Atm Fees (the Horror, The Horror!)

[Jingthing]

Recently, I withdrew about 290 dollars from one of my US banks from an SCB ATM. My limit for ATM withdrawals is 300 dollars. Looking at my statement, I was charged 8 dollars and change from the Thai bank and 5 dollars from my US bank. My question is about the 8 dollars and change charge. That is WAY more than 150 baht! Are others finding their 150 baht mysteriously blowing up this way? I know the US dollar is weak, but it ain't that weak. 13 dollars and change to get at 290 dollars, I am sure glad this isn't my normal method to get money here! I know I am not the only one with a 300 dollar limit also. This can't be good for tourism.

Edited November 12, 2009 by Jingthing

[thaihome]

I don’t see the Thai ATM charge on my statement when I make a withdrawal; just the 3% (Ouch!) fee my bank charges for using a foreign ATM. They just include the 150 baht to the amount withdrawn and then put the 3% on that. I agree; it is not the best way to get money. I avoid it if I can.

TH

[tutsiwarrior]

HSBC charges about 4% for both ATM withdrawals and TTs according to the exchange rate that they use; usually about 4% less than the IER...I'd go elsewhere but I'm stuck with what I got as I don't have an address anywhere but Thailand...

you reckon that Kurtz had an ATM where he was livin' up river?

[khunjake]

Likley an adjusted FX fee from your issuing bank, not a fee jack from SCB. My visa card from home bank has 0% FX fee but just a flat rate $5/foreign ATM withdrawal fee. From my other home bank which is Mastercard, they charge $1.50/foreign ATM withdrawal fee & 3% conversion fee! Don't use ATMs in Thailand since the 150 THB fee but outside of Thailand, guess which card I only use??

[givenall]

HSBC charges about 4% for both ATM withdrawals and TTs according to the exchange rate that they use; usually about 4% less than the IER...I'd go elsewhere but I'm stuck with what I got as I don't have an address anywhere but Thailand...

you reckon that Kurtz had an ATM where he was livin' up river?

I stopped dealing with big banks whether Thai or other country banks. I keep my money in Credit union in US and ING internet bank and they have the smallest fee than any other banks

[Jingthing]

I just assumed the 8 dollars and change was the Thai bank's fee as that was charged on the day of the transaction and was an odd number (there was no detailed explanation about what the fee was though) reflecting a currency conversion. The exact 5 dollars was charged at the end of my bank statement period; I think that is my US bank's standard normal charge for using a foreign ATM. The bank was Wachovia (now Wells Fargo).

Edited November 12, 2009 by Jingthing

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Jingthing

Have you requested an increase in your authorized ATM limit? I did recently, from $300 to $1,000. No problem, as long as funds are in the bank.

Mac

[siam2007]

here once again the list for the NO-FEE ATM's of the AEON network.

that's just for Bangkok, browse their website (google AEON THAILAND) for locations at other changwat's

1 Carrefour Rangsit 2 nd Floor Carrefour Rangsit - --

2 Carrefour Sukhupiban 3 1st Fl., next to main entrance - --

3 Carrefour Bangyai 2 nd Floor Carrefour Bangyai - --

4 Carrefour Bangkae 1 st Floor Carrefour Bangkae - --

5 Carrefour Suwinthawong 2 nd Floor Carrefour Suwintawong - --

6 Carrefour Cheangwattana 2nd Floor Carrefour Chaengwattana - --

7 Carrefour Bangbon 2 nd Floor Carrefour Bangbon - --

8 Fashion Island 3 2nd Floor Aeon Spot - Fashion Island - --

9 Future Park Rangsit 1 2st Floor Future Park Rangsit Branch - --

10 Carrefour Bangprakok 3rd Floor Carrefour Bangpakok - --

11 Tops Ratchavitee 1st Fl Tops Ratchavithi - --

12 Tops Sukhapibal 3 1st Floor Tops Sukhapibal 3 - --

13 The Old Siam Plaza 1st Floor The Old Siam Plaza - --

14 Carrefour On-Nuch 1st Floor Carrefour On-Nuch - --

15 Central Ramindra 1st Floor Central Ramintra - --

16 Carrefour Samrong 2nd Floor Carrefour Samrong - --

17 Wonder Department Store 1st Floor Wonder Department Store - --

18 Saha Farm 1st Floor Saha Farm - --

19 Bangplee Industrial Estate Jun Mini Mart - --

20 Siam Center 2 nd Siam Center - --

21 Navanakhorn 1 st Lotus Navanakhorn - --

22 Jusco Rangsit Klong 2 1 st Front Jusco Rangsit Klong 2 - --

23 J Avernue 1 st Javernue Navanakhon - --

24 SC Plaza 1 st SC Plaza - --

25 999 Kaingkai Market Front 999 Kaingkai Market - --

26 Lotus Rungsit Klong 7 1 st Zone food cout - --

27 Max Valu Rama 3 ( Jusco Klong 2 ) 1 St Zone Sto - --

28 The Mall Thapra 3 Aeon Spot The Mall Thapra - --

29 Mabunklong Center 2nd Floor Mabunkron Center - --

30 Carrefour Rattanathibeth 2nd Floor Carrefour Rattanathibet - --

31 Hua-Lamphong 1st Floor Hua-Lamphong - --

32 Jusco Bangbon 1 st Floor Jusco Bang Bon - --

33 Big C Wongsawang 2nd Floor Big C Wongsawang - --

34 THS Banglampoo 1st Floor Tang Hua Seng Banglumpoo - --

35 Airport Donmuang 1 St Zone ATM - --

36 Big C Ratburana 2nd Floor Big C Ratburana - --

37 Big C Rama 2 1st Floor Big C Rama2 - --

38 Big C Rattanathibeth 1st Floor Big C Rattanathibet - --

39 Jusco Ratchada 3rd Floor Aeon Spot Jusco Ratchadapisek - --

40 Tops Pracha-u -thit 1 st Tops Prachauthit - --

41 Imperial Samrong BF1 Floor Imperial Samrong - --

42 Carrefour Petkasem 2nd Floor Carrefour Petkasem - --

43 Future AV 2nd Fl Zear Future AV shop - --

44 Central Pinklao(2) 1 st Central Pinklao - --

45 Central Rattana 2 nd AS Central Rattanathibet - --

46 Central Rama 3 (2) 1 st Central Rama3 - --

47 Evernew Plaza 1 st Evernew plaza - --

48 Lotus Minburi 2nd Floor, Lotus Minburi - --

49 Lotus Rama 3 2nd Floor Lotus Rama 3 - --

50 Lotus Srinakarin 2nd Floor Lotus Srinakarin - --

51 Lotus Prachachuen 2nd Floor Lotus Prachachuen - --

52 Lotus Sukhapibal 1 1st Floor Lotus Sukhapibal 1 - --

53 Lotus changwattana 1st Floor Lotus changwattana - --

54 Lotus Rama 2 2nd Floor Lotus Rama 2 - --

55 Lotus Fortune 1 st Floor Lotus Fortune - --

56 Big C Donmuang BF Floor Big C Donmuang - --

57 Big C Bangna BF 1 Floor Big C Bangna - --

58 Big C Ladprao 1st Floor Big C Ladprao - --

59 Big C Suksawad 2nd Floor Big C Suksawad - --

60 Big C Ratchadamri 1st Floor Big C Ratchadamri - --

61 Big C Daokaonong 1st Floor Big C Daokanong - --

62 Big C Tiwanon 2nd Floor Big C Tiwanon - --

63 Big C Chaengwattana 1st Floor Big C Cheangwattana - --

64 Big C Bangplee 1st Floor Big C Bangplee - --

65 Big C Rangsit 1st Floor Big C Rangsit - --

66 Big C Sapankwai 2 nd Fl Big C SapanKwai - --

67 Big C Aomyai 2 nd Big C Aomyai - --

68 Lotus Wanghin 2 nd Lotus wanghin - --

69 Lotus Bangprakok 1st Floor Opposite KFC - --

70 Lotus Ladprao 1st Floor Lotus Ladprao - --

71 Lotus Bangyai 1 st Floor Lotus Bangyai - --

72 Bus Station Rachatevee Bus Station Front Rajwithee hospital - --

73 Ngampee Front of 7 Eleven Soi Ngamdooplee - --

74 Carrefour Ramindra 1st Floor Carrefour Ramindra - --

75 Carrefour Ladprao 1 st Floor Carrefour Ladprao - --

76 Future Park Bangkae BF1 Floor Future Park Bangkae - --

77 The Ford (Sriyan) 1st Floor, Next to the Customer Service Counter - --

78 H/O CCD 1st Floor Serm-mit Tower AEON H/O - --

79 Mochit 1st Floor Mochit 2 - --

80 Central Chidlom BF1 Floor Central Chidlom - --

81 Robinson Ratchadapisek 1st Floor Robinson Ratchada - --

82 Jusco Sukhumvit 71 1st Floor Jusco Sukhumvit 71 - --

83 Jusco Srinakarin 1 st Floor Jusco Srinakarin - --

84 Central Bangna 1 st Floor Central Bangna - --

85 Jusco Sukhapibal 1 1 st Floor Jusco Sukhapiban 1 - --

86 Central Pinklao 1 st Floor Central Pinklao - --

87 Central Silom 1 st Floor Central Silom - --

88 Central Ladprow BF1 Floor Central Ladprao - --

89 Jusco Pracha-U-Thit 1 st Floor Jusco Pracha-uthit - --

90 Aeon Spot Big C Ramkhamhaeng (CCD) BF Floor Aeon-Spot Big C Ramkhamheng - --

91 The Mall Bangkapi 2 nd Floor Themall Bangkapi - --

92 The Mall Ngamwongwan 1 st Floor The mall Ngamwongwan - --

93 The Mall Bangkae 1 st Floor The Mall Bangkae - --

94 Central Rama 3 1 st Floor Central Rama 3 - --

95 The Mall Ramkhamhaeng 1 st Floor The Mall Ramkhamheng - --

96 Major Cheangwattana 1 st Floor Major Chaengwatana -

the one at CENTRAL SILOM (near the BOOKAZINE-store, when u enter from the BTS-station, just turn right) is probably the most useful for the average tourist

Edited November 12, 2009 by siam2007

[OriginalPoster]

Just a hunch, but if it was a SCB ATM and the card you were using was in any way affiliated with Mastercard, and you got hit by more than a 150 baht fee, then perhaps you were hit by SCB's notorious "dynamic currency conversion". Basically SCB converts the baht that you're withdrawing to US dollars at some arbitrary exchange rate, then they convert that dollar figure back to baht again at another arbitrary exchange rate so that it can be billed to the Mastercard network, then Mastercard converts the amount back to dollars. Basically it causes you to lose a percentage equal to twice the buy/sell spread of the Baht-to-Dollar rates that SCB is using.

[Gonsalviz]

Sorry about the poor tourists but I send money to my Thai bank account for $30 no matter how much the transaction is for.

[Jingthing]

Sorry about the poor tourists but I send money to my Thai bank account for $30 no matter how much the transaction is for.

I usually use SWIFT but I had a reason to get only about 300 dollars by ATM, so this was better than a SWIFT fee. I also wanted to test it to see what the actual fees would be; thus the shocking horror.

[tommckay1478]

Hi everyone, just to say, a couple of machines tried to charge m the 150 bhat (UK lloyds visa-debit) but arunya (sp?) bank was only 15 bhat which is ok by me. however its a new card my friends brought over from UK so lloyds said it had same PIN as old card , but it claimed the PIN was wrong 3 times in a row.

I was bricking myself as a card gets swallowed after 3 attempts in UK and its my only card ive got and only 200 bhat on me ( the others all stolen when i was drugged and robbed in BKK). dunno <deleted> thats about as im sure of my PIN and im sure that new cards nowadays can use your old PIN straight away.

anyhow THIB bank changed 5000 for me , no mention of any charge (wait n see, any1 know?) with an irish passport even though i opened the account with UK one and no need for PIN , justsign and carbon copy of card.

suratthani

swings and roundabouts..........