Over-the-counter Cash Advance for foreign Debit card?

[sallecc]

Hi all, I searched this topic and only found the old ones in 2015-2016, and it was successful back then.

 

Did anybody try Over-the-counter Cash advance from foreign Debit card in Thai banks recently?

 

I have this weird situation where my UnionPay debit card (China ICBC bank) stopped working on ATM machines, BUT it works on all POS machines (shops, supermarkets, restaurants, everywhere)... I used this card for my export business dealings in China (I'm a foreigner and I haven't been there since 2019, so that's why they stopped E-banking & ATM function - they want me to show up at the branch and see if I'm still alive lol, but they kept POS function normal for some reason, it's like this for the past 1.5 year), I got some money accumulated there and I'd like to take out the cash, not just shopping.

 

I visited smaller bank branches nearby and asked for cash advance over-the-counter, but they pointed me out to ATM, they didn't understand what I want... I was planning to go to downtown to try big branches, but I'd like to know if anybody did this successfully recently, for any debit/credit cards?

 

(I also talked to a local travel agent I know, I gave them the idea to use their POS machine to take out the cash, and I would pay % commission of course, they said they will check about this and let me know, I expect they will ask for their service/help fee of course, which I would accept if it's reasonable)

 

I'm based in Phuket... If anybody has a recent experience, or an idea how could I take the cash out in other way = thanks in advance!

[gamb00ler]

I have done several recent counter withdrawals using debit cards from my US brokerage accounts and a US bank at four different Bangkok bank branches in Chiang Mai.  BKK bank don't charge any fee for that service.  I always just have them deposit the funds into my savings account with them.

 

I have asked at SCB and Kasikorn but they said they don't offer that service.  Another poster said he had used a different Thai bank but I no longer remember which one.  I think that bank charged a small fee.

 

I've seen foreign transaction fees of up to 2.5% charged by the bank/institution that issued the debit cards.  I've only used debit cards that charge no fee.

[sallecc]

36 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

I have done several recent counter withdrawals using debit cards from my US brokerage accounts and a US bank at four different Bangkok bank branches in Chiang Mai.  BKK bank don't charge any fee for that service.  I always just have them deposit the funds into my savings account with them.

 

I have asked at SCB and Kasikorn but they said they don't offer that service.  Another poster said he had used a different Thai bank but I no longer remember which one.  I think that bank charged a small fee.

 

I've seen foreign transaction fees of up to 2.5% charged by the bank/institution that issued the debit cards.  I've only used debit cards that charge no fee.

Thank you, this sounds great, I will go to main BKB branch in Phuket Town, I'm their customer too.

 

They used POS-like machine to read your debit card, right? (mine is working on POS, not on ATM)

[gamb00ler]

17 hours ago, sallecc said:

They used POS-like machine to read your debit card, right? (mine is working on POS, not on ATM)

Yes I think it's very much like a POS terminal.  I don't do many POS payments so I'm not sure the bank uses exactly the same machine.

 

[gamb00ler]

UPDATE:

 

I was surprised today when I went to do a teller cash advance using my USA debit card at Bangkok bank.

 

They said they cannot do a cash advance on debit cards, only on credit cards.  I told them I've done it many times and showed them the slips from the last one in June.  Still no dice!

 

I asked them to call their telephone help line and they did so while I waited.  The customer service rep told me that this particular BKK bank branch (Hang Dong Big C mall) doesn't have a manager on duty so they cannot offer the cash advance on foreign debit cards.  By this time, I couldn't make it to a bigger branch before it closed.

 

If you're refused ask them to direct you to the closest branch that has a manager on duty.

[sallecc]

Thanks for the update... Yeah they probably just don't want to do it... In BKB Central mall branch they told me that their "POS machine is broken" lol... Hope you'll get lucky in another bank and manager.

[jwdub12]

12 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

UPDATE:

 

I was surprised today when I went to do a teller cash advance using my USA debit card at Bangkok bank.

 

They said they cannot do a cash advance on debit cards, only on credit cards.  I told them I've done it many times and showed them the slips from the last one in June.  Still no dice!

 

I asked them to call their telephone help line and they did so while I waited.  The customer service rep told me that this particular BKK bank branch (Hang Dong Big C mall) doesn't have a manager on duty so they cannot offer the cash advance on foreign debit cards.  By this time, I couldn't make it to a bigger branch before it closed.

 

If you're refused ask them to direct you to the closest branch that has a manager on duty.

Well that's not good news, I was planning on going to the Jomtien (Pattaya) branch this week to do a withdraw.

Edited August 22, 2023 by jwdub12

[FritsSikkink]

On 7/31/2023 at 5:01 PM, sallecc said:

Hi all, I searched this topic and only found the old ones in 2015-2016, and it was successful back then.

 

Did anybody try Over-the-counter Cash advance from foreign Debit card in Thai banks recently?

 

I have this weird situation where my UnionPay debit card (China ICBC bank) stopped working on ATM machines, BUT it works on all POS machines (shops, supermarkets, restaurants, everywhere)... I used this card for my export business dealings in China (I'm a foreigner and I haven't been there since 2019, so that's why they stopped E-banking & ATM function - they want me to show up at the branch and see if I'm still alive lol, but they kept POS function normal for some reason, it's like this for the past 1.5 year), I got some money accumulated there and I'd like to take out the cash, not just shopping.

 

I visited smaller bank branches nearby and asked for cash advance over-the-counter, but they pointed me out to ATM, they didn't understand what I want... I was planning to go to downtown to try big branches, but I'd like to know if anybody did this successfully recently, for any debit/credit cards?

 

(I also talked to a local travel agent I know, I gave them the idea to use their POS machine to take out the cash, and I would pay % commission of course, they said they will check about this and let me know, I expect they will ask for their service/help fee of course, which I would accept if it's reasonable)

 

I'm based in Phuket... If anybody has a recent experience, or an idea how could I take the cash out in other way = thanks in advance!

Buy gold with your debit card, can sell it whenever you need cash. Should be able to drain the account that way.

[sallecc]

3 hours ago, jwdub12 said:

Well that's not good news, I was planning on going to the Jomtien (Pattaya) branch this week to do a withdraw.

Keep us updated ????

[gamb00ler]

20 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

They said they cannot do a cash advance on debit cards, only on credit cards.  I told them I've done it many times and showed them the slips from the last one in June.  Still no dice!

 

I asked them to call their telephone help line and they did so while I waited.  The customer service rep told me that this particular BKK bank branch (Hang Dong Big C mall) doesn't have a manager on duty so they cannot offer the cash advance on foreign debit cards.

 

7 hours ago, jwdub12 said:

Well that's not good news, I was planning on going to the Jomtien (Pattaya) branch this week to do a withdraw.

Prior to this I've done 23 (I counted them!) cash advances at 4 different BKK bank branches, 3 of them in CM malls.  I never had an issue before other than the clerk hit the wrong button once on the machine and the transaction was rejected.

 

The bank employee's explanation of the rejection seems to be somewhat reasonable.  The clerk who actually served me said they never do a cash advance on debit cards and send the customer to the ATM and it works there because "the ATM works faster or something"... LOL.

[Jenkins9039]

On 7/31/2023 at 5:01 PM, sallecc said:

Hi all, I searched this topic and only found the old ones in 2015-2016, and it was successful back then.

 

Did anybody try Over-the-counter Cash advance from foreign Debit card in Thai banks recently?

 

I have this weird situation where my UnionPay debit card (China ICBC bank) stopped working on ATM machines, BUT it works on all POS machines (shops, supermarkets, restaurants, everywhere)... I used this card for my export business dealings in China (I'm a foreigner and I haven't been there since 2019, so that's why they stopped E-banking & ATM function - they want me to show up at the branch and see if I'm still alive lol, but they kept POS function normal for some reason, it's like this for the past 1.5 year), I got some money accumulated there and I'd like to take out the cash, not just shopping.

 

I visited smaller bank branches nearby and asked for cash advance over-the-counter, but they pointed me out to ATM, they didn't understand what I want... I was planning to go to downtown to try big branches, but I'd like to know if anybody did this successfully recently, for any debit/credit cards?

 

(I also talked to a local travel agent I know, I gave them the idea to use their POS machine to take out the cash, and I would pay % commission of course, they said they will check about this and let me know, I expect they will ask for their service/help fee of course, which I would accept if it's reasonable)

 

I'm based in Phuket... If anybody has a recent experience, or an idea how could I take the cash out in other way = thanks in advance!

Thats The old money - cross border technique POS for Cash - 7-15% usually....

[jwdub12]

43 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

 

Prior to this I've done 23 (I counted them!) cash advances at 4 different BKK bank branches, 3 of them in CM malls.  I never had an issue before other than the clerk hit the wrong button once on the machine and the transaction was rejected.

 

The bank employee's explanation of the rejection seems to be somewhat reasonable.  The clerk who actually served me said they never do a cash advance on debit cards and send the customer to the ATM and it works there because "the ATM works faster or something"... LOL.

Appreciate all your updates. I guess cynical me likes to think that the bank doesn't want to lose out on the extra ATM fees it's losing by allowing larger withdrawals inside.