Not accepting foreign credit cards

[maxx58]

My wife had taken her new car for a six month checkup at the local Honda dealership where she bought the car.

When I went to pay the bill with my credit card they told me that they don't accept foreign credit cards.

All the years that I have lived here this has never happened to me. Sure, many places don't accept Amex but always Visa or MC.

Is this just a Honda thing or do the other car dealerships have the same policy regarding payment?

 

 

 

 

[nglodnig]

AFAIK all credit card companies (including Visa and MC) insist that any card in their franchise has to be accepted (providing the appropriate checks are made). OK there are exchange rate charges but the retailer doesn't see these. Although when you say "my credit card" you don't mean it was in your name (i.e Mr Maxx58)? That's a bit of a giveaway!

[scubascuba3]

What did Honda say?

[maxx58]

I don't understand? The card was in my name.

[KannikaP]

22 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

AFAIK all credit card companies (including Visa and MC) insist that any card in their franchise has to be accepted (providing the appropriate checks are made). OK there are exchange rate charges but the retailer doesn't see these. Although when you say "my credit card" you don't mean it was in your name (i.e Mr Maxx58)? That's a bit of a giveaway!

When a poster says 'MY credit card" or 'MY wife" or MY car' it means the one in his name. Why do you question it?

[nglodnig]

45 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

When a poster says 'MY credit card" or 'MY wife" or MY car' it means the one in his name. Why do you question it?

Credit cards have names on them and often gender-specific titles like Mr and Mrs. A woman using a card that says "Mr maxx58" looks a bit suspicious. Are we clear now? And I would hesitate to equate car wife and card as all of the same property type 🙂 

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Credit cards have names on them and often gender-specific titles like Mr and Mrs. A woman using a card that says "Mr maxx58" looks a bit suspicious. Are we clear now? And I would hesitate to equate car wife and card as all of the same property type 🙂 

When I went to pay the bill with my credit card.....nuff said.

Most of my C Cards do not say Mr, Mrs, It, They, Him, Her, Them, as is usual these days.

Simply my birth name as I told the card issuers.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Give VISA a call and find out whether the dealer is allowed to do this under their agreement.

[Peabody]

1 hour ago, maxx58 said:

When I went to pay the bill with my credit card they told me...

 

33 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

A woman using a card that says "Mr maxx58" looks a bit suspicious. Are we clear now?

Are we clear now??  🙂

[nglodnig]

2 hours ago, Peabody said:

Are we clear now??  🙂

Slighty better yes 🙂 

[richard_smith237]

Ignoring the sideline pedanticism.. 

 

Did you ask them why ??...  

Would they not even try the card ??

 

Something is very 'amiss'...   I suspect this is more of a response to someone being unsure and reverting to the default "Cannot" so they avoid any potential of a rollocking from the boss... 

 

... Force the issue, ask for the manager, find a real reason...  

[Mike Lister]

Foreign credit cards carry higher merchant and interchange fees than native Thai bank cards, there have been several reports from different sources confirming that many merchants now refuse to accept them.  I believe VISA networks require all VISA cards are accepted but I don't know about Mastercard. Recently, when my bank card was renewed, I wasn't permitted to chose and was given a Mastercard and told there were no VISA cards. I also understand that True Wallet no longer accepts foreign cards, on the basis of the higher fees.

[JimHuaHin]

I used my OS-based MC at Pran Buri Honda last month, no problems.

[maxx58]

"Foreign credit cards carry higher merchant and interchange fees than native Thai bank cards..."

 

This is what they told me when I inquired at the Honda shop.

But as JimHuaHin wrote, he had no problem using his foreign cc at Honda.

I'm guessing that the ability to use it varies from shop to shop.

 

[Mike Lister]

1 minute ago, maxx58 said:

"Foreign credit cards carry higher merchant and interchange fees than native Thai bank cards..."

 

This is what they told me when I inquired at the Honda shop.

But as JimHuaHin wrote, he had no problem using his foreign cc at Honda.

I'm guessing that the ability to use it varies from shop to shop.

 

It may depend on the card also. Clearly, Thailand is not going to stop accepting foreign credit cards across the board because they are so important to international tourism.

[wimpy]

Two Toyota dealers near me (different owners). One just started adding on 1.5% if I use my foreign card. The other does not. I now only patronize the one that does't add the fee.

 

When I ran a business, I accepted all cards from everywhere without charging my customers additional fees. Cost of doing business.

Edited May 25 by wimpy

[J Branche]

So you live in Thailand and STILL do Not understand Thai Culture.

 

Living in Harmony ranks very highly in Thai Society.  I'm sorry for your struggles with payment but this is THAILAND.

 

Things are different, the systems are different, the processes are different, the fees are different, the taxes are different.

 

We all here could tell stories of our struggles with transitioning and understanding Thai Customs and Culture.

You chose to let it make you angry or laugh in amusement.  

 

Thank You for contributing so others understand to ALWAYS have a backup payment method available.

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

18 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Credit cards have names on them and often gender-specific titles like Mr and Mrs. A woman using a card that says "Mr maxx58" looks a bit suspicious. Are we clear now? And I would hesitate to equate car wife and card as all of the same property type 🙂 

 

I think you need to read the post again. It didn't say that she tried to pay the bill.
When I went to pay the bill with my credit card they told me that they don't accept foreign credit cards.

[Everyman]

3 hours ago, J Branche said:

So you live in Thailand and STILL do Not understand Thai Culture.

 

Living in Harmony ranks very highly in Thai Society.  I'm sorry for your struggles with payment but this is THAILAND.

 

Things are different, the systems are different, the processes are different, the fees are different, the taxes are different.

 

We all here could tell stories of our struggles with transitioning and understanding Thai Customs and Culture.

You chose to let it make you angry or laugh in amusement.  

 

Thank You for contributing so others understand to ALWAYS have a backup payment method available.

 

 

 

What does that have to do with foreign credit cards?

[J Branche]

You live in Thailand.  Thai culture and customs.  They don't accept foreign credit card, No problem, pay with Cash, Bank App.

No a big deal for Thai People, 

This is what living in Harmony and Thailand is about

[Jeffrey346]

I have never had my US CC refused.  When I do use it, they always ask if I want to be charged in Baht or US $$. I always say Baht as you get a much better exchange rate. My wife, always uses my US card and has never had an issue.

[pest]

My pharmacy adds 3% if i use my Aud Visa debit card

[BusyB]

58 minutes ago, Everyman said:

 

What does that have to do with foreign credit cards?

 

Simples. TIT ...

[HampiK]

in Bangkok Silom Edge building is a Shabu Buffet restaurant, which states at the cashier foreign credit cards add 5% extra.
I'm now not sure where, but I had a second restaurant which add extra costs to a foreign CC.

But I also see more and more restaurants which not accept cash anymore, which is more questioning, as tourists not have the ability to use SCAN function, so they have to use the "sometimes" more expensive credit card option.

 

About Honda dealership, not every dealer handles the payment the same way. Some will accept and some won't.

Edited May 25 by HampiK

[VBF]

I have seen many hotels in Pattaya, Phuket etc advertising a 3% surcharge on the use of CC. I always thought it applied to all CC but maybe as the hotels are patronised mainly by foreigners, it's just foreign cards. Doesn't make any difference to me but I might ask next time.

 

What DOES make a difference is the exchange rate. I used my UK card once in Pattaya, and if (for example) the CASH rate on the day was 42, the card was billed at 38! So combine that with the 3% surcharge and it mounts up!

[Wrwest]

21 hours ago, maxx58 said:

My wife had taken her new car for a six month checkup at the local Honda dealership where she bought the car.

When I went to pay the bill with my credit card they told me that they don't accept foreign credit cards.

All the years that I have lived here this has never happened to me. Sure, many places don't accept Amex but always Visa or MC.

Is this just a Honda thing or do the other car dealerships have the same policy regarding payment?

 

 

 

 

I use my Capital One (Visa) at my Honda Car Dealer here in Chiang Mai exclusively without issue.

[statman78]

I have used my US credit card at the Honda and Toyota dealers here in Chiang Rai without any problems.  On the other hand it is not accepted at the place where I buy my swimming pool supplies.

[Purdey]

I understand that if you don't have a local bank then you're at the mercy of local retailers - though credit card companies don't allow retailers to add fees to their cards. When I use a Thai credit card in Vietnam the hotel charges the fee and I don't have much choice if I am leaving for the airport.

If you are retired here you must have a bank account and can use the ATM card as a debit card to pay 

Edited May 25 by Purdey

[treetops]

38 minutes ago, VBF said:

What DOES make a difference is the exchange rate. I used my UK card once in Pattaya, and if (for example) the CASH rate on the day was 42, the card was billed at 38! So combine that with the 3% surcharge and it mounts up!

 

Sounds like you may have chosen (or were unknowingly made) to pay in GBP which leaves you at the mercy of the vendor's exchange rate rather than the Visa/Mastercard rate which would have been much better.  Paying in THB will almost always give you a better exchange rate.

 

Your bank fees are avoidable if you have a card which is free of these - Halifax Clarity is one such card, however my understanding was you didn't get hit with the fees if you were billed in GBP.  Maybe some banks still use "overseas purchases" to charge fees on rather than "foreign currency transactions"?

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I have never had my US CC refused.  When I do use it, they always ask if I want to be charged in Baht or US $$. I always say Baht as you get a much better exchange rate. My wife, always uses my US card and has never had an issue.

 

Oh well...  why didn't you say so earlier... You never faced such an issue.... Must be the Ops fault....

 

Perhaps you can go with the Op to try and pay with his overseas CreditCard... they'll see you coming and think...

.... "Now, here comes a man who clearly takes no s#!t... we'll have to just let him pay with his overseas card" !!!