Australian returning to Bangkok after a six year absence- back in the day AEONs had fee-free withdrawals. Whats the best way of withdrawing Thai baht without being hit with big fees these days?

All ATM withdrawals will cost 250. If you have to do one make sure you withdraw 30,000. Otherwise try to do a counter withdrawal, the bank may or not want to do that. Or bring cash, better rates and no fees.

250 baht everywhere.

Krungsri (yellow atm) has 30,000 limit, 30 notes max.

Note to decline their offer of 'conversion' usually 500+- baht more than your banks rate.

Edited May 14May 14 by OldHand2541

Use a foreign credit card (with no foreign transaction fees) for the big purchases. Better exchange rates than most ootions.

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

All ATM withdrawals will cost 250. If you have to do one make sure you withdraw 30,000. Otherwise try to do a counter withdrawal, the bank may or not want to do that. Or bring cash, better rates and no fees.

Last week it was 240 baht at Krunsri ATM on UK debit card.

BKK have big signs saying no over the counter Debit card cash withdrawals.

Edited May 14May 14 by scottiejohn
wrong card

10 hours ago, Bunnycoat said:

Australian returning to Bangkok after a six year absence- back in the day AEONs had fee-free withdrawals. Whats the best way of withdrawing Thai baht without being hit with big fees these days?

Take cash with you plus use card in purchases with no fees as suggested.

Thanks for all the responses people!

I'm an Aussie too, I've lived in Thailand for 25 years. Try opening a Thai bank account, I know it's virtually impossible but an Aussie friend of mine shopped around until he was successful. Granted I took him to a bank near my home on the outskirts of Bangkok where the lady obviously didn't know the banks rules. Back to my friend he tops up online and his money is ready when he gets here and he has a Thai ATM card too. The branch is irrelevant but the bank was Kasikorn.

17 hours ago, Bunnycoat said:

Australian returning to Bangkok after a six year absence- back in the day AEONs had fee-free withdrawals. Whats the best way of withdrawing Thai baht without being hit with big fees these days?

Do you actually have any plastic that forgoes any forex charges? The ATM charge is the least of your issues.

https://www.ing.com.au/everyday-banking.html

Try and find a bank that refunds the charges. Schwab International is one such example.

On 5/14/2026 at 6:46 AM, Upnotover said:

All ATM withdrawals will cost 250. If you have to do one make sure you withdraw 30,000. Otherwise try to do a counter withdrawal, the bank may or not want to do that. Or bring cash, better rates and no fees.

All ATM withdrawals drawn on a foreign bank will cost.

On 5/14/2026 at 12:46 AM, Upnotover said:

All ATM withdrawals will cost 250.

Potentially 350 if a Mastercard is used instead of a Visa.

Edited May 17May 17 by treetops

1 hour ago, treetops said:

Potentially 350 if a Mastercard is used instead of a Visa.

How so?

Does a particular bank charge 350 baht?

40 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

How so?

Does a particular bank charge 350 baht?

Yes, I looked a couple up after a recent discussion elsewhere and found these:

https://www.kasikornbank.com/en/rate/fee/ChargesDoc/ServicingFees_en.pdf

https://www.krungsri.com/getmedia/546f2617-8522-47b8-9b06-6c2cb49f32d0/fee-withdrawal-via-atm-for-international-card-11032026-en

What's wrong with this picture 🤣

My first ATM (pension) withdrawal this year, and now BBL asks if I want them to convert. NO THANKS, as that & fee cost $16 USD, BBL charge vs my account cost for same amount, ฿15k.

Would equal $150 for my 9 withdrawals a year. Yea, that's a pittance of a pension. I think I can spend that $150 / ฿4930 on something for us, instead of BBL

Edited July 16Jul 16 by KhunLA

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

What's wrong with this picture 🤣

My first ATM (pension) withdrawal this year, and now BBL asks if I want them to convert. NO THANKS, as that & fee cost $16 USD, BBL charge vs my account cost for same amount, ฿15k.

Would equal $150 for my 9 withdrawals a year. Yea, that's a pittance of a pension. I think I can spend that $150 / ฿4930 on something for us, instead of BBL

It's why many expats have accounts with companies such as Wise. You transfer your USD to them, then convert the USD to Baht with them, then move the Baht to your BBL account. You then simply withdraw the Baht.

The fees are minimal, and their conversions rates are good.

On 5/14/2026 at 8:08 AM, scottiejohn said:

BKK have big signs saying no over the counter Debit card cash withdrawals.

Since when ?

I withdrew 600k over the counter last month.

35 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

It's why many expats have accounts with companies such as Wise. You transfer your USD to them, then convert the USD to Baht with them, then move the Baht to your BBL account. You then simply withdraw the Baht.

The fees are minimal, and their conversions rates are good.

I prefer to keep my USA account incognito to TRD, JIC they ever enforce their tax code, that would be 2250 THB less, if hit with 15% incoming tax.

I bring in a few $1000 every year via ATM, not specifically to dodge taxes, but it is the easiest way to access my funds, and at the bank anyway. Keeps TRD & IRS from talking to each other.

Edited July 16Jul 16 by KhunLA

17 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Keeps TRD & IRS from talking to each other.

They've been talking to each other for years. 🙂

18 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

They've been talking to each other for years. 🙂

Yea, but using the ATM ... I'm just a tourist. My pension & activity in my Fid accounts present a very poor, retired, old fart.

Same with my BBL account, and spends all his money just surviving. Minimal balances in both.

Wife on the other hand, very successful RE investor, though no real income. Minimal to no tax burden on both of us.

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Yea, but using the ATM ... I'm just a tourist. My pension & activity in my Fid accounts present a very poor, retired, old fart.

Same with my BBL account, and spends all his money just surviving. Minimal balances in both.

Wife on the other hand, very successful RE investor, though no real income. Minimal to no tax burden on both of us.

I remember posting in a couple of the very lengthy threads a while ago about taxing foreigners bringing in their money that the use of ATM's was just one method that could be used to minimize tax. However, the ATM fees, and Visa / MasterCard fees are high.

I have a physical Wise card, and others have mentioned the Revolut card. You might consider them, as their fees for using an ATM are more reasonable.

Edited Friday at 01:12 PM5 days by KhunHeineken

8 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I remember posting in a couple of the very lengthy threads a while ago about taxing foreigners bringing in their money that the use of ATM's was just one method that could be used to minimize tax. However, the ATM fees, and Visa / MasterCard fees are high.

I have a physical Wise card, and others have mentioned the Revolut card. You might consider them, as their fees for using an ATM are more reasonable.

I don't hit with any ATM fees. Fid. will transfer to my BBL account also for free, so Wise is no use to me. ATM and transfer in, gets almost the same, as BBL will charge 200-500 for incoming. ATM is too easy, and marginal differnce if any, on amount received.

Added plus of avoiding tax man, if ever enforced. Only other thing I use my pension for, since so little, is booking hotels, on rare occassion that we do book in advance.

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I don't hit with any ATM fees. Fid. will transfer to my BBL account also for free, so Wise is no use to me. ATM and transfer in, gets almost the same, as BBL will charge 200-500 for incoming. ATM is too easy, and marginal differnce if any, on amount received.

Added plus of avoiding tax man, if ever enforced. Only other thing I use my pension for, since so little, is booking hotels, on rare occassion that we do book in advance.

Sounds like a good system, just have to hope your wife outlives you.

1 minute ago, KhunHeineken said:

Sounds like a good system, just have to hope your wife outlives you.

That should be easy, 50 next month, I'll be 72 at year's end 🙄

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I don't hit with any ATM fees. Fid. will transfer to my BBL account also for free, so Wise is no use to me. ATM and transfer in, gets almost the same, as BBL will charge 200-500 for incoming. ATM is too easy, and marginal differnce if any, on amount received.

Added plus of avoiding tax man, if ever enforced. Only other thing I use my pension for, since so little, is booking hotels, on rare occassion that we do book in advance.

I went to Australia several years ago, staying near Sydney.

I needed to get some cash so I tried my K bank debit card at the ATM of a big high profile Aussie bank (name starts with W) about 2:00 pm and got an on screen message that the basic fee was AUD44- regardless of withdrawal amount plus commission based on the actual withrawal amount.

I cancelled the transaction and called the one Aussie bank where I still had an account but no plastic cards (Macquarie Bank) and shared the details above. They were shocked at the AUD44 fee.

Typical of Macquarie I had a very pleasant discussion focused on how to quickly get me some cash but at that point not sharing any information.

Main point was issueing a new Macq. debit card (can be done within 1 hr) and getting the new card to me by a bank owned courier. Also gave me a code number to quote when the courier arrived. and that happened about 9.30 am the next morning. As discussed I called the bank immediately and we went through a further security protocol. I then went to a nearby ATM machine (not Macq. bank, they don't have ATM Machines) , and using the new Macq. debit card withdrew AUD25- no problems. Also discovered that I could quote the K Bank debit card details, no fees but a small commission amount.

On 7/17/2026 at 1:35 PM, KhunLA said:

That should be easy, 50 next month, I'll be 72 at year's end 🙄

Keep her off the motorbike and off the lao khao. 😂

You gotta do what you gotta do. I used my USA ATM and made a 25,000 baht withdrawl yesterday as I went way over my monthly spending. And, I don't like the 250 baht charge either, nobody does.