turned down. I am the MD of a Thai company. I was told that it was the bank's policy not to give credit cards to foreigners. There was a way around it though. I spoke to the bank manager and she said that if I deposited an amount equal to the credit limit I wanted into a fixed account I could have a card. The bank would keep the savings book as a guarantee of payment. That's what I did and I now have a Visa and Mastercard. BTW not true to say that Thai issued credit cards have no credibility in other countries. Visa and Mastercard are accepted internationally regardless of country of issue.</P>

Agreed if it has the visa or mastercard logo its good anywhere,.they did the money up front credit cards in the states for new customers seeking a credit rating, it worked well, Try renting a car in the states without one, you are an instant pedestrian !

[Wellyoudidask]

you must be in bad shape. in usa they give credit card to dead people...........only joking.

I have actually heard stories of dead people, pets, etc.. being issued cards in the US

To the OP, if you only want the card for booking hotels and order online (and don't actually need the "Credit") why don't you just get a bank account that provides you with a visa or mastercard debit card?

There is alot more safety in a credit card, let me explain what happened to me, i had my debit card cloned, i went to draw money from an atm in bkk and was refused, over available amount,. well i knew this was wrong as i had had just had 10k uk paid in,. i rang the bank that explained i had just ( according to them ) purchased an item in korea emptying my account, i went pale !,. explained that it was impossible as i was currently in thailand and have never been to korea!,. now here is the difference, they wanted a written letter stating i was not in korea and that the transaction was fraudulant, they then would look into it and if found to be correct they would reimburse me,.( this is barclays ) one month later after sending them an original ( fax no good ) letter i had the money refunded, if that happens on a credit card transcaction you ring up ,notify them and immediatly it is taken off your balance and they begin an investigation, true story scared me to death, i immediatly increased the limits on my cards and use them only..there are no fees if pay off monthly!,. id rather lose a credit card compaies money than my own,.

[Wellyoudidask]

thai credit cards have no credibility in my experiance outside of the kingdom. 1, very low credit limit, 2, useless to use aboroad.

Hmmmm.... not sure whether I would want a limit much bigger than $10k USD, but I guess not everyone is a high rolling Louis Vuitton limited edition kind of guy, I know I am not ;-) Never had it not work abroad, but then again, I only travel around the globe ocassionally, I am not Herr Taksin. Other than that....don't really agree with you but wha'eva.

Andy1308 is a good example of who can get a card; decent income, paperwork, etc = no problems. :-)

35k is pretty low and actually below the threshold for many countries to even get a work permit; not surprisingly many banks do not wish to lend to such a person. (and effectively a CC is a form of revolving loan).

But worth trying; in my own experience, the purpose built CC companies tend to be better excluding Citibank who are fairly hopeless for non-Thais (and arguably the biggest source of unsolicited direct marketing in Thailand; get ready for endless spam phone calls if you have a Citbank card). Am express is another option, but again, I think you may be pushing the praverbial with 35k income.

Incidentally, BOT regulations are I think a max of 5X monthly salary; based on this 35k would be getting you a limit of something like max 175,000b or about $3.5k USD - not too small IMHO.

Iwas selling cars in calif, we had a doctor come in ,wanted a car on finance, ( we had a 0 per cent interest deal on certain models ) after running his trw we saw he had $100.000 limits on his credit cards ( this was in 86,).he drove off out in it in 30 minutes

[bendix]

What on earth is isaanpaul talking about? Low credit limits and impossible to use abroad, my arse. I suggest he is confusing credit cards with debit cards, a mistake common to people who's idea of a good night out is two large bottles of Beer Laos from the 7-11.

I've recently had my Thai-issued credit cards upgraded. I've got a HSBC Visa card with a credit limit of 775,000 baht and newly acquired American Express credit card with a credit limit of 1.1 million baht. I've also got an American Express Charge Card which, of course, has no limit.

HOld on. This is just wrong.

You claim that there are not low limits, and then you start saying you only have 775,000b limit on one of your cards?

How are you supposed to buy a new footie team on ya card for that? I suppose you could pay cash, but come on, any other country, any other bank would be happy to give you a 500 million baht limit to acquire:

You didnt read my post properly Steve. By combining the two cards I can easily afford to buy Leeds and still have enough left over for a fish and chip supper at 'Arry Ramsdens. With mushy peas.

Edited May 2, 2007 by bendix

[walterego]

Thanks for all your information on thsi subject. I would love a credit card from a Thai bank and have investigated it to some extent.

Just can I clarify a few things already stated on this thread:

VISA/Mastercard/Amex is exacxtly that, it is good world wide in ANY place globally that takes those cards the bank that is under/overwriting it is irrelevant.

I am not going to bother with evidence of that fact if you dont believe it just hit one of their websites and query it.

Here is some good information on getting a credit card in Thailand:

http://www.thailand-travelonline.com/expat...-the-rules/383/

very informative, unfortunately I am not satisfied with those options and am eagerly looking for more so please keep contributing to this thread.

There are specific benfits for me in getting credit from Thailand (or a nation with very low transfer fees for foreign currency) instead of a 'foreign' country. More information options: building societys, Co-ops etc small scale banks. please give more input.

As for some people talking about debit card and standard account querys: My employer organises bank accounts there is never a problem I walked into a Bangkok bank account 2 years ago showed my passport (tourist visa at the time) payed a 100thb fee for opening the account and .. there it was ... no problem at all and I was by myself at the time no Thai with me. At a Bangkok bank in Essarn.

with over 100 farangs working in our company all are issued a standard "be1st account" with a Visa debit card. So to those who are posting in question regarding debit cards.. its standard practice.

Please give more information about getting a low line of credit in Thailand.

Cheers!

[cshort64]

Hi All

I'd like to share a citibank experience myself. I have a work permit, am head of a local company here, and a long time Citibank customer from my years of living in Singapore and in Taiwan. I have just been declined a M card, I am lucky to make a very good salary and have a citibank history, but they declined me because my employer has only had its local offices open for 1 year. I thought this rather odd, never heard of that criteria. I have asked to speak to a supervisor and hope to hear from them on Monday or Tuesday. As I read this thread I thought this an interesting comment.

By the way, Amex was no problem had my card in 3 days. Maybe this is a simple misunderstanding, I'll find out soon enough I guess.

Cheers All.