Thai Banks To Start Charging For Atm Withdrawals ...

[jfchandler]

Jesimps, at this point, I'd guess it's safe to assume you can use that same Nationwide card at any Bank of Ayudhya ATM and expect the same result... no fee. I think it's very unlikely whatever they're doing that results in no fee (and I'd sure like to know how/why) is going to change from location to location.

But, if anyone has a current, contrary experience about that with Bank of Ayudhya ATMs, please do chime in...

[donx]

I haven't heard recently if US bank ATM cards are still being charged the 150 baht fee at Bank of Ayudhya. Are US card holders still testing this? I'm not in Thailand now so I can't try it myself. I hope this is a sign of things to come for all foreign ATM card holders (I'm definitely not holding my breath).

[jfchandler]

When I tried sometime back, my U.S. ATM debit cards were still showing the 150 baht fee at Ayudhya, though I haven't tried lately. However, I've yet to see any report here on TV of an American saying they had gone fee-free at Ayudhya....

[donx]

When I tried sometime back, my U.S. ATM debit cards were still showing the 150 baht fee at Ayudhya, though I haven't tried lately. However, I've yet to see any report here on TV of an American saying they had gone fee-free at Ayudhya....

I haven't seen any reports here either, but I want to know whether that is because US card holders are trying or not. Once I heard a bank started charging the fee, I stopped using that bank's ATMs. I wonder who the first person was that found out that the 150 baht fee wasn't being charged? I remember at first the fee was down from 150 baht to 15 baht. Now there is no fee (on the Thai side).

[jfchandler]

DonX, there were some reports here about that re Bank of Ayudhya... But as best as I recall, none of them were coming from Americans... For some reason, the Brits and their Nationwide UK cards, and some other Europeans, seem to be the beneficiaries of whatever BofA is doing.

But...I have it on my agenda to try some of my various cards in a BofA ATM in the next day or two...just to doublecheck.

When I tried sometime back, my U.S. ATM debit cards were still showing the 150 baht fee at Ayudhya, though I haven't tried lately. However, I've yet to see any report here on TV of an American saying they had gone fee-free at Ayudhya....

I haven't seen any reports here either, but I want to know whether that is because US card holders are trying or not. Once I heard a bank started charging the fee, I stopped using that bank's ATMs. I wonder who the first person was that found out that the 150 baht fee wasn't being charged? I remember at first the fee was down from 150 baht to 15 baht. Now there is no fee (on the Thai side).

[jfchandler]

To DonX and others in general...

Yesterday, I tried out my E*Trade VISA debit card and an HSBC ATM card (both from the U.S.) in a Bank of Ayudhya ATM in BKK. And as I had expected, in beginning a withdrawal, both times, I got the advance warning that there would be a 150 baht fee, and thus canceled both transactions.

No luck for Americans in this... For some unknown reason, the Brits, Germans and a few others are getting a break on this subject.

[Deelectro]

sorry if this is a repeat, no time to read 88 pages on this thread,but..

the 150 Bt. charge is $5 dollars (Cdn) but when the transaction shows up on my banks statement the cost of the transaction is between 18-21 bucks. (withdrawing 25,000 + 150 Bt, should equall exactly $805, but I get charged $821 Plus another $5 from my bank. So be careful, the 150 baht might not be your biggest problem! from what I did read of all the posts, the best way to get cash,minimizing fees, is to transfer money from home to your Thai account inlarge sums. anyone care to summarize the other options?

[wimpy]

sorry if this is a repeat, no time to read 88 pages on this thread,but..

the 150 Bt. charge is $5 dollars (Cdn) but when the transaction shows up on my banks statement the cost of the transaction is between 18-21 bucks. (withdrawing 25,000 + 150 Bt, should equall exactly $805, but I get charged $821 Plus another $5 from my bank. So be careful, the 150 baht might not be your biggest problem! from what I did read of all the posts, the best way to get cash,minimizing fees, is to transfer money from home to your Thai account inlarge sums. anyone care to summarize the other options?

It would be helpful if you could tell us what kind of card you are using. Visa/Mastercard? Debit/Credit? Your bank?

[jfchandler]

Next time, please read all 88 pages of the thread, so you'll know what you're talking about first...

But this time, we'll go easy on you... This is an excerpt from a post earlier on this page... It pertains to U.S. debit cards, but you can equally well substitute Canadian with no harm...

As for using a U.S. debit card in Thailand that will not incur the 150 baht Thai bank withdrawal fee...I don't know of any. But you can get to the same result in one of two ways...

a. use only AEON ATMs with any U.S. VISA or MC logo debit card in Thailand, and you''ll pay no fee, and/or

b. have a U.S. bank account/card that reimburses you either in full or up to some amount per month for other banks' ATM fees. Some U.S. banks only reimburse other banks' domestic ATM fees. A few reimburse other banks' ATM fees worldwide. E*Trade and Charles Schwab checking accounts are examples of cards that reimburse worldwide in full... There are a variety of mostly smaller banks that reimburse like up to $10 or $25 per month worldwide.

You can find more about these kinds of options by doing some searching on the Internet...or even here on ThaiVisa.

PS - For the record, I should have also added you can obtain cash here from Thai banks by doing what's called a counter withdrawal, where you go to the teller and present your U.S. debit card and passport, and ask them to withdraw funds from your account and give you the proceeds in baht. Of course, up to the limit of funds in your account. Not all Thai banks make this easy...some will tell you to go to their ATM. But probably most of the time, if you're willing to bring along your passport, you can do it. And counter withdrawals do not incur the 150 baht fee, unlike ATM withdrawals.

What the above leaves out though, since it was answering another question, was the issue of what your home country bank may be charging you for foreign transactions. If you're going to play or live abroad, you'd better find a home bank that doesn't take you to the cleaners for doing so. That means no foreign transaction fees... No percentages taken of all your foreign ATM withdrawals or purchases. No flat $X per foreign ATM withdrawal.

It seems from your post that you don't know, or haven't looked into, just where you extra dollars went in the transaction you mention. For an ATM withdrawal, the Thai bank would ONLY be taking 150 baht or about your $5 Canadian. Anything beyond that is likely being skimmed by your home bank in a flat fee, a percentage fee, or sometimes both.

It also seems you didn't say exactly HOW you made the withdrawal (ATM or currency exchange booth or inside the branch), what kind of card you used (including credit or debit), and what source you used to conclude what exchange rate you were going to get.

sorry if this is a repeat, no time to read 88 pages on this thread,but..

anyone care to summarize the other options?

[donx]

To DonX and others in general...

Yesterday, I tried out my E*Trade VISA debit card and an HSBC ATM card (both from the U.S.) in a Bank of Ayudhya ATM in BKK. And as I had expected, in beginning a withdrawal, both times, I got the advance warning that there would be a 150 baht fee, and thus canceled both transactions.

No luck for Americans in this... For some unknown reason, the Brits, Germans and a few others are getting a break on this subject.

Thank you for the update jfchandler. I really wish someone could explain why some foreign cards are charged the 150 baht fee at Bank of Ayudhya ATMs and some are not.

[BIGTOE3]

Because this is Thailand - is the only logical answer - SORRY

BT

[GreenSnapper]

I really wish someone could explain why some foreign cards are charged the 150 baht fee at Bank of Ayudhya ATMs and some are not.

I have a theory about that:

some weeks ago certain Thai banks (SCB AFAIR) announced that certain Thai credit cards will no longer be charged the 150B-farang fee. Before that, some Thai cards were also regarded as "foreign".

Therefore Thai Banks had to reprogram their software to exclude those Thai cards from the fee. BoA may have just made some programming mistake so that certain European cards also fell under the fee-free program.

I'm prepared that the fees will come back some day. But as this is Thailand, it may take some time.

[BIGTOE3]

Sounds Logical to me.

BT

[JAS21]

Does this help..On Friday 11th I used my Blue Nationwide Flex Debit Card in a BofA ATM which was in Tesco Lotus on Changwattana.

I withdrew 10000baht, it said no fee. I see that I was charged £187.75 which equates to an overall exchange rate of 53.26. On that day/time Bangkok Bank TT rate showed 53.62, BoA TT showed 53.57 and Visa international corporate exchange rate 53.76. So I calculate that working on the International Visa rate Nationwide charged me just about 1%.

[BIGTOE3]

Does this help..On Friday 11th I used my Blue Nationwide Flex Debit Card in a BofA ATM which was in Tesco Lotus on Changwattana.

I withdrew 10000baht, it said no fee. I see that I was charged £187.75 which equates to an overall exchange rate of 53.26. On that day/time Bangkok Bank TT rate showed 53.62, BoA TT showed 53.57 and Visa international corporate exchange rate 53.76. So I calculate that working on the International Visa rate Nationwide charged me just about 1%.

You are quite correct the 1% charge is the VISA charge which Nationwide are now passing on if outside the EU area.

Apply for their Cirus ( red card ) NO Charge at all.

Hope this helps.

BT

Edited December 13, 2009 by BIGTOE3

[Langsuan Man]

Aeon Carefour Pattaya Monday Dec 14, 2009, US E*trade Visa branded Debit card 33.04 THB per USD (33,000 THB transaction) No ATM fee

In Process ATM AEON CREDIT SYS Location: CARREFOUR PATTAYA BANGKOK TH -998.68

Edited December 14, 2009 by Langsuan Man

[vagabond48]

Over the last 2 1/2 weeks I made 3 AEON withdrawals using my fee free Bank of Internet DC. Using this same card in the past, I have got from 99.97% or over 100% of IER.

For the last 3 I got the following,

11/27 33.0497 IER 33.2250 99.47% of IER

12/04 33.0433 IER 33.1179 99.77% of IER

12/14 33.0433 IER 33.1351 99.72% of IER

Note the last 2 withdrawals 10 days apart got the same rate of 33.0433 even though I withdrew different amounts.

I am wondering if AEON has started adding a small (for us, but a nice additional profit for them)) hidden fee of .2% to .25%.

Btw, a previous poster using their etrade DC got the same rate of 33.04 12/14, so I don't think my card is the issue.

Has anyone recently gotten a better rate?

[donx]

vagabond48,

Today, 12/15 withdrawal using Schwab Visa Card netted a rate of 33.0701 taking into account the 150 baht fee (which will be reimbersed at the end of the month). The withdrawal was done at a Thai Farmer's Bank ATM. IMHO, not much different from your AEON withdrawals.

[wimpy]

Over the last 2 1/2 weeks I made 3 AEON withdrawals using my fee free Bank of Internet DC. Using this same card in the past, I have got from 99.97% or over 100% of IER.

For the last 3 I got the following,

11/27 33.0497 IER 33.2250 99.47% of IER

12/04 33.0433 IER 33.1179 99.77% of IER

12/14 33.0433 IER 33.1351 99.72% of IER

Note the last 2 withdrawals 10 days apart got the same rate of 33.0433 even though I withdrew different amounts.

I am wondering if AEON has started adding a small (for us, but a nice additional profit for them)) hidden fee of .2% to .25%.

Btw, a previous poster using their etrade DC got the same rate of 33.04 12/14, so I don't think my card is the issue.

Has anyone recently gotten a better rate?

12/3 33.1027

12/5 33.0928

12/11 33.0436

Bank of Internet Visa debit card used at Aeon (Lotus Hang Dong).

[vagabond48]

Thanks wimpy, based on your results, it appears my 33.04 rates just happen to be coincidental and not some GREAT conspiracy. I do tend to go to the machine after lunch about 2PM. Maybe the rates are lower at that time of the day.

[wimpy]

Thanks wimpy, based on your results, it appears my 33.04 rates just happen to be coincidental and not some GREAT conspiracy. I do tend to go to the machine after lunch about 2PM. Maybe the rates are lower at that time of the day.

Today Aeon 12/16 33.0808

[jfchandler]

Catching up a bit here... In the past, a few people have had problems with AEON ATMs sometimes not returning their ATM cards, either because of malfunction, or the user leaving them in the machine too long...

So indeed, all the AEON ATMs I've seen have a sticker on the front with the phone numbers to call in case those kinds of problems occur.

Here's a snapshot of those phone numbers, in case anyone ever needs them.

[jfchandler]

Likewise, in the past, some folks said they had difficulty locating the AEON ATM at Victory Monument. Well, I happened to be out strolling that way today, and now can offer a precise location and photo guide.

The AEON ATM there, as previously mentioned, is a stand-alone unit, not part of any branch. It is located very close to the stairs that come from the Skytrain walkway there down to the street along the front of the Rajivithi Hospital center located there. (From the Victory Monument BTS station, walk onward toward Victory Monument, and turn left at the first intersection in the sky walkway. Once you turn left, it's maybe another 50 meters onward on the walkway before you reach the downward stairs in front of Rajivithi).

Once you go down the stairs there to street level, walk onwalk from the stairs and just on your left will be a public bathrooms small building. Just beyond there and around the corner from that building on the left is a bank of various ATMs, with the AEON one being the unmarked blue/gray colored one at the end of the row. If you keep walking past the restrooms building and the ATMS further on is a Mr. Bun pastry stop on the left. Get to that shop, and you've gone too far.

Here's the AEON ATM there:

Here's what the location of the ATMs looks like, if you're standing out toward the street curb. The ATMs are on the right exterior wall around the corner from these phones:

[jfchandler]

As for our daily exchange rates derby...

I too did back-to-back withdrawals today about 3 p.m. from an AEON ATM using my U.S. E-Trade VISA debit card...

Got 33.08 on the first pull and 33.07 baht per U.S. $ on the second pull maybe two minutes later... No ATM fee of course.

(But Vagabond, do you think AEON is taking a cut/lowered exchange rate for people who try to do more than one withdrawal at a time from their ATMs???? I'm feeling a little concerned something may be afoot with that... After all, I lost .01 baht per dollar on the second pull somehow.... )

Won't know today's IERs until tomorrow. But yesterday/Tuesday's IERs were 33.134 from the Bank of Thailand website and 33.16 from the Xrates web site. Pretty close to the usual norms/spreads for such things...

[vagabond48]

(But Vagabond, do you think AEON is taking a cut/lowered exchange rate for people who try to do more than one withdrawal at a time from their ATMs???? I'm feeling a little concerned something may be afoot with that... After all, I lost .01 baht per dollar on the second pull somehow.... )

Well, it's a theory. Maybe I'll get in touch with my NSA contacts and have them do a covert investigation.

Don't you worry, I'll get to the bottom off this and heads will roll.

[powderpuff]

I think most people know you lose 40 stang doing FOREIGN ATM withdrawals (at least on USD). Stang not Satang.

[BIGTOE3]

Likewise, in the past, some folks said they had difficulty locating the AEON ATM at Victory Monument. Well, I happened to be out strolling that way today, and now can offer a precise location and photo guide.

The AEON ATM there, as previously mentioned, is a stand-alone unit, not part of any branch. It is located very close to the stairs that come from the Skytrain walkway there down to the street along the front of the Rajivithi Hospital center located there. (From the Victory Monument BTS station, walk onward toward Victory Monument, and turn left at the first intersection in the sky walkway. Once you turn left, it's maybe another 50 meters onward on the walkway before you reach the downward stairs in front of Rajivithi).

Once you go down the stairs there to street level, walk onwalk from the stairs and just on your left will be a public bathrooms small building. Just beyond there and around the corner from that building on the left is a bank of various ATMs, with the AEON one being the unmarked blue/gray colored one at the end of the row. If you keep walking past the restrooms building and the ATMS further on is a Mr. Bun pastry stop on the left. Get to that shop, and you've gone too far.

Here's the AEON ATM there:

Here's what the location of the ATMs looks like, if you're standing out toward the street curb. The ATMs are on the right exterior wall around the corner from these phones:

Good discription JF - BUT all beware this is an OLD machine and it swallowed my Credit card for no good reason. So Be careful.

BT

[jfchandler]

I don't believe my numbers above reflect that kind of loss.... And if you think so, loss compared to what alternative???

I think most people know you lose 40 stang doing FOREIGN ATM withdrawals (at least on USD). Stang not Satang.

[jfchandler]

BigToe... I have a long and a good memory, most of the time. So today when I was out, I not only remembered the question about where this Victory Monument ATM was located, but I also remembered you problem with the machine...

So, when I was there, I first tried an ATM card for a U.S. bank/account that I don't really use here or that has any funds on hand. Entered my PIN, did all the menu stuff, and then canceled at the end. And the machine returned that card just fine.

So after that test...with a card I wasn't particularly worried about if it happened to get swallowed, I pulled out my real VISA debit card, with real funds deposited, and did my actual transactions with that one. And of course, everything worked fine.

But it certainly is true, the stand-alone ATMs, ones not connected with an actual bank branch or office, are probably likely to take more abuse and not be as well maintained. Though, I have an SCB branch near my home with a bunch of ATMs out front, and those dang machines are perpetually broken and out of service... So there's no guarantees...

Good discription JF - BUT all beware this is an OLD machine and it swallowed my Credit card for no good reason. So Be careful.

BT

[jfchandler]

Just let me know what size you want your tin foil hat, and I'll make sure it's prepared to your exact specification...

(But Vagabond, do you think AEON is taking a cut/lowered exchange rate for people who try to do more than one withdrawal at a time from their ATMs???? I'm feeling a little concerned something may be afoot with that... After all, I lost .01 baht per dollar on the second pull somehow.... )

Well, it's a theory. Maybe I'll get in touch with my NSA contacts and have them do a covert investigation.

Don't you worry, I'll get to the bottom off this and heads will roll.