Problems With Atms In Bangkok

[WilliamIV]

I have been unable to Draw Cash from several different Banks ATM machines yesterday and today in both Bangkok and Nonthaburi using Barclaycard MasterCard and Abbey International Visa

Has anybody experienced similar problems?

Bill

[jdinasia]

no problem .... I have used 3 different cards in the last 3 days and have had no issues

[blizzard]

the problem is not the atms............the problem is you.......................lol.

[WilliamIV]

no problem .... I have used 3 different cards in the last 3 days and have had no issues

Hi JD

Can you confirm that is 3 different OVERSEAS Cards please?

[Heng]

No issues with my US or Singapore issued cards today or yesterday. Don't have any UK accounts.

[jdinasia]

no problem .... I have used 3 different cards in the last 3 days and have had no issues

Hi JD

Can you confirm that is 3 different OVERSEAS Cards please?

yes ... 3 overseas cards

[Jimjim]

It seems I've heard problems had by those with UK banks before. Don't know why, but I have heard those with UK banks have trouble at ATMs in Thailand sometimes. Sometimes the banks say they put a hold on it because fraud is common in Thailand. You may want to contact the bank and see if they put a hold on your card for some reason. Tell them you're in Thailand and you'd like to use ATMs and it may work after that.

[andy1308]

You should contact your bank and advise them you are in Thailand. From personal experience Lloyds TSB automatically block all transactions from Thailand UNLESS you advise them you're here. Within five minutes of calling them, and them releasing the hold, you'll be able to use your card here.

I suspect other banks operate similar policies. As has been said above, it's because of the high level of fraud in this part of the world.

[gennisis]

You should contact your bank and advise them you are in Thailand. From personal experience Lloyds TSB automatically block all transactions from Thailand UNLESS you advise them you're here. Within five minutes of calling them, and them releasing the hold, you'll be able to use your card here.

I suspect other banks operate similar policies. As has been said above, it's because of the high level of fraud in this part of the world.

Talking about card fraud..last year my Capital One card was fraudulently used over the internet.The guy had ordered in USA, 2000 Church Pews!!..Cap 1 contacted me to verify if it was OK....I suggested that the American gospel crowd would have to stand,because no way was I paying.

[naka]

Phone your card supplier. Happens all the time due to Thailand's bad reputation.

Naka.

[WilliamIV]

Thanks for all the well meant advice.

I have lived in Thailand for years and never experienced such problems before

Both Card Issuers know I live in Thailand

In my opinion there was a Communication Problem between the Thailand Authorisation Centre and Overseas at the times I was trying to use my Abbey International Card - it worked perfectly today

But for my Barclaycard - I have now seen from my Statement that they have introduced a NEW Cash Limit - being only HALF that of the normal overall limit which in their words is to show they are a "Responsible Lender"

But in the past when I approached my Borrowing Limit they always offered to increase it !

Bill

Edited June 7, 2007 by WilliamIV

[GB99]

Hi WilliamIV, I believe it's a communication problem, I had such problems in the past. Bangkok bank ATM's doesn't work with some foreigner debit/credit cards, simply choose another ATM: KBank and other similar ones.

[retiredusn]

Thanks for all the well meant advice.

I have lived in Thailand for years and never experienced such problems before

Both Card Issuers know I live in Thailand

In my opinion there was a Communication Problem between the Thailand Authorisation Centre and Overseas at the times I was trying to use my Abbey International Card - it worked perfectly today

But for my Barclaycard - I have now seen from my Statement that they have introduced a NEW Cash Limit - being only HALF that of the normal overall limit which in their words is to show they are a "Responsible Lender"

But in the past when I approached my Borrowing Limit they always offered to increase it !

Bill

I had the same problem with cards issued from the US the end result was the cards had to be re-issued from the bank and then busness as normal, no explanation was ever given" but both the US and Thai banks kept saying there was no problem with their bank............................I suggest you get a monthly bank transfer to your bank here in case it happens in the future. Good Luck

[mikethevigoman]

I have been unable to Draw Cash from several different Banks ATM machines yesterday and today in both Bangkok and Nonthaburi using Barclaycard MasterCard and Abbey International Visa

Has anybody experienced similar problems?

Bill

I had a similar experience 5 years ago, i tried 6 different ATMs ,all in MBK , when i tried it said contact issuing bank, i assumed there were problems with the lines, on the monday norning i rang the bank ( hsbc in the uk ) and was told that i had made the 6 withdrawls to the tune of 2100 gbp,. i went cold. i said it was impossible as i wasnt able to draw and i have a daily limit of 500 pounds,on return to the uk the bank told me it would take a while to investigate as they had to check to see if the tills at the bank would be over on the day in question,.after 3 weeks i had one amount from one transaction refunded, me thinks oh well its on the way back,.WRONG , a week later i had a letter saying they had completed their investigation and as the banks had said the tills were correct they had deducted the amount from my account, i went mad, i went to the branch ,sat with the manager and told him ,if i had the money where are the transaction numbers? ,i had a 4k overdraft that i was now at about 2400 into,.i said to him well this is how it is, you can do another investigation and when you find this money pay off the overdraft and we are square,.,.i had the odd letter from the bank but they never took me to court or threatened anything, my advise is dont use a debit card for atm withdrawls, use a credit card, much safer,they will refund before the investigation if anyrhing goes missing,.

[thohts]

The only times I experience such problems in Thailand is when I forget that my pin is 6 digits for my overseas card, not 4.

[nick2k]

It seems I've heard problems had by those with UK banks before. Don't know why, but I have heard those with UK banks have trouble at ATMs in Thailand sometimes. Sometimes the banks say they put a hold on it because fraud is common in Thailand. You may want to contact the bank and see if they put a hold on your card for some reason. Tell them you're in Thailand and you'd like to use ATMs and it may work after that.

it's funny that you mentioned this. it happened to me a couple of times in the last 2 weeks. couldn't withdraw money.

so, I used www.skype.com to make a long distance 1-800 toll free call to my bank in the states to inquire about it. (making toll-free calls to the the states and even uk is free using skype.)

http://share.skype.com/sites/en/2005/07/fr...ee_phone_n.html

when I spoke to the customer service rep, they told me they put a hold on my card because of reported fraud.

one phone call resolved the issue. was able to withdraw from atm 15 minutes after the telephone call.

[Trevor]

The insult factor towards bona-fide customers on the part of the banks is totally over-the-top. Barclays of the UK told me they routinely block debit cards in high-risk Asian countries after their first use! Business travellers and tourists rely heavily nowadays on their plastic for travel funds and are lulled into believing they can access their money worldwide. It is a total sham!

Even after pre-informing them of my travel plans, I get my card blocked. Phone them to release it, then it's blocked again after just a few uses. Total farce!

Write to your bank and threaten to take your business elsewhere -- even offshore. British banks are the worst. I'd never heard of this thing happening to US and Swiss citizens.

[teejay]

This happens to me on occasion when I use my BEA and HSBC cards from Hong Kong here in Bkk. Dunno why, sometimes it just doens't work, sometimes it does...

Never tried US cards, don't have UK cards...

[WilliamIV]

UPDATE

One of the Original Declined Transactions - was in fact Charged to my account

(thereby proving Blizzard who suggested the fault was with me - to be wrong)

But without any intervention from me - the entry in my account was reversed the following day.

Showing that the Problem must have been Computer System Communication Problems

Last year I had a similar experience with ATMs in India

One unsuccessful withdrawal was charged to an account in Bangkok

(my Emergency Fund in case of problems with UK based Cards)

Upon my return to Bangkok I approached a local Branch of my Bank

(my Account is at their Main Office) - I was asked to Complete a Form

declaring the charge to be wrong - they Faxed it to my Account holding Office

and within a month the entry was reversed.

Previously - I always withdrew maximum amount - usually

Bht 20,000 - now I always limit myself to Bht 10,000

just in case the withdrawal is unsuccessful and charged

Bill

[expatwannabe]

I've had problems using my Citibank card at Bangkok Bank.

Went to Siam City Bank - problem solved. Better rates, too.