How to Pay Utility Bills with a Foreign Credit Card in Thailand

[node]

Does anyone know of a way to pay one's Electrical Utility Bill with a foreign credit card here in Thailand? 7/11 & Metropolitan Electrical Authority only take cash.  Not sure of AIS, True and Water Company either. Sure would like to know if this is possible.

[Crossy]

I know that's not really what you are asking but:-

 

You should be able to pay all the bills with using your Thai bank's online banking or by the "scan to pay" system on your phone (using your Thai bank's app).

 

It appears that none of the online systems work with a foreign card despite Visa and Mastercard being global brands????

 

[gamb00ler]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

You should be able to pay all the bills with using your Thai bank's online banking or by the "scan to pay" system on your phone (using your Thai bank's app).

I have Bangkok bank and my wife has Kasikorn.  We can pay more utility bills with the Kasikorn bank mobile app than with Bangkok bank.  If you have a choice I would recommend you use Kasikorn.

[node]

Thanks for the responses. TOPS; TESCO; Villa, Home Pro, the Department stores, Restaurants; Service Stations, etc; all take foreign credit cards in Thailand for Goods &  Services, except the Utility Companies. 

[Estrada]

I have Citibank Credit Cards, VISA & Mastercard. In addition to those you mentioned, they work for  True and AIS. They also work for online international purchases. 

[Balance]

We were back for a visit about a year ago and 7-11 took US visa card.  I don't know about the fees involved.  My recommendation is when in Thailand do as the Thais do: get cash.

[tonray]

13 minutes ago, Balance said:

We were back for a visit about a year ago and 7-11 took US visa card.  I don't know about the fees involved.  My recommendation is when in Thailand do as the Thais do: get cash.

Unless you are with a bank that rebates or forgives foreign transaction fees...usually around 3% added on every transaction

[DUS]

You can use the MEA app to pay them. I sometimes pay the MEA with my UK credit card. A few Baht in fees for the 3rd party companies they use.

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, node said:

Does anyone know of a way to pay one's Electrical Utility Bill with a foreign credit card here in Thailand? 7/11 & Metropolitan Electrical Authority only take cash.  Not sure of AIS, True and Water Company either. Sure would like to know if this is possible.

Cash the money in an ATM and pay cash in a 7-Eleven convenient store.

I pay my electric bill cash every month in 7-eleven, never had any problems...????

[node]

I have funds in my account in my home country, that the Bank there uses to pay my Visa Credit Card. I gain points back home when using my Visa card abroad. 

 

Using a Foreign Credit Card to withdraw from an ATM carries heavy fees, both here and back home, not so at a Point-of Sale. Hence my reason to pay the utility bills here this way. 

[treetops]

2 hours ago, node said:

Using a Foreign Credit Card to withdraw from an ATM carries heavy fees, both here and back home, not so at a Point-of Sale.

 

Are there any fees for foreign currency transactions?  These could easily outweigh any advantages from points.

[JackSinclair]

Personally I never use credit cards,  but, when overseas

would something like this be of use?

 

[GOF]

On 2/18/2021 at 3:33 PM, node said:

Does anyone know of a way to pay one's Electrical Utility Bill with a foreign credit card here in Thailand? 7/11 & Metropolitan Electrical Authority only take cash.  Not sure of AIS, True and Water Company either. Sure would like to know if this is possible.

Counter Service Pay accept foreign credit card. I use their app.

[node]

I downloaded the following apps:  MEA Smart Life / True iService / My AIS; and through these apps there are options to pay with VISA : Master Cards : Local Internet Banking. 

 

I tried AIS and it was successful. I had cleared my True and Electric bill so the balance is Zero, hence  unable to make any payment. The "Pay" button was grayed out in the Apps, as there was no balance. True however, confirmed that my Foreign Card will work in the App, so will see next month.  

 

No sure if there is a Water Authority Of Thailand App. 

 

This is great to know, if after Covid-19 ( whenever this will end), and traveling starts again, if out of Thailand for a trip, these bills can be paid with my Foreign Credit Card, and still gain; instead of my Thai Bank account and gain squat. 

 

My Foreign Credit Card, if cleared before the due date, carries no charges.

 

 

 

[landosmiles]

On 2/20/2021 at 3:57 PM, node said:

I downloaded the following apps:  MEA Smart Life / True iService / My AIS; and through these apps there are options to pay with VISA . . . 

 

On 2/19/2021 at 5:59 PM, GOF said:

Counter Service Pay accept foreign credit card. I use their app.

 

On 2/19/2021 at 9:09 AM, DUS said:

You can use the MEA app to pay them. I sometimes pay the MEA with my UK credit card. A few Baht in fees for the 3rd party companies they use.

These options mostly worked for me until December 2023.  Now both MEA and CounterServicePay tell me that at least as of 2024, only Thai credit cards can be used to pay MEA bills. 😥 TrueWallet also doesn't allow credit card as payment source.

Is anyone else still able to pay MEA somehow with a foreign credit card? Or if anyone finds any other way to pay MEA bills with foreign credit cards please let me know! 🙏

[PingRoundTheWorld]

40 minutes ago, landosmiles said:

These options mostly worked for me until December 20203.  Now both MEA and CounterServicePay tell me that at least as of 2024, only Thai credit cards can be used to pay MEA bills. 😥 TrueWallet also doesn't allow credit card as payment source.

Is anyone else still able to pay MEA somehow with a foreign credit card? Or if anyone finds any other way to pay MEA bills with foreign credit cards please let me know! 🙏

Stopped working for me as well. Used to pay with foreign cards for 3 years before that but now it doesn't seem possible anymore.

[landosmiles]

MEA works with Lazada! 5 baht fee. 🏆

 

In the past I've sometimes managed to avoid paying for MEA for >30 days after the bill is sent in order to batch two payments together, although sometimes Juristic has messaged me ~20 days after the bill is sent that MEA is going to cut my power next day unless I pay? 🤷