https://www.cimbthai.com/th/personal/important-notices/2025/discontinued-debit-card.html

 

On April 3, 2026, CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited will end its debit card service. Therefore, issuance of new or replacement debit cards, or in cases where the original card is damaged, lost, forgotten PIN, or seized at an ATM, and other cases, will be accepted until December 24, 2025. Debit card activation is available until January 9, 2026.

 

Your current debit card can be used until April 3, 2026. You can also start using the Cardless Withdrawal service via the CIMB THAI app, which allows you to make cardless withdrawals at Siam Commercial Bank ATMs starting January 19, 2026.

 

What the heck?

I'm hoping this is specific to this minor bank and not banking policy for all banks. However, after saying that I'm not hopeful. as once again this has all the hallmarks of corralling everyone into the nightmare cashless society agenda. Drip drip drip it goes, slowly boil the frog and the majority won't notice or even care. First it was online banking being shut down, now the elimination of debit cards. Soon there won't be any option other than using the phone apps. 

1 hour ago, Conno said:

Soon there won't be any option other than using the phone apps. 

 

Or carrying wads of cash with us.

 

 

The banks do make some additional money from debit cards by selling versions that have different types of insurance attached to them.  

 

We used to get one that paid medical up to 30K for accidents.  But those have age limits so we haven't had one for awhile now, just the basic card.

On 11/23/2025 at 7:37 PM, OJAS said:

 

Or carrying wads of cash with us.

 

 

Not possible if we have gone to a cashless society as Conno said.

One more step closer to the digital panopticon.

CIMB must be the worst customer friendly bank I have ever encountered.

 

Although their branches are very sparsely spread over the country, you also will rarely see a customer inside. Wouldn't be surprised if they soon exit the country.

If I was in Thailand I would be buying Thai bank stocks. These corporations are going to be printing money like never seen before due to automation and AI

 

Good luck having the issue  resolved in case of $@%$#

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

If I was in Thailand I would be buying Thai bank stocks. These corporations are going to be printing money like never seen before due to automation and AI

 

Good luck having the issue  resolved in case of $@%$#

 

If I was in Thailand, and I am, I would be very wary to have more than 1 million baht in any bank in Thailand.

Signs have been on the wall for quite some time already.

On 11/23/2025 at 5:42 PM, Conno said:

I'm hoping this is specific to this minor bank and not banking policy for all banks. However, after saying that I'm not hopeful. as once again this has all the hallmarks of corralling everyone into the nightmare cashless society agenda. Drip drip drip it goes, slowly boil the frog and the majority won't notice or even care. First it was online banking being shut down, now the elimination of debit cards. Soon there won't be any option other than using the phone apps. 

Debit cards are cashless aren't they?

21 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

If I was in Thailand, and I am, I would be very wary to have more than 1 million baht in any bank in Thailand.

Signs have been on the wall for quite some time already.

 

What signs?

What happens if you don't have a smart Phone ?

Bangkok Bank has informed me that my debit card will be expiring and I should visit a bank branch to get a new card. I assume that Cimb Thai is an exception because of its relative small size and limited coverage in Thailand.

My Krungsri Bank card is valid until 2032.. Not that it means anything, but I hope and believe Cimb Thai is a one off here. 

2 hours ago, alanrchase said:

Debit cards are cashless aren't they?

 

Semantics. Of course they are, but they are one of the options still available to facilitate access to cash. Just as the phone apps [for now] can still be used to access cash at an ATM. I imagine they will eventually start phasing out ATMs and the only way to access cash will be at a branch, with all the usual questions of 'why do you want cash?'  Which we are already being conditioned with and made to feel guilty for even asking, then that option of over the counter cash will be closed too.

 

My point, which I'm sure you already understood, but had to nitpick anyway, is that gradually they are slowly nudging the great unwashed into their cashless society dystopia. Go from A to Z in one move and you have a revolution on your hands. Go from A to Z  gradually via BCDEFG and the vast majority won't even notice or care. It's called the totalitarian tiptoe and it is how you train the unthinking hairless apes amongst us.  

28 minutes ago, Conno said:

I imagine they will eventually start phasing out ATMs

I noticed awhile ago that, at least in Chiang Mai, Atms i have used have started disappearing especially at 711s.

30 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

I noticed awhile ago that, at least in Chiang Mai, Atms i have used have started disappearing especially at 711s.

My guess is that this will gradually accelerate, not too fast ABCDEFG remember, take is slowly. It is inevitable in my view unless there is a major pushback and we both know how unlikely that is to happen. Look at society today, especially the youth, their faces are glued to those screens. This vid is from the Convid era but it's still worth a watch today especially the finance aspects. Glad I'm old and not 16. I can't imagine what life is going to be like for that person when they are at retirement age. 

 

 

On 11/23/2025 at 5:42 PM, Conno said:

I'm hoping this is specific to this minor bank and not banking policy for all banks. However, after saying that I'm not hopeful. as once again this has all the hallmarks of corralling everyone into the nightmare cashless society agenda. Drip drip drip it goes, slowly boil the frog and the majority won't notice or even care. First it was online banking being shut down, now the elimination of debit cards. Soon there won't be any option other than using the phone apps. 

I don't think it will be for all banks.  A couple  of months ago my debit card run out and I was  surprised that I hadn't received one through the post,  as been the case for many years.

I trotted along to the bank, TTB, and they said they had stopped issuing ATM debit cards and they were now only issuing international debit cards and if I wanted one it would mean raising a new agreement. About an hour later walked out with a new VISA debit card that can be used anywhere in the world that takes VISA, for the same fee as the old one.

The new card is valid for 5 years as opposed to 3 years for the old one.

13 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I don't think it will be for all banks.  A couple  of months ago my debit card run out and I was  surprised that I hadn't received one through the post,  as been the case for many years.

I trotted along to the bank, TTB, and they said they had stopped issuing ATM debit cards and they were now only issuing international debit cards and if I wanted one it would mean raising a new agreement. About an hour later walked out with a new VISA debit card that can be used anywhere in the world that takes VISA, for the same fee as the old one.

The new card is valid for 5 years as opposed to 3 years for the old one.

I think all the banks used to issue ATM cards that were only that, I had one from SCB a long time ago.  A bit like in the UK in the 70's when the first "Cashpoints" appeared.

18 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I don't think it will be for all banks.  A couple  of months ago my debit card run out and I was  surprised that I hadn't received one through the post,  as been the case for many years.

I trotted along to the bank, TTB, and they said they had stopped issuing ATM debit cards and they were now only issuing international debit cards and if I wanted one it would mean raising a new agreement. About an hour later walked out with a new VISA debit card that can be used anywhere in the world that takes VISA, for the same fee as the old one.

The new card is valid for 5 years as opposed to 3 years for the old one.

Hopefully just not yet, as they are still a revenue stream with some coming with a built in insurance deal as one post highlighted. Rest assured though if I'm correct before we hit Z, debit cards will be removed as an option. 

Just like to add that I'm not some old technophobe Luddite, before someone makes that connection. I'm a Bitcoiner and embrace this form of decentralised cashless money but with some caveats. Cash is an option that has to remain intact. Cash is an essential alternative for privacy and for when the lights don't work, war, natural disasters, civil unrest, technological hacks glitches bugs etc. We all know there are 3 things guaranteed in life, not just the recognised 2 of death and taxes, it's death taxes and S***....... because S*** happens.

 

Decentralised is the key takeaway here. Decentralised, trustless and permissionless with a scarce supply. This is a very different type of cashless money than the one we are discussing in this thread. Some may disagree and argue this point but for me personally that is a completely separate debate. All I am doing is pointing out I'm not against technological progress, far from it.

 

Like all tools man creates, they are double edged swords. A hammer can be used to build a house or crack a skull open. It's not the tool that is the problem, it's the intention of the person using the tool that matters. 

9 minutes ago, Conno said:

Decentralised is the key takeaway here. Decentralised, trustless and permissionless with a scarce supply. This is a very different type of cashless money

You only have to look at what they did to the founders of

Samourai Wallet  to see that they will not allow any truly  decentralised and private digital currency    they will impose a fully controlled (by them)  Central Bank Digital Currency   or an equivalent  privately controlled (but not really)  Google or Palantir   "private"

but controlled,reporting  and doing the full governments bidding  as well as spying on everyone whilst raking in huge profit 🤮 

 

It really is imperative that everyone keeps using cash.

6 minutes ago, johng said:

You only have to look at what they did to the founders of

Samourai Wallet  to see that they will not allow any truly  decentralised and private digital currency    they will impose a fully controlled (by them)  Central Bank Digital Currency   or an equivalent  privately controlled (but not really)  Google or Palantir   "private"

but controlled,reporting  and doing the full governments bidding  as well as spying on everyone whilst raking in huge profit 🤮 

 

It really is imperative that everyone keeps using cash.

100% Amen to that.  You only have to look at what centralised authorites did to the Canadian truckers aaaaand to the ones who just supported them with donations. Can it be any clearer really?

16 hours ago, Conno said:

Hopefully just not yet, as they are still a revenue stream with some coming with a built in insurance deal as one post highlighted. Rest assured though if I'm correct before we hit Z, debit cards will be removed as an option. 

You are quite free to think what you want, but spreading unfounded rumor doesn't help anyone.

Each bank will have it's own business model but very unlikely a bank would introduce a world wide initiative that had a short shelf life. My UK bank has also recently cancelled my debit card, and gave me another type in it's place. Think it was something to do with a change in the agreement with VISA, they have a vested interest in keeping debit, and credit, cards alive.

I for one, and I suspect many others will have gone up in smoke long before it becomes a concern.

20 hours ago, Conno said:

the only way to access cash will be at a branch, with all the usual questions of 'why do you want cash?'  Which we are already being conditioned with and made to feel guilty for even asking, then that option of over the counter cash will be closed too.

 

Not to mention that banks might close most of their branches, thus leaving us with a lengthy journey to one which is still open, followed by a lengthy wait in a long queue only to be then informed that we can no longer obtain cash over the counter.

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

Not to mention that banks might close most of their branches, thus leaving us with a lengthy journey to one which is still open, followed by a lengthy wait in a long queue only to be then informed that we can no longer obtain cash over the counter.

Bankwest, a subsidiary to the Commonwealth Bank in Australia, has closed all physical branches and now operates as a digital bank. I guess the Commonwealth Bank, the biggest in Australia, is using Bankwest as a trial.