Nationwide Flex--yet Another Question

[haybilly]

OK, I know that this has been done to death so--apologies; I have recently opened a Nationwide Flex account with Debit card, purely for making free cash transfers to Los but, on two occasions I have attempted to use it as an ATM card the machine has swallowed my card--I have to return the following a.m. when they open the ATM and they return my card--Nationwide has checked both times and say that nothing wrong with either my card or my account and don't know why ATM has eaten my card--OK, I have today tried the TV recommended method of asking bank [ SCIB Ch. Mai] to use their 'swipe' machine and clerk tries several attempts, each time suggesting I reduce amount [ only trying for 60k, 40k and finally 30k] and then she gives up saying can't be done---PLEASE, what is the correct method--what should I/the bank be doing????

It's even more annoying as time goes by and sterling goes down the toilet!

HELP, please.

[neil324]

Your only allowed to withdraw 300GBP per day about 16500 baht

[TexasRanger]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

[VBF]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

You can have a lot of fun on 16,000Baht a day!!!!

Seriously, the Nationwide Flex card IS limited to the equivalent of £300 /day at the prevalent exchange rate. In my personal experience, if you try to withdraw more, the first time you try the ATM just spits the card out. If you keep trying, then it might hold the card - this would be the Bank's security systems spotting what might be a stolen card - same as if you get your PIN wrong 3 times.

Could this be your problem Haybilly?

[haybilly]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

You can have a lot of fun on 16,000Baht a day!!!!

Seriously, the Nationwide Flex card IS limited to the equivalent of £300 /day at the prevalent exchange rate. In my personal experience, if you try to withdraw more, the first time you try the ATM just spits the card out. If you keep trying, then it might hold the card - this would be the Bank's security systems spotting what might be a stolen card - same as if you get your PIN wrong 3 times.

Could this be your problem Haybilly?

Not sure what's my problem--I have been trying to pull 20,000, so that's obviously creating a prob, but it doesn't tell me to reduce the amount, in fact it doesn't say anything just eats the card--even Nationwide callcentre said that attempting to withdraw above the limit shouldn't result in the card being kept by the machine-so, who knows--TIT--I'll try to withdraw 16K tomorrow and see what happens--but, seriously, I thought that the whole point of this 'wonder' card <deleted> was that you could withdraw LARGE sums without a commision/fee--not the case, I guess???

Anyway, thanks to all of you who have replied.

[neil324]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

[haybilly]

Your only allowed to withdraw 300GBP per day about 16500 baht

This is the ATM withdrawal limit but what about using the swipe machine inside the bank--isn't the figure significantly increased? In previous threads folk have mentioned drawing 1000 pounds and another poster says several 100,000 baht--can't all be about poxy exchange rate limits, surely??

[haybilly]

Your only allowed to withdraw 300GBP per day about 16500 baht

This is the ATM withdrawal limit but what about using the swipe machine inside the bank--isn't the figure significantly increased? In previous threads folk have mentioned drawing 1000 pounds and another poster says several 100,000 baht--can't all be about poxy exchange rate limits, surely??

OK--I am now answering my own question, I know, but maybe some of you might find it interesting--having had no joy trying the 'swipe' method, with Siam Comm. [ a bank that I have held various accounts with for nearly 9 years] and then losing my Debit card in their ATM, I collected my card from the bank this a.m. and got the rudest treatment by a Thai bank manager that it has ever been my misfortune to receive--this was the large branch just down the Hang Dong Rd.[ near Tesco Lotus] Ch. Mai-- in case anyone was thinking of using them-DONT, the manager has got serious problems with being pleasant to her customers--anyway, I then went to Krungsri Bank [ Ayuddhya Bank] and asked to do a cash transfer and produced my Nationwide Flex Debit card--the bank clerk, a very polite lady and a breath of fresh air after Godzilla at Thai Panich, went to a 'swipe' machine, one of the ones you used to have to use for credit card transactions [ prior to 'Chip and Pin] and which produces a duplicate receipt which one has to sign, she did the business and then duly handed over 60,000 Baht which was all I asked for--I am sure I could have requested transferring more but this was not the case--anyway, cut a long story-time, it exceeded the daily 300 pound ATM withdrawal limit with no problems--I have yet to try the ATM method again as I don't have time to keep going back to get lost cards.

So, as was pointed out in previous threads this method does work--AND, the exchange rate was 55.18 as opposed to 53.47 as shown in Krungsri Bank when I made the transfer--still crap but better.

Sorry to woffle on but some may find it interesting--not the ones who already knew all this, I know, so apologies to them.

[TexasRanger]

Your only allowed to withdraw 300GBP per day about 16500 baht

This is the ATM withdrawal limit but what about using the swipe machine inside the bank--isn't the figure significantly increased? In previous threads folk have mentioned drawing 1000 pounds and another poster says several 100,000 baht--can't all be about poxy exchange rate limits, surely??

OK--I am now answering my own question, I know, but maybe some of you might find it interesting--having had no joy trying the 'swipe' method, with Siam Comm. [ a bank that I have held various accounts with for nearly 9 years] and then losing my Debit card in their ATM, I collected my card from the bank this a.m. and got the rudest treatment by a Thai bank manager that it has ever been my misfortune to receive--this was the large branch just down the Hang Dong Rd.[ near Tesco Lotus] Ch. Mai-- in case anyone was thinking of using them-DONT, the manager has got serious problems with being pleasant to her customers--anyway, I then went to Krungsri Bank [ Ayuddhya Bank] and asked to do a cash transfer and produced my Nationwide Flex Debit card--the bank clerk, a very polite lady and a breath of fresh air after Godzilla at Thai Panich, went to a 'swipe' machine, one of the ones you used to have to use for credit card transactions [ prior to 'Chip and Pin] and which produces a duplicate receipt which one has to sign, she did the business and then duly handed over 60,000 Baht which was all I asked for--I am sure I could have requested transferring more but this was not the case--anyway, cut a long story-time, it exceeded the daily 300 pound ATM withdrawal limit with no problems--I have yet to try the ATM method again as I don't have time to keep going back to get lost cards.

So, as was pointed out in previous threads this method does work--AND, the exchange rate was 55.18 as opposed to 53.47 as shown in Krungsri Bank when I made the transfer--still crap but better.

Sorry to woffle on but some may find it interesting--not the ones who already knew all this, I know, so apologies to them.

That's interesting mate, thanks for the tip, I have been drawing out my limit every day as I am spending a lot at the moment so I might try this today in Bangkok, I'll post my findings too.

[JimsKnight]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

You can have a lot of fun on 16,000Baht a day!!!!

Seriously, the Nationwide Flex card IS limited to the equivalent of £300 /day at the prevalent exchange rate. In my personal experience, if you try to withdraw more, the first time you try the ATM just spits the card out. If you keep trying, then it might hold the card - this would be the Bank's security systems spotting what might be a stolen card - same as if you get your PIN wrong 3 times.

Could this be your problem Haybilly?

Not sure what's my problem--I have been trying to pull 20,000, so that's obviously creating a prob, but it doesn't tell me to reduce the amount, in fact it doesn't say anything just eats the card--even Nationwide callcentre said that attempting to withdraw above the limit shouldn't result in the card being kept by the machine-so, who knows--TIT--I'll try to withdraw 16K tomorrow and see what happens--but, seriously, I thought that the whole point of this 'wonder' card <deleted> was that you could withdraw LARGE sums without a commision/fee--not the case, I guess???

Anyway, thanks to all of you who have replied.

AFAIK the nationwide card don't charge any commision or charges, unless things have changed since last year????!

[TexasRanger]

OK, I went to Kasikorn with my flex card and they said the limit was set by the card issuer but I think they didn't understand, anyway, I went to Bank of Ayudhya and they said something similar, I pushed the issue and lied and said I had done it before and they tried it and hey presto, withdrew 100,000 Baht with no problem. I will check my bank for charges but I think I will do this more often. Thanks to Haybilly for the top tip.

[marshbags]

OK, I went to Kasikorn with my flex card and they said the limit was set by the card issuer but I think they didn't understand, anyway, I went to Bank of Ayudhya and they said something similar, I pushed the issue and lied and said I had done it before and they tried it and hey presto, withdrew 100,000 Baht with no problem. I will check my bank for charges but I think I will do this more often. Thanks to Haybilly for the top tip.

Let us hope the security checks and balances are on the ball and none of the wiz merchants are able to exploit it all.

Limits are of course put in place to prevent a rogue user emptying your account of mega baht.

Not being a clever sod, just a reminder on their / our behalfs as exeeeding the limit is not what it is meant to be about.

marshbags

[haybilly]

OK, I went to Kasikorn with my flex card and they said the limit was set by the card issuer but I think they didn't understand, anyway, I went to Bank of Ayudhya and they said something similar, I pushed the issue and lied and said I had done it before and they tried it and hey presto, withdrew 100,000 Baht with no problem. I will check my bank for charges but I think I will do this more often. Thanks to Haybilly for the top tip.

Let us hope the security checks and balances are on the ball and none of the wiz merchants are able to exploit it all.

Limits are of course put in place to prevent a rogue user emptying your account of mega baht.

Not being a clever sod, just a reminder on their / our behalfs as exeeeding the limit is not what it is meant to be about.

marshbags

I know what your saying MB, and I wasn't trying to cause anybody any probs--but this has already been mentioned in various previous threads as being a way to transfer 'substantial' amounts without incurring big charges--glad it's helped some people [ myself included] but I agree with Marshbags--keep a watchful eye on your account.

[TexasRanger]

OK, I went to Kasikorn with my flex card and they said the limit was set by the card issuer but I think they didn't understand, anyway, I went to Bank of Ayudhya and they said something similar, I pushed the issue and lied and said I had done it before and they tried it and hey presto, withdrew 100,000 Baht with no problem. I will check my bank for charges but I think I will do this more often. Thanks to Haybilly for the top tip.

Let us hope the security checks and balances are on the ball and none of the wiz merchants are able to exploit it all.

Limits are of course put in place to prevent a rogue user emptying your account of mega baht.

Not being a clever sod, just a reminder on their / our behalfs as exeeeding the limit is not what it is meant to be about.

marshbags

The bank believe the daily limit to be about 100,000 Bht. They required 2 copies of my passport to be signed by me and a signed cash slip plus the signature on the slip that the swipe machine generated. Should be OK.

[gwynt]

OK, I went to Kasikorn with my flex card and they said the limit was set by the card issuer but I think they didn't understand, anyway, I went to Bank of Ayudhya and they said something similar, I pushed the issue and lied and said I had done it before and they tried it and hey presto, withdrew 100,000 Baht with no problem. I will check my bank for charges but I think I will do this more often. Thanks to Haybilly for the top tip.

Let us hope the security checks and balances are on the ball and none of the wiz merchants are able to exploit it all.

Limits are of course put in place to prevent a rogue user emptying your account of mega baht.

Not being a clever sod, just a reminder on their / our behalfs as exeeeding the limit is not what it is meant to be about.

marshbags

The bank believe the daily limit to be about 100,000 Bht. They required 2 copies of my passport to be signed by me and a signed cash slip plus the signature on the slip that the swipe machine generated. Should be OK.

Hi All

I have used the Nationwide since arriving here more than 4 years ago and I can assure all that there are no charges by Nationwide for debit card withdrawalls and the max amount per day is 200,000 Baht over the counter with the aforementioned swipe that produces a slip to sign, I have done this on many occasions and will do again shortly to put deposit on new house. The only charge is by SCB of 100 baht,

Gwynt

[briley]

For those who are worried Nationwide will not authorise any withdrawal that takes you over your overdraft limit - the ATM will only give you a maximum of £300 but as pointed out above there is apparently no limit over the counter in a Bank.

So for safety I keep almost nothing in my flex account so if my card is lost the most anyone can get is my overdraft limit, and Nationwide are mean there.

[phaethon]

How do the Nationwide's over-the counter and ATM exchange rates compare to the SWIFT transfer method? It strikes me as potentially not much more expensive and more convenient/safe to transfer funds in four blocks as needed (and the later ones at possibly better rates,but who knows) rather than in one go at the present rate.

[pkrv]

How do the Nationwide's over-the counter and ATM exchange rates compare to the SWIFT transfer method? It strikes me as potentially not much more expensive and more convenient/safe to transfer funds in four blocks as needed (and the later ones at possibly better rates,but who knows) rather than in one go at the present rate.

Sorry but you are getting a bit confused here - SWIFT is a bit like the royal mail it delivers what you send for a fee.

Send GBP to Thailand or convert in the UK and send THB it does not matter (from a SWIFT point of view). The fee is about 10 GBP ish. If you wish to absorb costs at the Thai end add another 5GBP (this allows the exact amount to arrive to pay suppliers in THB etc).

The amount you can send by SWIFT is as far as I am aware, unlimited.

For small amounts and given the exchange rates use 300 GBP as the limit to calculate out what you can withdraw per day. As to withdrawing more over the counter I have not had to explored this, nor do I need to do so - we are talking about the potential of 109,500.00 GBP transferred per year, if just using a cash point. I think not.

edit - SWIFT can only be accessed (or on your behalf) by SWIFT approved institutions - You can access Nationwide directly.

Edited November 10, 2008 by pkrv

[alantheembalmer]

Do any of the Thai banks charge for using an ATM machine, as some seem to in England?

[pkrv]

Do any of the Thai banks charge for using an ATM machine, as some seem to in England?

In England only use cashpoints at banks or the Tube. These are free. Using cash points at petrol stations etc there is a charge but you should be warned that this is the case, before withdrawing money.

I have not yet seen bank charges from Bangkok Bank (but things can change) however there is anecdotal evidence that some Thai banks now charge. Can't remember which ones though.

[marshbags]

How do the Nationwide's over-the counter and ATM exchange rates compare to the SWIFT transfer method? It strikes me as potentially not much more expensive and more convenient/safe to transfer funds in four blocks as needed (and the later ones at possibly better rates,but who knows) rather than in one go at the present rate.

Sorry but you are getting a bit confused here - SWIFT is a bit like the royal mail it delivers what you send for a fee.

Send GBP to Thailand or convert in the UK and send THB it does not matter (from a SWIFT point of view). The fee is about 10 GBP ish. If you wish to absorb costs at the Thai end add another 5GBP (this allows the exact amount to arrive to pay suppliers in THB etc).

The amount you can send by SWIFT is as far as I am aware, unlimited.

For small amounts and given the exchange rates use 300 GBP as the limit to calculate out what you can withdraw per day. As to withdrawing more over the counter I have not had to explored this, nor do I need to do so - we are talking about the potential of 109,500.00 GBP transferred per year, if just using a cash point. I think not.

edit - SWIFT can only be accessed (or on your behalf) by SWIFT approved institutions - You can access Nationwide directly.

This is in any way a criticism PK, just the latest swift info as of 5 mins ago taken from the Online banking web site.

Ref url:- http://www.nationwide.co.uk/internetbankin....htm#printSWIFT

Transfer to Overseas Account using SWIFT

Complete, print, and send a form to request a 'telegraphic transfer' between a UK account and an overseas account. Telegraphic transfers are electronic payments made from an account at one organisation to an account at another. There is a charge of £20 for this service.

For payments made between the UK and other countries we use the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT)

Nationwide cannot guarantee how long SWIFT payments will take to reach a beneficiary's account

There is no minimum or maximum payment amount

You can also take this form into a branch. However, if you do so you will need to ensure that you take identification with you to be able to carry out the transaction

Location of SWIFT Form

Select the FlexAccount from which you wish to transfer funds

Choose 'Other Services' from the left hand side of the screen

Click on 'Transfer Overseas using SWIFT' in the 'Financial Transactions' section.

Read the alert box and click OK

Complete the form on screen, including your FlexAccount number. This should be 8 digits. Sometimes a FlexAccount number has 9 digits with a 6 as the first digit. If this is the case, ignore the 6 and use the following 8 digits

To help process your payment efficiently you should always quote, whenever possible, the Bank Identifier Code (BIC) of the beneficiary's bank

You will always be required to provide the beneficiary's International Bank Account Number (IBAN) when sending payments into Europe*. The IBAN uniquely identifies the beneficiary's account and is only mandatory for processing payments between Countries in Europe

* Europe refers to the 25 EU Member States together with Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

If you send a payment outside of Europe please fully quote the beneficiary's Account Number

print out the form

Sign the form and

post it to the Nationwide address that you will see printed out for you.

The transaction will be carried out on the day that it is received by Nationwide.

Please note: there is a transfer fee of £20 for SWIFT transfers that will be taken from your account.

Unquote

As this thread is mainly about overseas withdrawals i have downloaded this latest instruction relating to swift, which incidently has been in place for some time.

I use it when i need larger transfers and i would also recommend tranfers to be made in £ sterling from the U.K., rather than baht.

This ATM / Swift / Nationwide scenario is repeated on several threads if anyone needs more in depth information, but in any case it certainly isn,t a problem to repeat the basics for convenience.

It is IMHO a brilliant and secure service, but obviously you need to be registered for online banking to use it in this way.

marshbags

Edited November 10, 2008 by marshbags

[phaethon]

Sorry but you are getting a bit confused here...

No I'm not. Pay attention:

Gwynt suggests he can transfer over-the-counter at least 200,000THB for a charge of 100THB. So, if this is so I can transfer this every four months over a year, total cost 400THB and I don't have all my money in one place at one time. Compare with 1000THB to transfer by SWIFT the whole lot in one go (all eggs in one basket) or 4000THB for four transfers.

The only other variable, if Gwynt is correct about the 100THB fee (too good to be true?), is the exchange rate used - that's the unknown at the moment.

[pkrv]

This is in any way a criticism PK, just the latest swift info as of 5 mins ago taken from the Online banking web site.

Ref url:- http://www.nationwide.co.uk/internetbankin....htm#printSWIFT

Transfer to Overseas Account using SWIFT

There is no problem here. Yes I have used Nationwide to transfer pure stirling to a developer during the 'onshore offshore period' god this is tricky stuff!

Oddly I had to transfer MORE than was required because I did not have a clue as to what would arrive. This is all discussed here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Onshore-offs...Mo-t127371.html

Yes Nationwide can access SWIFT on your behalf (I guess I should have added building societies and indeed some supermarkets to the 'safe' list ). they onpass the cost to you. You should still get the great rate if you convert in the UK but realistically you cannot work out what you get with the Thai banks if you transfer in GBP because it takes a day or two to arrive. What rate is prevelent then? If I knew I would not be on this thread

[thecatman]

Do any of the Thai banks charge for using an ATM machine, as some seem to in England?

Siam Commercial Do (The purple bank) but that's the only one I've come across so far. (I'm sure some others do though).

[pkrv]

Sorry but you are getting a bit confused here...

No I'm not. Pay attention:

Gwynt suggests he can transfer over-the-counter at least 200,000THB for a charge of 100THB. So, if this is so I can transfer this every four months over a year, total cost 400THB and I don't have all my money in one place at one time. Compare with 1000THB to transfer by SWIFT the whole lot in one go (all eggs in one basket) or 4000THB for four transfers.

The only other variable, if Gwynt is correct about the 100THB fee (too good to be true?), is the exchange rate used - that's the unknown at the moment.

OK I have already said I have no idea about the transfer-over-the -counter. You are correct to suspect the rate actually used but I don't have a clue as to what that is.

From a personal perspective I need to pay Thai electricity bills. When I am over I insert my Nationwide Flex card into a Bangkok Bank cash machine, withdraw cash (up to 300 GBP per day) feed it into another Bangkok Bank machine which reads it, then update my Bangkok Bank passbook savings account. There is NO fee and I get the true market rate (no spread on the pips).

If these matters trouble you I suggest this is a great mechanism for the transfer of small amounts of cash (and a few thousand GBP is not that much unless you need to pay a suplier in one go, especially if you spend time here)

Edited November 10, 2008 by pkrv

[Tafia]

I take out 16000 a day, that is about the most I can get out with this crappy exchange rate.

You can have a lot of fun on 16,000Baht a day!!!!

Seriously, the Nationwide Flex card IS limited to the equivalent of £300 /day at the prevalent exchange rate. In my personal experience, if you try to withdraw more, the first time you try the ATM just spits the card out. If you keep trying, then it might hold the card - this would be the Bank's security systems spotting what might be a stolen card - same as if you get your PIN wrong 3 times.

Could this be your problem Haybilly?

Not sure what's my problem--I have been trying to pull 20,000, so that's obviously creating a prob, but it doesn't tell me to reduce the amount, in fact it doesn't say anything just eats the card--even Nationwide callcentre said that attempting to withdraw above the limit shouldn't result in the card being kept by the machine-so, who knows--TIT--I'll try to withdraw 16K tomorrow and see what happens--but, seriously, I thought that the whole point of this 'wonder' card <deleted> was that you could withdraw LARGE sums without a commision/fee--not the case, I guess???

Anyway, thanks to all of you who have replied.

Open more accounts I have 4 and can withdraw from all each day also online transfer if there is a problem with one of the accounts or cards. (Advised by NW)

Edited December 13, 2008 by Tafia