Scb Atm Rort Slashed

[RubbaJohnny]

Announcement

Effective November 1, 2009, Siam Commercial Bank will reduce

an ATM network fee for cash withdrawals or cash advances for Visa and

MasterCard credit cards issued by non-bank institutions and non-ATM

Pool members from 150 baht per transaction to 15 baht per transaction.

Siam Commercial Bank PCL

Has anyone noticed this coming ito effect I use alocal SCB card so no charge

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Wow, that's good news, if correct. I'll be going out later this morning and give SCB a try.

Mac

[jfchandler]

No...it's NOT correct, according to SCB...

This has been raised, and addressed, in several other related threads in the past couple days...

I saw the original report also...and the announcement on the SCB web site... So I called and spoke to a CSR rep, who at my request, raised the issue with her manager and then called me back.

They are saying the policy change does not apply to foreign cards like the ones we use, but rather, non-bank credit cards here in Thailand like those issued by companies like AEON and Tesco.

If anyone wants to try their foreign card in SCB ATMs now, go ahead. You'll still get the 150 baht fee warning before the withdrawal is completed.

But if you try it and get NO fee, then, that would be NEWS... I don't think that's likely....

[Thanyaburi Mac]

No...it's NOT correct, according to SCB...

This has been raised, and addressed, in several other related threads in the past couple days...

I saw the original report also...and the announcement on the SCB web site... So I called and spoke to a CSR rep, who at my request, raised the issue with her manager and then called me back.

They are saying the policy change does not apply to foreign cards like the ones we use, but rather, non-bank credit cards here in Thailand like those issued by companies like AEON and Tesco.

If anyone wants to try their foreign card in SCB ATMs now, go ahead. You'll still get the 150 baht fee warning before the withdrawal is completed.

But if you try it and get NO fee, then, that would be NEWS... I don't think that's likely....

Well, it's "no news," I guess. Stopped by an SCB ATM machine an hour ago and gave it a go with my U.S. based ATM/Debit MASTERCARD, and up pops the "baht 150" charge notice. Cancel, and back to the drawing board.

Mac

[jfchandler]

Sorry TBM... it's as I suspected...

The English version of the SCB announcement certainly is less than clear... I thought it perhaps could have the other meaning, when I first read it as well...

Short answer is: AEON ATMs remain fee-free for foreign VISA and MC logo debit cards.

[Langsuan Man]

Announcement

Effective November 1, 2009, Siam Commercial Bank will reduce

an ATM network fee for cash withdrawals or cash advances for Visa and

MasterCard credit cards issued by non-bank institutions and non-ATM

Pool members from 150 baht per transaction to 15 baht per transaction.

Siam Commercial Bank PCL

Why does this story continue to have legs ? READ

[Steve2UK]

Announcement

Effective November 1, 2009, Siam Commercial Bank will reduce

an ATM network fee for cash withdrawals or cash advances for Visa and

MasterCard credit cards issued by non-bank institutions and non-ATM

Pool members from 150 baht per transaction to 15 baht per transaction.

Siam Commercial Bank PCL

Why does this story continue to have legs ? READ

Probably a combination of wishful thinking and the fact that Thai institutions' announcements (at least the ones in English) are - shall we say - not exactly famous for their clarity, comprehensiveness and reliability.

No offence intended - I'm just being IMO realistic.

[Maejo Man]

I used one of the generics at the local 7/11 the other day, and all I got on it was

"15 Baht Network fee" and that was on an overseas $ account. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to which banks do or don't.

[jfchandler]

What is a "generic" ATM in Thailand??

What do you mean by "overseas $ account"???

And what bank name/country did the ATM card you used belong to???

There clearly is a virtually across the board policy by the Thai banks to charge 150 baht fees on foreign ATM card withdrawals.

There have been, however, a very few examples of reported exceptions, one for example, supposedly involving Cash Cards belonging to Nationwide account holders from Britain, especially when using Bank of Ayudhya ATMs.

One broad exception is AEON ATMs in Thailand that remain fee free for all. However, AEON is not a Thai bank, per se, but rather, the Thai arm of a Japanese credit card company.

If anyone has other working examples of fee-free ATMs that don't belong to the Thai banks cabal, please provide the details here.

I used one of the generics at the local 7/11 the other day, and all I got on it was

"15 Baht Network fee" and that was on an overseas $ account. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to which banks do or don't.

[thaihome]

What is a "generic" ATM in Thailand??

What do you mean by "overseas $ account"???

And what bank name/country did the ATM card you used belong to???

There clearly is a virtually across the board policy by the Thai banks to charge 150 baht fees on foreign ATM card withdrawals.

There have been, however, a very few examples of reported exceptions, one for example, supposedly involving Cash Cards belonging to Nationwide account holders from Britain, especially when using Bank of Ayudhya ATMs.

One broad exception is AEON ATMs in Thailand that remain fee free for all. However, AEON is not a Thai bank, per se, but rather, the Thai arm of a Japanese credit card company.

If anyone has other working examples of fee-free ATMs that don't belong to the Thai banks cabal, please provide the details here.

I used one of the generics at the local 7/11 the other day, and all I got on it was

"15 Baht Network fee" and that was on an overseas $ account. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to which banks do or don't.

The reason it appears that there is “virtually an across the board policy by the Thai banks to charge 150 baht fees on foreign ATM card withdrawals” is because there is indeed such a policy. ATM fees are set by the Thai Bankers Association and they put out the policy earlier this year setting the 150 baht foreign ATM cards.

The reason for the inconsistent implementation of that policy across various banks was due to the time to put in place the accounting and software changes needed. Note that all the big banks did it very quickly, but the smaller banks took longer, ending with the Government Savings Bank finally putting the charge in place. I think that though AEON does belong to Thai Bankers Association, they are just not bothering to put the changes in place to start charging.

TH

[jfchandler]

ThaiHome, I agree with almost everything you say above... except:

1. I didn't use the word "appears". I just said, there IS such a policy among the Thai banks...for the same reason you recounted.

2. I don't believe AEON is a member of the TBA. The TBA membership page on their web site does not show AEON as a member.

[thaihome]

ThaiHome, I agree with almost everything you say above... except:

1. I didn't use the word "appears". I just said, there IS such a policy among the Thai banks...for the same reason you recounted.

2. I don't believe AEON is a member of the TBA. The TBA membership page on their web site does not show AEON as a member.

1. The word appears was not within my quotation marks so therefore I did not say you used it.

2. You are probably correct that AEON is not a member.

TH

[bkkjames]

I don't understand why people just don't bring a suitcase full of un-marked 100 $ bills and open an account here, get a local ATM card.

[Maejo Man]

What do you mean by "overseas $ account"???

And what bank name/country did the ATM card you used belong to???

Exactly what I said. I accessed an overseas aaccount that happens to be in $US

The card I used was a Visa issued by HSBC

I also use the Bank of Ayudhya ATMs regularly. and have never been charged the 150 baht, but I do get the 20 baht charge.

[jfchandler]

If you're using an HSBC card issued by the bank here in Thailand, it's possible the Thai banks somehow consider it a local card. There may have been some similar reports with HSBC cards issued in Singapore.

If it is an HSBC card issued in the States, I'm almost certain it would get hit with the fee.

What do you mean by "overseas $ account"???

And what bank name/country did the ATM card you used belong to???

Exactly what I said. I accessed an overseas aaccount that happens to be in $US

The card I used was a Visa issued by HSBC

I also use the Bank of Ayudhya ATMs regularly. and have never been charged the 150 baht, but I do get the 20 baht charge.

[Maejo Man]

If you're using an HSBC card issued by the bank here in Thailand, it's possible the Thai banks somehow consider it a local card. There may have been some similar reports with HSBC cards issued in Singapore.

If it is an HSBC card issued in the States, I'm almost certain it would get hit with the fee.

Without wishing to divulge my personal banking details, sufficient to say it was not issued in Thailand or Singapore. However I do have a local HSBC card issued in Bangkok, and I use it the same as I do with all my other Thai ATM cards, it just incurs the mandatory 20 baht charge.