Should I pay cash or use my American visa card at a large store or hospital?

[TravelerEastWest]

Should I pay cash or use my American visa card (THB to USD) at a large store or hospital?

 

I ask as I was told that there would be no extra charge but I always seem to get a 3% charge.

 

My rate for transferring money is probably just under 1%

[bkk6060]

Cash is always better.  U.S. credit cards and depending on where you charges will mostly hit you with an exchange rate greater then 1%.

[NextG]

9 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Should I pay cash or use my American visa card (THB to USD) at a large store or hospital?

 

I ask as I was told that there would be no extra charge but I always seem to get a 3% charge.

 

My rate for transferring money is probably just under 1%

Only if you card is one that does not levy a forex fee. One that do, often charge 2.5% - 3%. 

[dick turpin]

Cash is king, Queen and Holy Mother Fxxxxx here.

[JAFO]

I prefer cash but I do make calls based on what I am buying or plan on doing.  In a big dept type store I prefer to use my CC as it is very hard to return defective product here with out giving up a body part and fighting so you can notify your bank and stop payment to dispute it.  

 

Hospitals, while I have never been to one that was expensive, If I was going in for an emergency, I would use my CC for the security deposit and pay cash when I was released if all was handled as expected.  Why I always keep a US CC handy everywhere I travel both personally and for work. Ya just never know. 

[Doctor Tom]

In a hospital or hotel you won't have any choice, as for all other places, never use a credit card, cash every time. 

[Hawaiian]

59 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Cash is always better.  U.S. credit cards and depending on where you charges will mostly hit you with an exchange rate greater then 1%.

Mine doesn't.  And the exchange rate is more than fair.

[sqwakvfr]

I have done both.  I used my Visa the last time because I did not want o bring 40,000 Baht in cash to the hospital.  I could not find an ATM inside of CM Ram hospital.  If the bill was expected to be around 10K then I would pay cash. 

[Sigmund]

No hesitation, cash is the best option. It avoids all other scams and misuse of credit card details.

[Everyman]

Far be it from be to contradict all the great grandpas in here - I’m surprised they don’t recommend paying with goats or bronze ingots - but credit cards are far and away the most secure form of payment in existence. You’re not paying with your money until you pay off the balance. Until then it’s the bank’s money and they will get it back from a vendor if there’s a problem, or just activate the insurance that’s included on every single purchase. There’s also sign up bonuses that can earn you a business class ticket back to or from the other side of the Earth. 

 

I really hope they ban cash like has been talked about with so much fear lately. They don’t use it at all in China and nobody seems to miss it. 

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, dick turpin said:

Cash is king, Queen and Holy Mother Fxxxxx here.

Having a local bank account is king.

Paid my 6 digit hospital bill by bank transfer at the cashier.

(scanning their QR code to get account details, enter amount, confirm)

For most of the one to four digit Baht payments at checkout I still prefer cash.

Edited August 28, 2023 by KhunBENQ

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Should I pay cash or use my American visa card (THB to USD) at a large store or hospital?

 

I ask as I was told that there would be no extra charge but I always seem to get a 3% charge.

 

My rate for transferring money is probably just under 1%

Niether...

 

Open a local Bank Account and transfer money to that from overseas. 

 

Make local payment digitally via mBanking transfer to avoid any 3% Mastercard or Visa charges. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by richard_smith237

[TravelerEastWest]

54 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Niether...

 

Open a local Bank Account and transfer money to that from overseas. 

 

Make local payment digitally via mBanking transfer to avoid any 3% Mastercard or Visa charges. 

Yes, I have a local bank account and do transfer money to it for just under 1%.

 

My wife uses her phone to pay for everything - maybe I need to start doing the same for large purchases. otherwise I am fine for cash up to around 30,000 baht.

[TravelerEastWest]

3 hours ago, dick turpin said:

Cash is king, Queen and Holy Mother Fxxxxx here.

My fathers favorite expression was Cash is king!

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Everyman said:

Far be it from be to contradict all the great grandpas in here - I’m surprised they don’t recommend paying with goats or bronze ingots - but credit cards are far and away the most secure form of payment in existence. You’re not paying with your money until you pay off the balance. Until then it’s the bank’s money and they will get it back from a vendor if there’s a problem, or just activate the insurance that’s included on every single purchase. There’s also sign up bonuses that can earn you a business class ticket back to or from the other side of the Earth. 

 

I really hope they ban cash like has been talked about with so much fear lately. They don’t use it at all in China and nobody seems to miss it. 

So pay the street food vendors with a Credit card, OK I'll try that on my next pancake purchase.

[Pib]

All depends on your foreign credit card.    If it charges a foreign transaction of say 1 to 3% which is typical then you might be better off paying with cash. 

 

Keep in mind that foreign transaction fee is "not" levied by hospital but by your  "card-issuing" bank/company and they determine what foreign transaction fee (if any) they will apply.   Even the typical 1% Visa/Mastercard fee is absorbed by my card-issuing banks/companies.   Actually that Visa/Mastercard 1% fee is passed to your bans versus you directly; but it's up to your bank if they absorb or pass that fee along to you.  Most of my credit card banks/companies absorb that fee and do not charge any additional fee....therefore, I have no foreign transaction fee cards.   So, I get to leave most of my money in the U.S., greatly reduces my need to transfer money to Thailand which costs money to transfers, and I earn cash back on my card purchases.

 

Personally, I use my no foreign transaction fee U.S. credit cards that pay 1.5% to2% cash back to pay all my hospital bills, groceries I buy at Lotus/Big C, fuel for the SUV, just any where I can pay with my credit card.  Just like lunch today....I grabbed some fast food at Burger King...paid that approx Bt200 bill with one of above mentioned credit cards....no foreign transaction fee and I'll get 2% cash back.  

 

And I use my no foreign transaction fee U.S. debit cards (no cash back) to do period counter withdrawals at Thai banks.  The full Visa/Mastercard exchange rate with no fees slightly beats even a Wise transfer since Wise charges fees for transfer although their exchange rate might be a tad higher.  A person needs to look at exchange rate "and" associated fees versus just exchange rate only.

 

Yea, for about 15 years now I've been using my no foreign transaction fee U.S. credit and debit cards.  Whether a person should use their credit/debit cards depends greatly on what foreign transaction fee the cards may charge, any cash back earned, etc.

[observer90210]

As long as the credit cards majors will screw holders on crappy exchange rates or absurd fees, when abroad...cash will rule. This being said, I personnaly don't mind being screwed, but maybe not so much by a bank or credit card brand firm.

[OneMoreFarang]

Some Thai hospitals give you discount when you pay with certain credit cards.

I have to admit I only use Thai credit cards, so I don't know if that is also the case with international cards.

[richard_smith237]

35 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Niether...

 

Open a local Bank Account and transfer money to that from overseas. 

 

Make local payment digitally via mBanking transfer to avoid any 3% Mastercard or Visa charges. 

Expand  

Yes, I have a local bank account and do transfer money to it for just under 1%.

 

My wife uses her phone to pay for everything - maybe I need to start doing the same for large purchases. otherwise I am fine for cash up to around 30,000 baht.

One more option, slightly drifting off topic, nevertheless useful (as the discussion is about making large payments in Thailand). 

 

It's difficult for us foreigners to get and unsecured Thai Credit card. However, you can become a second card holder on your Wife's Credit Card account.

This means you are not stiffed on overseas exchange rates with your overseas card (if wishing to use a Credit Card to make payment)

 

Obviously, that's only if vendor is not charging the 3% surcharge for Credit Cards (most hospitals that I know of don't, in Bangkok anyway (Samitivej, Bangkok Hospital, Bumrungrad etc). 

 

Also, depending on the type of Credit Card you can accrue points and get discounts, air-miles etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Some Thai hospitals give you discount when you pay with certain credit cards.

I have to admit I only use Thai credit cards, so I don't know if that is also the case with international cards.

As soon as 'anything international' is mentioned, they want to charge a surplus. 

 

Wife was treated at Bangkok Hospital last year - she was given an 'expected bill' of about 50,000 baht for pre-authorisation. 

She showed her insurance card, the bill was then increased to about 65,000 baht after being told its a different price for international insurance.

[Sigmund]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

As soon as 'anything international' is mentioned, they want to charge a surplus. 

 

Wife was treated at Bangkok Hospital last year - she was given an 'expected bill' of about 50,000 baht for pre-authorisation. 

She showed her insurance card, the bill was then increased to about 65,000 baht after being told its a different price for international insurance.

I would report the matter to the media of the country where the international insurance was delivered.

[impulse]

If you do pull out your int'l credit card at (for example) Bumrungrad, the next question will be "do you want to pay in THB or USD?"  Ask me how I know that...

 

I haven't a clue what the best answer is.  Fortunately, I just pick up some scripts at Bumrungrad amounting to $400 USD or so.  So I don't sweat the fees.

 

But someone may want to chime in with the right answer.

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

As soon as 'anything international' is mentioned, they want to charge a surplus. 

 

Wife was treated at Bangkok Hospital last year - she was given an 'expected bill' of about 50,000 baht for pre-authorisation. 

She showed her insurance card, the bill was then increased to about 65,000 baht after being told its a different price for international insurance.

I would report the matter to the media of the country where the international insurance was delivered.

Indeed... I was tempted to write to the insurance company and inform them of this 'dual pricing'...  (which ultimately pushes up our premiums), however...

- I'd guess the company (insurance provider) area already aware of this.

- Or, they may remove said hospital from their network thus limiting the options. 

 

Its dual pricing, its opportunist, it stinks...   sadly its typical of doing any kind of business in Thailand. 

 

I'm sure a Thai apologist will come along and tell that international companies are not paying extra, but local insurance companies are being offered a discount... Rubbish of course, its just an opportunity to dual charge.

[FritsSikkink]

4 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

In a hospital or hotel you won't have any choice, as for all other places, never use a credit card, cash every time. 

You can pay cash in a hospital or hotel.

[Pib]

55 minutes ago, impulse said:

If you do pull out your int'l credit card at (for example) Bumrungrad, the next question will be "do you want to pay in THB or USD?"  Ask me how I know that...

 

I haven't a clue what the best answer is.  Fortunately, I just pick up some scripts at Bumrungrad amounting to $400 USD or so.  So I don't sweat the fees.

 

But someone may want to chime in with the right answer.

Pay in THB!!!!   Because paying in USD incurs a charge from the local Thai bank the hospital uses to interface with the card network.  Typically that charge is approx 5.9%.    And if your card-issuing bank/company normally applies a foreign transaction fee of say 1 to 3% (or more)  you might still be charged that fee also simply because the transaction occurred in a foreign country and not because of any currency conversion.

 

Like when you you pay at many Thai stores with a card unless you tell them to "charge in Thai Baht" they may accomplish the transaction in USD (or whatever currency you home country card uses).   HomePro is bad about defaulting to charging USD vs THB.   Have you noticed at many stores like Lotus, Big C, whatever, etc., although these stores do not default to charging USD you may notice they tear often off a small slip and discard it and give you the rest of the receipt.  That small receipt they discarded (or maybe they give it to you also...some do with me), that small slip reflects the currency exchange fee which right now in Thailand is typically 5.9% if they charge you in USD/your home country currency.   Or said another way it costing you 5.9% more after all the currency exchange/fee dust settles when paying in USD vs THB.

   

Summary:  Pay in THB!!!

 

[Doctor Tom]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

You can pay cash in a hospital or hotel.

Yes, but you usually have to have a credit card to start the process of booking in to either one 

[NextG]

3 hours ago, observer90210 said:

As long as the credit cards majors will screw holders on crappy exchange rates or absurd fees, when abroad...cash will rule. This being said, I personnaly don't mind being screwed, but maybe not so much by a bank or credit card brand firm.

Which credit card major ‘screws’ you in the exchange rate? 
It’s not them, it’s your bank. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

s always better.  U.S. credit cards and depending on where you charges will mostly hit you with an exchange rate greater then 1%.

False. I charge credit cards everywhere because it has 1. Fraud protections, 2) 1-3% cash back 3) Using OTP for at least 25-days. Of course in the hospital I use a HSA card. Never charged anything extra. Once I was buying a phone in Tukom, and the store said 3% charge. I said, thanks I will go to another store where there is no charge. And suddenly their tune changed and they took it without any charge. All cards I have now are free from international fees.

Edited August 28, 2023 by CartagenaWarlock

[CartagenaWarlock]

4 hours ago, Everyman said:

There’s also sign up bonuses that can earn you a business class ticket back to or from the other side of the Earth. 

All US credit cards now have 1-3% cash back at least. 

[Yellowtail]

If you have a US credit card that has NO foreign transaction fees they're great. I pay for most everything with credit card. 

 

If your US credit card does charge a fee, best to not use it, as it will tack on typically 3%

 

Some vendors also charge a fee, (again, often 3%) so be sure to check.