Thai Banks To Start Charging For Atm Withdrawals ...

[vagabond48]

3. Most U.S. banks, in my experience, will allow you by request to adjust your ATM daily withdrawal amount limits, either up or down. Some do, some don't. It might be worth asking the U.S. bank that you use whether they will adjust your daily amount to one that works better for your needs. No harm in asking.

Asked and was refused

I 1st opened the Schwab HY Checking to get their debit card. When they introduced their HY Savings, decided to open that too.

While the HY Savings limits you to $500/day withdrawal, the HY Checking allows up to $2500/day, so you could hit a number of ATM machines or do a teller withdrawal.

One small downside, the above US address based accounts do not allow foreign mailing addresses but at my request, they did mail both my cards to my Thailand PO box. They also have international accounts as well but I'm not sure about the policies.

I tend to spend the same; once a cheap charlie, always a ...

Us cheap charlies have to help each other.

[jfchandler]

Nationally Available, FDIC Insured CDs

3.00% 36-mo CD at Alliant CU

3.80% 60-mo CD at Melrose CU

3.70% 60-mo CD at Apple FCU

3.50% 60-mo CD at iGObanking

3.50% 60-mo CD at Citibank

3.40% 60-mo CD at Mountain America CU

For more information on the above, see here...

Nationally Available Rewards Checking Accounts

Bank/Credit Union / APY / Balance Cap / Link to Account Review

Bank of the Sierra / 4.51% / $25,000 / initial rvw: 12/03/08

Royal Banks of Missouri / 4.30% / $25,000 /updated rvw: 05/10/09

First New England Federal Credit Union 4.10% / $15,000 updated rvw: 10/04/09

Consumers Credit Union / 4.09% / $25,000 / updated rvw: 01/12/09

Pacific Resource Credit Union 4.07% $25,000 updated rvw: 05/17/09

Coulee Bank / 4.04% / $25,000 /updated rvw: 06/30/09

Danvers Bank /4.01% /$25,000 /updated rvw: 04/01/08

Capital Bank 4.01% $25,000 updated rvw: 11/02/08

Ouachita Independent Bank 4.01% $25,000 updated rvw: 12/06/08

Charter Bank 4.01% $25,000 updated rvw: 04/01/09

Liberty Bank 4.01% $25,000 updated rvw: 09/07/09

Farmers & Merchants Bank 4.01% $50,000 updated rvw: 05/17/09

First National Community Bank 4.01% $25,000 updated rvw: 07/26/09

Liberty Savings Bank 4.01% $25,000 initial rvw: 04/27/09

Patriot Bank 4.01% $50,000 initial rvw: 05/08/09

First Security Bank & Trust 4.01% $25,000 initial rvw: 06/30/09

First Bank & Trust 4.01% $25,000 initial rvw: 07/09/09

First Community Bank N.A. 4.01% $25,000 initial rvw: 07/14/09

Lake Michigan Credit Union 4.00% $15,000 updated rvw: 05/03/09

Southern Community Bank & Trust 4.00% $25,000 updated rvw: 11/01/08

ViewPoint Bank 4.00% $50,000 initial rvw: 05/22/08

Evantage Bank 4.00% $10,000 updated rvw: 04/22/09

Bank of the Wichitas 4.00% $10,000 updated rvw: 04/22/09

AmericaNet Bank 4.00% $10,000 updated rvw: 04/22/09

KANZA Bank 4.00% $25,000 initial rvw: 09/29/09

For more information on the above... see here...

But some folks do better than others in finding U.S. insured bank accounts even today that still pay 4-5% annual interest on deposits.

Please point me in that direction.

As my CDs have slowly come to maturity with their higher rates of 3 to 5 years ago, I continuously search for decent rates but have not spotted anything coming close.

Best I have seen is 5 year CD earning 3.5% APY.

[vagabond48]

Thanks jcf.

I have all those links and more. I have in the past briefly looked at reward checking but they have you going through all kinds of hoops and gotchas.

Typical example of one,

# Earn 4.51% APY on balances up to $25,000¹*

# Earn 1.01% APY on balances above $25,000 ¹*

# Minimum 12 Sierra Check Card purchases per statement cycle

# Minimum one direct deposit or automatic payment from your account per statement cycle

# Make at least one bill payment online per statement cycle

.12% will be earned on all balances if qualifications are not met.

All the above, for the privilege of keeping upto $25K for most and $50k for a very few.

Edited October 5, 2009 by vagabond48

[jfchandler]

Vagabond, these days, I'll "settle" for keeping $50K in an FDIC insured account earning 4.5%, as part of broader range of diverse investments.

The requirements for "rewards" checking accounts sound more onerous than they really are.

Most times, a simple ACH transfer qualifies as your direct deposit. Or a bill pay meets the requirement for a direct debit.

And I have one account, where they add the separate 1% foreign currency fee as a separate transaction every time I use the card (so 5 purchases = 10 card uses). And then, of course, they refund all those tiny 1% amounts at the end of the month, along with any ATM fees and my earned interest.

With the advent of the 150 baht ATM fee, these days, I use my rewards debit cards for routine purchases like groceries and restaurant bills, things I would have paid cash for in the past. The result is I use ATMs less, have less hassle with the 150 baht fees, and earn good interest on my funds at the same time.

[SurfRider]

"Pattaya, I'll try the AEON option next"

It appears that there are only three AEON ATMs remaining in Pattaya -- Tesco-North / Carrefour 2nd floor / Home-Works next to Big-C on Sukumvit at South Pattaya Rd.

The AEON at Tesco-South disappeared a couple of months ago, but it's still listed on the AEON Website. It might have been moved to a different location within Tesco, but whenever I ask, nobody can understand the question.

I seem to recall a mention of an AEON at the new Central Festival Mall, but haven't been able to confirm it.

If anyone knows of other AEONs in Pattaya, please post the locations.

.

[jfchandler]

And on the subject of GSB, I was out and around today (Tuesday) and tried yet a different GSB location in BKK, the branch/ATM near Police General Hospital across from Central World.

Same result as every GSB ATM I've tried in BKK for the past 5 days... Takes my card, accepts my PIN, bring up the transactions menu, I choose either Fast Withdrawal or Regular withdrawal, and then the machine cancels the transaction. Today, after all that, the machine showed the same error message I'd seen before saying something like, "This machine is out of service."

I tried 3 different U.S. VISA logo debit cards, tried using the Thai and the English language menus, tried both the regular and fast withdrawals...and every time produced the same result -- NOTHING.

I'm sure it's nothing to do with my cards. So I'd be curious to know... Vagabond, in Chiang Mai, I believe, got charged a 150 baht fee by GSB within the past week. Has anyone in BKK been able to make a successful withdrawal from a GSB ATM anytime in the past 5 days, and if so, where and using what kind of card???

Thanks, JFC.

[SurfRider]

"GSB . . . then the machine cancels the transaction . . . same error message I'd seen before saying something like, "This machine is out of service." "

Same thing happened twice yesterday with G$B in Pattaya -- Had to use TMB and limit to 20K Baht with 150 Baht Thai ATM usury fee added.

Fortunately, E-Trade reimbursed it.

Someone guessed that G$B is going through a transition which is causing their ATMs to reject foreign cards -- If not that, maybe they've simply decided that they only want to service Thai cards and reject Farangs.

.

[vagabond48]

I'm sure it's nothing to do with my cards. So I'd be curious to know... Vagabond, in Chiang Mai, I believe, got charged a 150 baht fee by GSB within the past week. Has anyone in BKK been able to make a successful withdrawal from a GSB ATM anytime in the past 5 days, and if so, where and using what kind of card???

Thanks, JFC.

That day I went to 2 GSB machines. At the 1st machine, after selecting the fast cash, I got the 150B message, so I canceled the transaction.

Then a couple of hours later, I decided that I could use the money. I went to a 2nd GSB machine hoping that not all the machines were programmed yet, but that one also gave me the 150b message which I accepted. The receipt showed the 150b fee.

My rate was 32.24 with the 150b fee and 33.45 without it, which was 99.94% of that day's daily IER.

[wimpy]

And on the subject of GSB, I was out and around today (Tuesday) and tried yet a different GSB location in BKK, the branch/ATM near Police General Hospital across from Central World.

Same result as every GSB ATM I've tried in BKK for the past 5 days... Takes my card, accepts my PIN, bring up the transactions menu, I choose either Fast Withdrawal or Regular withdrawal, and then the machine cancels the transaction. Today, after all that, the machine showed the same error message I'd seen before saying something like, "This machine is out of service."

I tried 3 different U.S. VISA logo debit cards, tried using the Thai and the English language menus, tried both the regular and fast withdrawals...and every time produced the same result -- NOTHING.

I'm sure it's nothing to do with my cards. So I'd be curious to know... Vagabond, in Chiang Mai, I believe, got charged a 150 baht fee by GSB within the past week. Has anyone in BKK been able to make a successful withdrawal from a GSB ATM anytime in the past 5 days, and if so, where and using what kind of card???

Thanks, JFC.

I am having the same results as you at two different GSB machines in Chiang Mai.

Edited October 6, 2009 by wimpy

[jfchandler]

Vagabond and Winpy, aren't both of you guys in Chiang Mai??? One getting cash and a fee from GSB... the other nothing, same as me??? How's that happening???

[wimpy]

Vagabond and Winpy, aren't both of you guys in Chiang Mai??? One getting cash and a fee from GSB... the other nothing, same as me??? How's that happening???

My visa debit card got spit out at the GSB machine at Carrefour today, and Nong Hoi a couple days ago. I previously used this card at GSB without difficulties.

[vagabond48]

Vagabond and Winpy, aren't both of you guys in Chiang Mai??? One getting cash and a fee from GSB... the other nothing, same as me??? How's that happening???

Don't know either. I could do a test tomorrow at the machine I got money from last time to see if I get to the 150b fee message which of course I will cancel.

[Lancelot]

"Pattaya, I'll try the AEON option next"

It appears that there are only three AEON ATMs remaining in Pattaya -- Tesco-North / Carrefour 2nd floor / Home-Works next to Big-C on Sukumvit at South Pattaya Rd.

The AEON at Tesco-South disappeared a couple of months ago, but it's still listed on the AEON Website. It might have been moved to a different location within Tesco, but whenever I ask, nobody can understand the question.

I seem to recall a mention of an AEON at the new Central Festival Mall, but haven't been able to confirm it.

If anyone knows of other AEONs in Pattaya, please post the locations.

Yeah, its true the Aeon options are limited; however, I'll pursue the Aeon fee free option as long as its available. I am going to make mutiple Aeon withdrawls and deposit the proceeds in my Kasikorn account to creat a reserve. Next, I will open a fee reimbursing account; the handwriting is on the wall

[OriginalPoster]

I tried my Fidelity (US) ATM card both ways and I'm not quite sure if I came out ahead with the teller or not. Using an ATM machine on September 24, I withdrew 16000 baht and US$481.80 was deducted by my account by Fidelity, making the effecting exchange rate (including the 150 baht fee that was indicated on the ATM receipt) 33.21 Baht/USD.

Btw, you can call and request the 150baht back from Fidelity. They have had a history of not including my overseas ATM fees in their online statements and therefore not refunding the fee. Maybe they have corrected this as Schwab has. Your effective rate of 16,150baht was 33.52 so you can request $4.47. The IER for that day was 33.5448.

Vagabond - are there some magic words that you say when you call Fidelity to get the ATM fee reversed? I called them and my inquiry caused infinite confusion. After hanging on the phone seemingly forever they weren't even able to tell me the exchange rate that was in effect for that day (which would have in itself proved whether a 150 baht fee had been charged & re-credited or not). Eventually they did refund the $4.47 ATM fee, but not because they figured out the situation but because they recognized that it was absurd to spend so much time deliberating over so little money. I'm not sure that it was worth it -- I wound up spending 49 minutes on the phone to regain that $4.47.

BTW, where do you did find the IER? I'm curious bout that because your figure (33.5448) seems to closely match what the banks were actually using on that date but it differs from what is what is indicated on oanda.com.

Edited October 7, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[vagabond48]

Vagabond - are there some magic words that you say when you call Fidelity to get the ATM fee reversed? I called them and my inquiry caused infinite confusion. After hanging on the phone seemingly forever they weren't even able to tell me the exchange rate that was in effect for that day (which would have in itself proved whether a 150 baht fee had been charged & re-credited or not). Eventually they did refund the $4.47 ATM fee, but not because they figured out the situation but because they recognized that it was absurd to spend so much time deliberating over so little money. I'm not sure that it was worth it -- I wound up spending 49 minutes on the phone to regain that $4.47.

BTW, where do you did find the IER? I'm curious bout that because your figure (33.5448) seems to closely match what the banks were actually using on that date but it differs from what is what is indicated on oanda.com.

Unfortunately not. Well over a year ago, I had to called them 3 times to get me refunds on smaller amounts. I was lucky the 1st 2 times and got accommodating reps. The 3rd gave me a hard time. I told him that Schwab had the same problem (at the time) and their rep voluntarily offered to give me $5 credit for future use even though, I told them I was using Schwab as my backup card so I said to the Fidelity rep since Fidelity was my primary account and you can't seem to make a decision on the money due which was much less than $4, I want Fidelity to show the same appreciation and credit my account $10. He said he didn't know if he could do that. Next day, I found $10 credit. It isn't the worth the effort, so I am making Schwab my primary DC card especially with their unusually high savings rate (for a brokerage account) of 1.05% and end of month automatic fee refund.

Btw, Fidelity also owes me 150baht but I am going to wait until the end of the month to see if they fixed the problem like Schwab did.

To get the IER I use this xrate.com site.

Regarding using the Fidelity DC, I recommend that

(1) you try to use fee free AEON as often as possible while they are fee free

(2) if a fee is involved, keep your receipt.

(3) wait either until the end of the month or accumulate 450 baht in fees before calling.

Hope this helps.

VB

[OriginalPoster]

Vagabond - are there some magic words that you say when you call Fidelity to get the ATM fee reversed? I called them and my inquiry caused infinite confusion. After hanging on the phone seemingly forever they weren't even able to tell me the exchange rate that was in effect for that day (which would have in itself proved whether a 150 baht fee had been charged & re-credited or not). Eventually they did refund the $4.47 ATM fee, but not because they figured out the situation but because they recognized that it was absurd to spend so much time deliberating over so little money. I'm not sure that it was worth it -- I wound up spending 49 minutes on the phone to regain that $4.47.

BTW, where do you did find the IER? I'm curious bout that because your figure (33.5448) seems to closely match what the banks were actually using on that date but it differs from what is what is indicated on oanda.com.

Unfortunately not. Well over a year ago, I had to called them 3 times to get me refunds on smaller amounts. I was lucky the 1st 2 times and got accommodating reps. The 3rd gave me a hard time. I told him that Schwab had the same problem (at the time) and their rep voluntarily offered to give me $5 credit for future use even though, I told them I was using Schwab as my backup card so I said to the Fidelity rep since Fidelity was my primary account and you can't seem to make a decision on the money due which was much less than $4, I want Fidelity to show the same appreciation and credit my account $10. He said he didn't know if he could do that. Next day, I found $10 credit. It isn't the worth the effort, so I am making Schwab my primary DC card especially with their unusually high savings rate (for a brokerage account) of 1.05% and end of month automatic fee refund.

Btw, Fidelity also owes me 150baht but I am going to wait until the end of the month to see if they fixed the problem like Schwab did.

To get the IER I use this xrate.com site.

Regarding using the Fidelity DC, I recommend that

(1) you try to use fee free AEON as often as possible while they are fee free

(2) if a fee is involved, keep your receipt.

(3) wait either until the end of the month or accumulate 450 baht in fees before calling.

Hope this helps.

VB

Thanks - that does help.

The Fidelity rep that I talked to was pleasant enough and really seemed like he wanted to help, it was just that he was completely ill-equipped to handle my inquiry. I've found before though that the efficiency of Fidelity reps is a hit or miss affair though. When I rolled-over my Fidelity 401k from my old job into a Fidelity IRA account, that also caused massive confusion and you would think that transactions like that would be pretty routine for them since 401k's and IRA's are Fidelity's bread and butter. It took over a month for that to get completely straightened out (but they did make it right eventually and were pleasant & apologetic the whole time).

[connda]

Hi Catman...

AEON ATMs remain fee-free.

UOB went over to the dark side a couple months ago.

Vagabond and another TV member have reported in the last couple days that GSB has begun charging the fee. I haven't been able to confirm that in BKK myself. As reported above, for the last three days, my usual GSB ATMs have been kicking back my U.S. debit card, the same one I've always used with GSB in the past with no problem.

Re HSBC's branch near Saladaeng, I don't have any definitive info on that. There haven't been many posts on their status, as best as I can recall. I have an HSBC card from the U.S., but I long ago ceased using it in the HSBC ATMs here, because they always seemed to give a lousy exchange rate, even before the 150 baht ATM fee arrived.

There also have been some reports by some TV members that they've been able to use Bank of Ayudhya ATMs without incurring the 150 baht fee, mostly seemingly Brits. But other members do get charged the fee at Ayudhya ATMs. I don't think we've ever been able to account for the conflicting reports.

HSBC is not a listed member of the Thai Bankers Assn. that hatched the 150 baht ATM fee scheme, but neither is GSB....

AEON ATMS...no 150 baht withdrawal fee...

Hey jfc, I've been away from this site and away from Thailand for the last 4 months (but return on Wednesday) so I'm a little behind on the goings on on this thread. From what I've just briefly read I understand that GSB are now charging the 150bt fee. When I left in June the other charge free bank was UOB....by the sounds of things they must be charging now too, which just leaves Aeon right??

I was wondering about those 3 HSBC ATMs down at their one and only Thai branch down in the Silom/Lumpini Park area. Do you know if those machines operate fee free??

Thanks.

I just came back from Government Saving Bank and they have started charging a 150 Baht fee.

[laps]

Close to the new immigration office in Bangkok a Aeon ATM can be found. The right-hand main entrance

to Big C on Chaeng Watthana is the location. Inside the doors you will see a TMB ATM to your right, behind is the

Aeon ATM. Easy to overlook as its kind of greyish and only half the size as the neighboring TMB.

[vagabond48]

Vagabond and Winpy, aren't both of you guys in Chiang Mai??? One getting cash and a fee from GSB... the other nothing, same as me??? How's that happening???

Don't know either. I could do a test tomorrow at the machine I got money from last time to see if I get to the 150b fee message which of course I will cancel.

I went to one of the GSB machine I previously used and did a test. It went through to the normal steps and I got the warning message of accepting the 150 baht fee which I declined.

[vagabond48]

Today was the 1st time I used a Aeon in Chiang Mai. I went to the one at the Airport Business Park listed on the web. It turned out to an office without any machines so wimpy, you would have struck out twice had you gone there too.

Although it was quite difficult due to the language barrier, I think I got all the locations of the machines in CM.

Besides the 3 (not counting Airport Business Park) listed on their website, there is Carrefour, Big C which is past Lotus-Tesco-Hang Dong.

I used the one in Lotus-Tesco Hang Dong. To my surprise, it looked like a normal small branch same as other regular banks.

It's a little early to get today's IER. I got 33.3667 which seems about right for today.

One good thing about visiting the Airport Business Park was the many beautiful and very young (for me) woman working there.

Still just a dirty ol man at heart.

[SurfRider]

I can confirm that at least one G$B ATM in Pattaya is once again accepting foreign VISA Debit cards.

G$B has also officially hopped into the tank with the other Thai ATM usury fee cartel members.

The vile mercenary edict, "this transaction will be charged 150 Baht" appears on the screen-- same-same as the other conspiring usury cartel ATMs.

It will be interesting to see if AEON is eventually seduced to the dark side.

Transaction: Saturday Oct.10 -- US$ Rate 33.3097 -- X-Rates 33.3153 -- Fee refunded by E-Trade

.

[jfchandler]

I'm still having no joy with GSB in BKK... Went to the Asoke BTS Station GSB ATM again today... It appeared to be in normal working order. Tried my U.S. debit card, using both the Thai and English menus. As soon as I selected withdrawal and then entered the amount, it canceled the transaction and spit out my card.

It's now going on a week or so here in BKK that every GSB ATM I have tried has not functioned, even though the same U.S. VISA debit cards work fine everywhere else, including the fee-free AEON ATMs.

[jfchandler]

I've always said Vagabond is a man ahead of his time...

And indeed, I found that to be true today (Monday) when, finally after more than a week of being out of commission for foreign ATM cards, I managed to find a GSB ATM in Bangkok that took my U.S. VISA debit card and wanted to charge me 150 baht for the privilege of a withdrawal. This was at the Big C store near the Saphan Kwai BTS station.

So indeed, I can likewise confirm now that GSB in BKK has gone over to the dark side in joining the ranks of those charging the 150 baht foreign card ATM withdrawal fee.

Here's what it looked like on the ATM screen, before I canceled the transaction.

[jfchandler]

And, while we're on the topic, I'd like to add a couple items under the heading of MYTH-BUSTING... since there have been some pretty big whoppers circulating around various TVisa banking threads.

(I'll offer the advice below with the caveat that it applies to Thai banking using standard U.S. VISA logo debit cards.... I can't speak to the experiences of the European folks).

Myth #1: Using the Thai language menus (instead of the English ones) at the Thai bank ATM machines will avoid you having to pay the 150 baht fee. WRONG.... I tried that approach today at both a GSB and Bank of Ayudhya ATM, and in both cases, Thai language menu notwithstanding, the ATM recognized my card and still popped up with the 150 baht fee notice.

Myth #2: Bank of Ayudhya ATMs aren't charging the 150 baht fee... WRONG.... Again, while I can't speak to the European experience, with U.S. issued VISA cards, every BofA ATM I have tried in various places at various times has popped up with the 150 baht ATM fee notice.

Truth #1: AEON ATMs throughout Thailand remain fee-free, and are the only widespread fee-free ATM option that remains at this point.

Truth #2: Account holders who have an E*Trade checking account or the Charles Schwab Bank high yield checking or savings accounts are having pretty good luck with getting their Thai ATM fees reimbursed when they are incurred. I've incurred a couple with my E*Trade account/card (mostly testing for purposes of reporting here), and each time the fee has been reimbursed immediately, in-full, without any need to call or contact the bank.

So now I'll use AEON ATMs for day-to-day stuff, and if I ever find myself stuck needing quick cash where no AEON ATM is nearby, I'll use one of my fee-reimbursing accounts as a backup.

[vagabond48]

I've always said Vagabond is a man ahead of his time...

You know, I searched and searched but couldn't find any of your quotes.

Darn those moderators, they were so envies of your sincere praises, that they deleted them all.

[vagabond48]

Truth #2: Account holders who have an E*Trade checking account or the Charles Schwab Bank high yield checking or savings accounts are having pretty good luck with getting their Thai ATM fees reimbursed when they are incurred. I've incurred a couple with my E*Trade account/card (mostly testing for purposes of reporting here), and each time the fee has been reimbursed immediately, in-full, without any need to call or contact the bank.

Regarding Schwab, while they are reimbursing the fees, unlike eTrade, they are waiting until the end of the month.

As far as Fidelity, I have pending fee reimbursement and I am waiting until the end of the month to see if they have fixed the problem of automatically reimbursing the ATM fees.

[ballzafire]

Truth #1: AEON ATMs throughout Thailand remain fee-free, and are the only widespread fee-free ATM option that remains at this point. ...

"widespread"?

Can you provide a list? I've tried their website ( http://www.aeonthailand.com/ ) but all links are bad.

I'd really like to know how to find other AEON ATMs in my area (since the one I was using got closed down recently...[big frown] )

[jgm005]

Truth #1: AEON ATMs throughout Thailand remain fee-free, and are the only widespread fee-free ATM option that remains at this point. ...

"widespread"?

Can you provide a list? I've tried their website ( http://www.aeonthailand.com/ ) but all links are bad.

I'd really like to know how to find other AEON ATMs in my area (since the one I was using got closed down recently...[big frown] )

The following link from the AEON site works:

http://www.aeonthailand.com/lang/en/menu/Service_Location

[SurfRider]

The AEON Link above is better than nothing, but it is also incomplete, ambiguous, somewhat misleading, and was probably created by some well meaning Thai back in the Jurassic era.

With respect to Chonburi, the province containing Pattaya, it lists only 6 ATMs. It's not clear where the listed Carrefour ATM is, but it says Sattahip, which is almost a day-trip south of Pattaya if you have private transport.

The Carrefour in central Pattaya, which DOES have an AEON ATM is not identified.

Another AEON ATM in South Pattaya at Big-C/Homeworks is not listed.

The address of one ATM is a cryptic undecipherable Pattaya address and nobody would ever guess that it's at Tesco-North on Pattaya Nua Rd.

Unfortunately the overall accuracy rating for this list is a bit like stating that Paris might be in Europe but we're not sure about that. . .

.

[vagabond48]

I agree with Surf. I emailed them over a week ago, asking them to update their Chiang Mai list which I found out later has one office location without an ATM and is missing 2 other locations. They still haven't replied or changed the list.

I saw an additional encouraging sign that they plan to keep their current fee free policy.

Besides displaying at their locale machine a warning about other banks charging the 150b fee, they also have as a pop up window on their website. Since I use ABP to suppress popups, I had to allow their pop up window to display.