Thai Banks To Start Charging For Atm Withdrawals ...

[Priceless]

Just for argument's sake, let's say I would otherwise spend about 2,000 baht per month on 150 baht ATM withdrawal fees, if I didn't totally avoid Thai ATMs charging that fee.

Whether that 2,000 baht is 10% or 1% of my monthly income, I'd rather spend that money on something of value in my life, rather than waste it on an unwarranted, excessive charge that probably unfairly targets farangs (i.e., charges them in excess of the true costs of providing the service involved).

If folks like MOSAN have nothing better to spend their money on, more power to them... That's not me.

I can see that you claim that the ability to withdraw money from ATMs 24/7 is not of any value in your life Good for you, but why do you keep on posting then?

On a more serious note: Can you some way prove that the charge is excessive, i.e. not reasonably based on the banks' average cost for providing this service? It has been pointed out, on this and other threads, that Thai banks charge 20-35 baht for ATM withdrawals from other Thai banks (and in most cases for out-of-province withdrawals from their own accounts). That the charge for international withdrawals should be higher seems rather self-evident. I can well imagine (but do not know) that the Thai banks' cost for maintaining the capability for international withdrawals is rather high, and that each bank has relatively few such transactions among which to share the costs.

I am just arguing that Thai banks (as any other commercial venture) have a right to charge for the services that they are providing. If anybody on this forum can come up with a really convincing calculation, showing that the charge is excessive in relation to costs, then I'll be willing to join the complaining choir. That the charge is excessive in relation to what many people would like to pay, is to me completely irrelevant. I have travelled in Thailand since 1984 and lived here since 2006 and not once seen the need to withdraw money from my foreign account by using an ATM. A bit of liquidity planning goes a long way

/ Priceless

Edited May 24, 2009 by Priceless

[jfchandler]

Priceless...you seem to have a rather short memory...

Please recall the original coverage of the fees issue in the Bangkok Post. The executive from the TBA made the claim that the new fee was instituted then because of very recent fee increases charged the banks by VISA and MC networks for intl transactions.

The article then went on to quote a spkesman for one of the two big card networks saying they had not made any fee increases to the banks for 1-2 years or so, certainly not any lately. And I've never since then seen that discrepancy refuted. So, that kind of BS is enough of a signal to me.

And of course, after that, the TBA began talking about reconsidering the fee policy, and talking about potentially reducing the amount. (But as far as I know, we've heard nothing more from them since then).

I'm sure there is some real, genuine cost for handling the ATM international transactions. But I doubt very much the real cost has anything to do with the 150 baht per withdrawal fee that the TBA somehow settled on.

That, and, the whole approach of the TBA in this has been anti-competitive and monopolistic. The marketplace should decide such things, and individual banks should be free to decide how to best run their businesses and revenues. Not have a Thai banking cartel dictate it across the marketplace.

I don't object to businesses being able to charge rates that reflect their costs of doing business...and making a reasonable profit. But I do object to being gouged....

Edited May 24, 2009 by jfchandler

[jfchandler]

It has been pointed out, on this and other threads, that Thai banks charge 20-35 baht for ATM withdrawals from other Thai banks (and in most cases for out-of-province withdrawals from their own accounts).

I don't know about all Thai banks... But in checking BKK Bank's policy on such matters, I found the following:

ATM Fee

From December 1, for customers in metropolitan [bKK] area, the first four transactions made each month using your Bualuang ATM, Bualuang Premier or Be1st card at other banks’ ATMs in Thailand will be free. The fee for subsequent transactions, including account inquiries and withdrawals, will be Baht 5 per transaction.

Edited May 24, 2009 by jfchandler

[SurfRider]

"The executive from the TBA made the claim that the new fee was instituted then because of very recent fee increases charged the banks by VISA and MC networks for intl transactions . . . The article then went on to quote a spokesman for one of the two big card networks saying they had not made any fee increases"

And by comparison, show me any other Southeast Asian country that has attempted this usury fee fiasco -- ( What!, you can't find one? )

This whole charade reminds me of the other recent debacles where Thai Immigration demanded that any Expat using a foreign embassy income verification letter had to go some obscure "Ministry of something", tucked away on some back-soi in a Bangkok slum and wait in line for a day to have a piece of paper stamped -- That one was killed in about one month when someone apparently woke up and sniffed the coffee.

Next was another stellar idea where Thai Immigration demanded that every Expat renewing a Visa had to provide a copy of both the front and back of a valid foreign Credit Card if they hoped to have their Visa renewed. That one lasted only a few months until it was laughed out of the world of clear thinkers.

IMHO, this new usury fee fiasco is simply just another TiT -- Whether or not it will follow the "parade of ridiculous ideas" to the museum of the other silly brain-dead ideas remains to be seen. . .

.

[giruz]

I am just arguing that Thai banks (as any other commercial venture) have a right to charge for the services that they are providing. If anybody on this forum can come up with a really convincing calculation, showing that the charge is excessive in relation to costs, then I'll be willing to join the complaining choir.

/ Priceless

I work in the credit card payment industry and I can assure you that Visa (and I believe MC) have in place a very complex fee structure in order to balance costs & revenues for both issuers (who gives you a card) and acquirers (who deploys ATM/POS machines).

Each time you do a transaction using an ATM....no matter the type (balance inquiry, withdrawal or something else)...then your bank will have to pay a small fee to the bank that deployed the ATM.

(If you do a transactions in a shop then is the other way around the bank that puts the POS machines and charge you pays a fee to your bank)

In other words, every time you take money out of an ATM your bank will have to pay a small fee to the bank that put the ATM...and you may not even be charged for that...

The cost difference between transactions on national or international circuits (e.g. Visa/MC) is really slim. The 150 THB in no more than a cash cow for institutions that deploys ATM machines...the actual cost difference is probably somewhere close to 1/10 of a Bath or less...

giruzz

[samui04]

A fee for an international transaction is to be expected, maybe not 150 baht, they have just exagerated.

I'm also sure that the low use of credit card in Thailand could be blamed.

But when i call with my cel phone I pay 3E per minute, a thai cel phone is 1 baht local, 20 international, so the ATM fees seems really nothing compared to the level of robbery on the cellular field.

[barhopper]

It's forever baffling hearing reports of some ATM's charging and some not charging,for example their has been many recent posts stating people have been withdrawing from the UOB ATM's and haven't incurred a 150 baht fee as yet.However i was searching on the UOB website and came across this statement!

http://www.uob.co.th/announcement/bankfee/...9Mar2009_en.pdf

[thaihome]

I think the delay in some banks charging is due to them getting the programming and accounting changes in place.

TH

[barryofthailand]

It is being reported that Government Savings Bank in Korat is now charging the 150 Baht fee as of Friday the 24Th. Has anyone else experienced this with GSB?

Barry

[jfchandler]

The cost difference between transactions on national or international circuits (e.g. Visa/MC) is really slim. The 150 THB in no more than a cash cow for institutions that deploys ATM machines...the actual cost difference is probably somewhere close to 1/10 of a Bath or less...

giruzz

Thanks Giruzz for that insider's view of such things. Your answer is, indeed, what many of us have suspected....as I said.. it's simple gouging.....

Thai banks had been handling international card ATM transactions for decades with NO fee charged by the Thai banks themselves to the card user. So to go from NO FEE to 159 baht overnight pretty much tells everyone what they're doing.

[jfchandler]

Barhopper, thanks for finding that PDF file announcement from UOB.... Clearly, they are going to begin charging the 150 baht fee.... A post above suggests they may have already started, though I used an ATM of theirs in BKK on Sat. with no fee.... The choice for fee free ATMs is really narrowing now mostly to Government Savings Bank....

For the record, here is the link to the banks that belong to the Thai Bankers Assn.

UOB and Ayudhya are members, so it was somewhat predictable that they would eventually implement the fee.

Government Savings Bank, for whatever reason, is NOT a member. That gives some hope that they will NOT go to the fee. Other banks that also are not members are the BAAC, the Muslim Bank and HSBC (though HSBC has their own fees for AtM use).

PS - I should add that AEON, the large credit provider with a lot of Atms around, is also not a member. Another TV member reported being able to use AEON ATMs in the same way as regular bank ones, to withdraw funds using either ViSA or MCs... But I haven't personally tested that approach, as yet. AEON tends to have ATMs in a lot of the shopping complexes around town.

Edited May 25, 2009 by jfchandler

[Priceless]

It has been pointed out, on this and other threads, that Thai banks charge 20-35 baht for ATM withdrawals from other Thai banks (and in most cases for out-of-province withdrawals from their own accounts).

I don't know about all Thai banks... But in checking BKK Bank's policy on such matters, I found the following:

ATM Fee

From December 1, for customers in metropolitan [bKK] area, the first four transactions made each month using your Bualuang ATM, Bualuang Premier or Be1st card at other banks’ ATMs in Thailand will be free. The fee for subsequent transactions, including account inquiries and withdrawals, will be Baht 5 per transaction.

This is actually quite interesting for two reasons:

- The free withdrawals are available only for customers in the metropolitan BKK area. I wonder why (I live in Chiang Mai)?

- Even more to the point: Bangkok Bank (BBL) charge 25 baht for a withdrawal up to 10,000 baht using another bank's card. For a withdrawal up to 30,000 baht, they charge 35 baht. As far as I know, this is way above any other bank's charges, I've never been charged more than 20 baht by any other bank, and I usually withdraw 20,000 baht at a time. It seems that the difference is that BBL wants to favour its own customers, at the expense of other banks' customers. From a marketing point of view, this seems quite a reasonable thing to do.

I think that one thing to be remembered, in the case of foreign card ATM fees, is that as far as the ATM owning bank knows every single person doing such a withdrawal is a non-customer of theirs. There is consequently no reason for them to grant any favours.

/ Priceless

[jfchandler]

Priceless, as you've pointed out numerous times, you cant expect banks to provide a service for FREE...

Perhaps you might find your answer in the name of the bank... BANGKOK Bank... not Chiang Mai Bank.

Probably costs them extra to maintain their service points outside of the BKK Metro area... Sounds quite reasonable to me... just as reasonable as their 150 baht ATM fee, wouldn't you agree???

[Priceless]

[...]

The cost difference between transactions on national or international circuits (e.g. Visa/MC) is really slim. The 150 THB in no more than a cash cow for institutions that deploys ATM machines...the actual cost difference is probably somewhere close to 1/10 of a Bath or less...

giruzz

This is very interesting information. Are you saying that the only (additional) cost for a bank in Thailand to provide a withdrawal with a foreign card from one of their ATMs is an incremental (i.e. per transaction) fee of ~0.1 baht to an international provider (such as VISA or Mastercard)? Are there no fixed costs, e.g. connection to an international communications network?

Also I've read, on one of the innumerable threads on this subject, that VISA (and probably Mastercard) charge 1% of the transferred amount. If the card-issuing bank does not pay this, and the ATM owning bank doesn't either, who does?

/ Priceless

Edited May 25, 2009 by Priceless

[Priceless]

Priceless, as you've pointed out numerous times, you cant expect banks to provide a service for FREE...

Perhaps you might find your answer in the name of the bank... BANGKOK Bank... not Chiang Mai Bank.

Probably costs them extra to maintain their service points outside of the BKK Metro area... Sounds quite reasonable to me... just as reasonable as their 150 baht ATM fee, wouldn't you agree???

First: Bangkok Bank is Thailand's largest bank (by assets) with over 850 branch offices all over the country.

Second: As far as I know, all Thai banks are based in Bangkok.

Third: Do you think that Bank of Ayudhaya offer the same privileges to its customers in Ayutthaya?

The costs for Bangkok Bank for maintaining service points outside the BKK metro area are in all probability more or less identical to those of other banks.

/ Priceless

[NHJ]

ATM withdrawal has NEVER been free of charges for some parties, when you look at your bank fees, there's a fixed amount mostly 2.5 euro, this is the part for the foreign bank and 1% on change margin this is the part for the bank emiting the card.

this applies to all banks in belgium and is clearely stated in the rates pdf available to customers.

so far what we need to know is as the thai bank are charging the bank fee on their side now, is the fee used to pay the thai bank waived by your foreign bank?

Edited May 25, 2009 by NHJ

[jfchandler]

Priceless, just pulling your chain a bit... Come 'on... Get on the train... Start saving your hard earned baht a bit, and stop throwing it away to the Thai banks...

PS - Thanks to Steve2UK for bringing back the discussion about AEON.... I did a TV search, and found a thread of a couple years ago about an American guy using his U.S. ATM card to withdraw funds from an AEON ATM here.

In looking at their web site, some of AEON's local ATM locations around BKK include CarreFour On Nut, MBK, Central Silom, Central Chidlom, Big C Radjadamri, Tesco-Lotus Fortune Town and Siam Center.

I've been sticking with GSB and UOB up until now, so I haven't had a chance/reason to try AEON. But now that UOB appears to be headed toward joining "the dark side," it'd be great to hear some TV member reports confirming whether this (AEON) now is a viable, good option....

[barhopper]

Barhopper, thanks for finding that PDF file announcement from UOB.... Clearly, they are going to begin charging the 150 baht fee.... A post above suggests they may have already started, though I used an ATM of theirs in BKK on Sat. with no fee.... The choice for fee free ATMs is really narrowing now mostly to Government Savings Bank....

For the record, here is the link to the banks that belong to the Thai Bankers Assn.

UOB and Ayudhya are members, so it was somewhat predictable that they would eventually implement the fee.

Government Savings Bank, for whatever reason, is NOT a member. That gives some hope that they will NOT go to the fee. Other banks that also are not members are the BAAC, the Muslim Bank and HSBC (though HSBC has their own fees for AtM use).

PS - I should add that AEON, the large credit provider with a lot of Atms around, is also not a member. Another TV member reported being able to use AEON ATMs in the same way as regular bank ones, to withdraw funds using either ViSA or MCs... But I haven't personally tested that approach, as yet. AEON tends to have ATMs in a lot of the shopping complexes around town.

The BAAC apparantly has 700 Branches in Thailand.I must say prior to all the furore of the recently imposed ATM charges by the majority of the Banking sector i have never come across any of their ATM machines or branches but if they are not imposing the 'Charge' then i will actively seek their locations when i'm in LOS.So has any BM got any relevant info on any locations of their ATM's in Bangkok and Pattaya?I searched their web-site but came up with no info on this.I'm guessing that they may outside of Bangkok be more prevalent in 'Rural' towns as they are Bank for Agriculture and agricultural co-operatives.Here's their web-site statement and logo.

Barhopper

Edited May 25, 2009 by barhopper

[jfchandler]

so far what we need to know is as the thai bank are charging the bank fee on their side now, is the fee used to pay the thai bank waived by your foreign bank?

NHJ, the answer to your question is really going to depend on which home/foreign bank's card/account you're using to make the withdrawals here.

A lot of the major U.S. banks have their own pretty high per transaction charges when you use their ATM card outside the U.S. A lot of them also double charge customers, charging first a per transaction flat $ fee for using a foreign ATM and then a % fee of the withdrawal amount that's called a foreign transaction or currency fee. Both the flat and % fees are going to vary by bank.

However, some U.S. banks have accounts with perks that include them not charging their own foreign ATM fees and also reimbursing other banks ATM fees either nationwide (meaning only inside the U.S.) or worldwide (meaning ATMs anywhere). Some of those will reimburse all fees, some up to a certain $ amount per month. And some say they reimburse fees, but then exclude "foreign currency exchange" fees, however they define those.

Thus far, I think a lot of members here, such as myself, have been avoiding the 150 baht fees by using fee-free Thai banks such as GSB and UOB up until now. So we really haven't had a chance/reason to test how our home banks with fee reimbursement policies will treat the Thai 150 baht ATM fee.

Of course, it's better to avoid the 150 baht fee in the first place, if possible... If it should become not possible, then I suspect we'll hear a lot more reports about home banks reimbursement policies. Those (with fee reimbursement policies) are good accounts to have, because you'll never know when some bank somewhere is going to try to nick you...

[jfchandler]

Lately around town, I've passed ATMs and branches labeled CIMB... and I didn't recognize/know them at all. Now in looking and checking, CIMB is the new name for what used to be BankThai, which is a member of the TBA, and presumably has been/is charging the 150 baht fee.

From the CIMB Thai web site:

CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited, previously known as BankThai Public Company Limited, was established in 1998 with the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) as the major shareholder. On 5 November 2008, CIMB Bank Berhad became the largest shareholder in BankThai and on 4 May 2009, the Bank completed the registration of its new name: “ธนาคารซีไอเอ็มบี ไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)” in Thai and “CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited” in English. This name change reflects the transition of BankThai from being an independent company to becoming a member of the CIMB Group.

The membership page for the TBA makes no mention of CIMB, but of course, does list BankThai as a member.

[jfchandler]

Re BAAC, I find this info on their web site, under organizational structure...

A Network of Branches including:.

75 BAAC Provincial Offices

1 Agricultural Central Markets

591 Main Branches

95 Isalamic Bank Fund

369 Sub Branches

Their call center is 02-555-0555... Maybe someone can call and get an idea of how to find their locations....

[barhopper]

rd, here is the link to the banks that belong to the Thai Bankers Assn.

UOB and Ayudhya are members, so it was somewhat predictable that they would eventually implement the fee.

Government Savings Bank, for whatever reason, is NOT a member. That gives some hope that they will NOT go to the fee. Other banks that also are not members are the BAAC, the Muslim Bank and HSBC (though HSBC has their own fees for AtM use).

PS - I should add that AEON, the large credit provider with a lot of Atms around, is also not a member. Another TV member reported being able to use AEON ATMs in the same way as regular bank ones, to withdraw funds using either ViSA or MCs... But I haven't personally tested that approach, as yet. AEON tends to have ATMs in a lot of the shopping complexes around town.

Doing more searching on the 'Net' i came across the GH Bank(Government Housing Bank).Having checked on the TBA's list of members they don't seem to be on the list.So does anyone have any info on using their ATM's with regards to charges?

http://www.ghb.co.th/en/Branch/Branch_All_th.asp

Barhopper

[Priceless]

Priceless, just pulling your chain a bit... Come 'on... Get on the train... Start saving your hard earned baht a bit, and stop throwing it away to the Thai banks...

[...]

I don't think that I'm "throwing it away to the Thai banks". In fact I am not stupid (or naive or ignorant) enough to use my foreign credit card in a Thai ATM. Once every 3-4 months, I make a wire transfer from my foreign account to my Siam Commercial Bank account. This costs me ~5 USD at the foreign end and 0.25% at the Thai end. Then I use Direct Debit to pay my regular bills (rent, electricity, telephony, internet...) and my SCB debit card to withdraw cash. Neither of these methods cost me anything.

My interest in these threads comes from having spent a major part of my professional life doing pricing of infrastructure-based services. Though I am now retired (hence "Priceless" ) I retain an interest in the subject.

/ Priceless

[jfchandler]

It's slower than trying to pour cold honey... But it is possible to find general Thai bank locations and phone numbers via the www.yellowpages.co.th web site and use their English version. They even have a category listing for banks....and you can narrow the search results by province and city, etc...

Re BAAC and Bangkok, here's what I found... (It's also listed in the English printed phonebook version for Greater Bangkok)

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives

Address: Khwang Latyao Khet Chatuchak Bangkok

109 Kamphaengpet

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives

Address: Khwang Bang Sue Khet Bang Sue Bangkok

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives

Address: Khwang Suan Chitlada Khet Dusit Bangkok

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives Ladkrabang Br

Address: Khwang Thap Yao Khet Lat Krabang Bangkok

Moo 1 LuangPhaeng

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives Minburi Br

Address: Khwang Min Buri Khet Min Buri Bangkok

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives Nongchok Br

Address: Khwang Kratumrai Khet Nong Chok Bangkok

Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives Phasicharoen Br

Address: Khwang Pak Khlong Phasicharoen Khet Phasi Charoen Bangkok

Phetkasem Rd.

Also in Nonthaburi, Bangbuathong, Ladlumkaeo, Klongkwang, Bangbon

It seems, they don't have outlets in The Emporium or Siam Paragon.... Hmm..... wonder why?

[jfchandler]

Once every 3-4 months, I make a wire transfer from my foreign account to my Siam Commercial Bank account. This costs me ~5 USD at the foreign end and 0.25% at the Thai end.

Sounds good... Can't argue with that approach.

But I don't know many people who have U.S. bank accounts that charge $5 for international wire transfers. And even moreso, many (but clearly not all) want the sender to be physically present in the branch to initiate the request. Which is kind of tough in you're living in LOS...

Care to share, what bank you're using to do remote, $5 international wire transfers???

[wimpy]

It is being reported that Government Savings Bank in Korat is now charging the 150 Baht fee as of Friday the 24Th. Has anyone else experienced this with GSB?

Barry

5/25/09

GSB Nong Hoi District, Chiang Mai

No Fee Charged

34.32 baht/$

[jfchandler]

Barhopper, you're really earning your pay today... Yes, Government Housing Bank, like the similar Government Savings Bank, is another of those originally Thai government enterprises that seem to have mutated thru the years into somewhat regular commercial ventures/banks.

I've never used them or their ATMs, which they clearly have from viewing their web site. But they do have locations throughout the country, including a fair number around central BKK....

Here's the quick list I culled from their web site of locations near more farang-oriented areas....

Government Housing Bank

Sukhumvit Branch

Address : 1 Banchang Glass House, Sukhumvit 25, Sukhumvit Road,

Klongtoey, Wattana, Bangkok 10110

Open : Mon. - Fri. 08.30 - 15.30 น.

Phone : 02-260-6345-7, 02-661-6120-2

Fax : 02-260-6348

Carrefour On Nut Banking Counter

Address : Carrefour Department Store, On Nut, 2nd floor (Room F2/15)

Open : Everyday 10.30 - 20.00 น

Phone : 0-2311-3960-1

Convent Branch

Address : 38 Q House building 1st floor, Convent Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

Open : Mon. - Fri. 08.30 - 15.30 น.

Phone : 02-632-0592-4, 02-237-8997-9

Fax : 02-235-0659

Siam Square Branch

Address : 240/1-2 Siam Square Soi 2, Rama 1 Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330

Open : Mon. - Fri. 08.30 - 15.30 น.

Phone: 02-255-2668, 02-255-5161-4, 02-250-1121, 02-250-1125

St. Louis Soi 3 Branch

Address : 20/1 Soi Sathon 11 (St. Louis Soi 3), South Sathon Road, Sathon, Bangkok 10120

Open : Mon. - Fri. 08.30 - 15.30 น.

Phone : 02-212-6127, 02-212-6678-9

Fax : 02-212-6126

Ratchadamnoen Branch

Address : 80 Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, Bangkok 10200 Bangkok 10200

Open : Mon. - Fri. 08.30 - 15.30 น.

Phone : 02-224-3223, 02-224-3179, 02-224-3176

Fax : 02-224-3120

Pahonyothin Mini Branch

Address : SME Tower, 1st floor

Open : 8.30-15.30 Every day except holidays & Bank Holidays

Phone : 02-357-1126-8

Fax : 02-357-1129

Once again, it would be interesting to hear members reports re accessing their ATMs and the fees issue.

[Priceless]

Once every 3-4 months, I make a wire transfer from my foreign account to my Siam Commercial Bank account. This costs me ~5 USD at the foreign end and 0.25% at the Thai end.

Sounds good... Can't argue with that approach.

But I don't know many people who have U.S. bank accounts that charge $5 for international wire transfers. And even moreso, many (but clearly not all) want the sender to be physically present in the branch to initiate the request. Which is kind of tough in you're living in LOS...

Care to share, what bank you're using to do remote, $5 international wire transfers???

Well, I am lucky enough to come from a developed country with proper competition in both the banking and telecomms industries

My bank is Svenska Handelsbanken (SHB) in Sweden. And yes, I initiate the transfer from my usual internet banking by clicking international, as opposed to domestic, payment. I am sure that eventually US banks will achieve the same level of sophistication. Don't hold your breath though, we've only had this in Sweden for 3-4 years

/ Priceless

[Cheops]

Bank of Ayudhaya > Pattaya > The Avenues Using Capital One Visa M/M ATM Card on 23/May 11am

Walked by it on the way to breakfast and stopped to try again.

Again selected Savings and 1900 bt

2nd screen came up as last night telling how much I was going to get ,1900 bt, and below it the display said FEE: 0

BUT

On the very top with the 1st line partially displayed it said something to the effect that a fee of 150 bt would be charged. I would not stake

my life on last nights try that it did not have this line for my eyes fixed on FEE:0

Cancelled and moved 10m to a UOB ATM > NO FEE and Xrate of 34.327

Hi all,

yesterday I took some cash using an ATM of the Bank of Ayudhaya inside Zeer Rangsit. Although the first line of message stated that there is a 150baht charge, later on the same screen it stated Fee = 0 Baht! Well, I wanted to know so continued and on the slip it also noted Fee=0Baht. I will check my savings account later to check whether there was a charge or not. My bank in the Netherlands is not charging anything apart from the 1% on top of the rate which many banks in the Netherlands do.

So, are they charging or just updated the software in preparation of charging? Guess they for sure will be starting charging as well unfortunately.

Just to let everybody know:

I checked my Dutch account today from the withdrawal from an ATM of the Bank of Ayudhaya @ Zeer Rangsit on the 23th:

indeed no fee and got 1 EUR=47,19844 THB rate which is the highest in the last weeks. I didn't do a withdrawal from another bank at the same time to check if this rate is really ok or not.

But I guess they will implement the 150 baht fee very soon for real if not done already by now judging by the message in the first line on the screen during that withdrawal

[SurfRider]

Minor anomaly at GSB ATM, Tutcom, Pattaya - yesterday ( Sunday May 24 )

A friend did a 20,000 Baht withdrawal -- no fee -- In the past GSB ATMs have been reported to allow up to 30,000, but not this one.

While he was chatting briefly with a friend, the ATM swallowed his E-Trade card and displayed a phone number to call.

He went to their main branch today and was told they will have the card for him to retrieve at another more distant branch on Wednesday.

Thai spoken only, he needed an interpreter.

.