Thai Credit Cards

[pontious]

I know Farangs have to show money and keep it there to get one - is it the same for Thais .?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

No, and foreigners with work permits and well-paying jobs often don't, either.

[Fab5BKK]

No, foreigners don't "have to show money and keep it there to get one"... if they work or have a regular source of income.

 

Foreigners who aren't in these 2 cases do need to block some money in a fixed bank account.

 

When I worked abroad I applied for a thai credit card and had to put some money on a fixed bank account to secure it. However, when I started to work in Thailand, I had just to show some pay slips and was good to go. 

 

Obviously, Thais who have a regular source of income can get a credit card.

 

Hope it'll help.

[Richard 2020]

But, the "Regular Income" must be earned in Thailand !

Pensions etc. from overseas do not apply!

 

Then it goes only about a "Saving ACC" which is blocked as security!
Example: 200.000.-THB on the account = card limit 200.000.-THB 

 

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, Richard 2020 said:

But, the "Regular Income" must be earned in Thailand !

Pensions etc. from overseas do not apply!

 

Then it goes only about a "Saving ACC" which is blocked as security!
Example: 200.000.-THB on the account = card limit 200.000.-THB 

 

Bangkok Bank lady offered me a credit card, 50K on account, with a 25K spending limit.

 

Seems worth it though, as they would only charge me 28% interest on my own money.

[Foghorn]

I know someone who sells krungsi cards ,you need a million in bank for 4 months to get card then you can take money out , any bank  200,000 limit 

[bkkcanuck8]

"I know Farangs have to show money and keep it there to get one - is it the same for Thais .? "

 

This has more to do with risk, and in other countries where you are on a temporary visa (like the Thai Non-O is still a temporary 1 year visa) you would be in the same situation - only eligible for secured credit cards.   If you were a permanement resident they know that since you are here permanently - there is little risk of you leaving the country and avoiding paying off your debts.   If you are on a work permit (renewable), there is less of a risk since you would have more to lose than someone on a temporary visa -- you might be eligible for a credit card after a number of years.   I think you will find that you would have a hard time getting a non-secured credit card in many western countries if you were on a 1 year temporary visa (more akin to a longer tourist visa) and thus lacked both a credit history in that country and some form of permanence. (permanent residence, work visa with an indication of permanence).

[xxeo]

I applied for Bangkok Bank Visa card and got it; plus a bonus card, Aisasia Mastercard.

I opened a special account to my existing one, put 100 000 Baht on it. The limit for both cards therefore is 100 000 Baht.

Note: It's the American system; you pay only a part of the debt per month; it takes another 20 or so forms to be printed and signed to make the agreement: Pay the full debt every month.

[Dazinoz]

8 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Bangkok Bank lady offered me a credit card, 50K on account, with a 25K spending limit.

 

Seems worth it though, as they would only charge me 28% interest on my own money.

I was given a 50k spending limit on a 50k deposit with Bangkok bank and pay NO interest if paid off by the due time and I earn extra interest on my fixed deposit, plus I get Air Asia points as one of the 2 cards they issued me with is and Air Asia card. Quite happy with this arrangement.

[wwest5829]

I looked at getting a Thai credit card upon retiring to Thailand. No credit extended … OK, unless it is a “secured” card. Easier for me to just retain my U.S. issued Visa and American Express credit cards. Both reflect US mailing and Thai addresses and contact info. Pay them direct from my U.S. bank account. Tens of thousands of USD credit based on my credit history. Thai outlook … cannot trust … OK, no problem, you do not get my business.

[The Fugitive]

41 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

I was given a 50k spending limit on a 50k deposit with Bangkok bank and pay NO interest if paid off by the due time and I earn extra interest on my fixed deposit, plus I get Air Asia points as one of the 2 cards they issued me with is and Air Asia card. Quite happy with this arrangement.

Thanks for that. Worth knowing!

[Ralf001]

12 hours ago, Richard 2020 said:

But, the "Regular Income" must be earned in Thailand !

Pensions etc. from overseas do not apply!

 

Then it goes only about a "Saving ACC" which is blocked as security!
Example: 200.000.-THB on the account = card limit 200.000.-THB 

 

Unsecured credit cards for foreigners is a thing, I have two credit cards (K bank and BKK bank) limit on both combined total around 500k.

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

I was given a 50k spending limit on a 50k deposit with Bangkok bank and pay NO interest if paid off by the due time and I earn extra interest on my fixed deposit, plus I get Air Asia points as one of the 2 cards they issued me with is and Air Asia card. Quite happy with this arrangement.

Congratulations!  I suppose it depends on which bank and which branch and which employee on which day.  I was only looking into it for the convenience of having a card here where I bank.

 

Fortunately, my Navy FCU card with 1 million baht credit limit and 5.99% interest and no foreign transaction fees accepts foreign residence addresses and will mail cards to Thailand.

[bkkcanuck8]

1 hour ago, wwest5829 said:

I looked at getting a Thai credit card upon retiring to Thailand. No credit extended … OK, unless it is a “secured” card. Easier for me to just retain my U.S. issued Visa and American Express credit cards. Both reflect US mailing and Thai addresses and contact info. Pay them direct from my U.S. bank account. Tens of thousands of USD credit based on my credit history. Thai outlook … cannot trust … OK, no problem, you do not get my business.

Your credit history is ziltch when you leave your national market (good or bad).  When I went to work in the US from Canada (20+ years ago)... it was no different.   If you were to leave Thailand with a debt, they cannot place a lean against your US property - it is all about risk management.

[wwest5829]

33 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Congratulations!  I suppose it depends on which bank and which branch and which employee on which day.  I was only looking into it for the convenience of having a card here where I bank.

 

Fortunately, my Navy FCU card with 1 million baht credit limit and 5.99% interest and no foreign transaction fees accepts foreign residence addresses and will mail cards to Thailand.

Same with my USA issued credit cards.

[wwest5829]

30 minutes ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

Your credit history is ziltch when you leave your national market (good or bad).  When I went to work in the US from Canada (20+ years ago)... it was no different.   If you were to leave Thailand with a debt, they cannot place a lean against your US property - it is all about risk management.

True, the issue is, as you say, risk management. The same reason the Thailand required I stab lis h my ability to support myself in retirement in Thailand before the Kingdom would grant a Visa.

[Dazinoz]

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

Congratulations!  I suppose it depends on which bank and which branch and which employee on which day.  I was only looking into it for the convenience of having a card here where I bank.

 

Fortunately, my Navy FCU card with 1 million baht credit limit and 5.99% interest and no foreign transaction fees accepts foreign residence addresses and will mail cards to Thailand.

Yes, a lot depends on the branch.

 

And, unfortunately, we are not all as fortunate as yourself to get the type of card you have.

[Everyman]

Years ago i tried and failed to get a credit card from Bangkok Bank. This is when i had a NON-B and work permit. I gave up.

 

In the end, depending on what country you are from “originally,” it’s best to maintain some address there (however artificially) along with a credit score, cards, accounts, etc. Plenty of banks offer cards without foreign transaction fees with attractive “cash back” offers.

 

It can be important to maintain a good credit score too, so many things in the west depend on it that shouldn’t.    

[Richard 2020]

As already written.

 

Deposit money in the amount of the desired credit line on a "blocked" bank book, and you get a real VISA credit card!
So relatively simple! 
I have also done so, at Bangkok Bank!

[triplez]

on the topic of credit cards. 
What is everyone's experience with the yearly fees? 
Usually the fees are waived if spending over a certain limit, but last year both my cards offered to waive the fee even though I did not reach the limit (after I called them up) due to Covid. 
Not sure if the same is possible this year. 

[TheJoker999]

I manage to open the wisdom card by kasikorn. 
Had to enroll in a life insurance plan which i cancelled within the grace period time because i was lacking of so many benefits.
Credit card rewards menu were all in thai, benefits were very lousy apart for the VIP lounges at worldwide airports

All i had to do was to show them 6 months of bank statement with at least 10m in my acc.
I do not have a work permit. 

[Ralf001]

 

10 minutes ago, TheJoker999 said:

I manage to open the wisdom card by kasikorn. 
Had to enroll in a life insurance plan which i cancelled within the grace period time because i was lacking of so many benefits.
Credit card rewards menu were all in thai, benefits were very lousy apart for the VIP lounges at worldwide airports

All i had to do was to show them 6 months of bank statement with at least 10m in my acc.
I do not have a work permit. 

10 million baht deposit.... great deal !!

 

 

 

[TheJoker999]

14 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

10 million baht deposit.... great deal !!

 

 

 

Their requirement was to invest in a 5mil life insurance, payout of 6mil in 20 years time. 
Who knows i might already be in the grave! After getting the card i cancelled it within the grace period ????

[Millian]

I found Citi to be the easiest when I was looking for one.

 

I had work permit for 2 years with the same company, 3 year visa and was earning 150k+ a month.

 

Every bang I went into said no, or only offered a deposit based credit card.

 

Citi offered one and it was preety simple to fill in the paperwork.

 

Citi have recently sold their Bangkok business to UOB here, so not sure if the ease if application may have changed now.