Anyway To Get A Credit Card In Thailand? Without Work Permit

[Portlandstone]

Was living in Vietnam before where I had a bank account and credit card at ANZ bank. Now that I packed up and left there (but kept accounts open and active) they are messing me around, want to close them out. I have to make a monthly payment of $55 usd for a storage company in the US, and just as well a CC is all but necessary to do many things in today's world, especially that payment. Is there any bank that will offer a real VISA or MC card, even if it's one of those secured types where you pre-pay your balance?

Edit: in addition, I heard banks in Cambodia are pretty customer-friendly. Anyone had experiences with them regarding such matters? Also, I checked out about doing wire payments from Thailand to the US and the fees range from high to outrageous.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Portlandstone

[tangoll]

If you had looked a bit earlier on the thread you had just posted on:

<http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Opening-Bank-Account-Thailand-t260738.html&st=100>

my post there described how I got a real VISA Thai baht based credit card from Siam Commercial Bank, Siam Square soi 1 branch, without having a work permit but with Bangkok address and putting up 100,000 baht fixed deposit whose account document the branch keeps, and opened up passbook savings account with auto deduction of charges made from the credit card.

Have also set up that credit card with a PayPal account with a Bangkok address, but had to use a new email address.

[Paul888]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Hope that helps.

[Xonax]

I have a Platinum Visa creditcard with KTC with my (thai)wife as guarantor.

[chanwit]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Hope that helps.

'Standard Savings Accounts' also require a work permit from most banks. I was only able to open one from Bangkok Bank but without online privileges.

Curious to what 'moneybookers' you use. I have used Paypal, my own banks in the U.S., and XETrades.

[el jefe]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Hope that helps.

'Standard Savings Accounts' also require a work permit from most banks. I was only able to open one from Bangkok Bank but without online privileges.

I have a standard savings account at Bangkok Bank with full online privileges. I do not have a work permit. It may depend on the branch. I know many people in Chiang Mai that have done the same thing as me. I don't have a Thai credit card, but I've never tried to get one. In my personal circumstances I don't see the need.

[Portlandstone]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Not quite sure I understand fully. I have a "K-Max Debit Card", with a VISA logo and standard 16 dig number, but says "electronic use only" at bottom in red. I also have a "Savings Deposit passbook" which consists of a 10 dig number. Do you and I have a different card (yet similar savings account type)? What's the exact name of your card (i.e. the title)? I looked online and saw something listed as a "K-Web Shopping Card" but it may not be identical to the K-Max which I have.

I wonder if I could in any way upgrade to this kind of card you are talking about. I took a look at that K-Cyber Banking for Kasikornbank, but when I entered my user info it asked me to make an agreement to their terms, one of their terms being "I agree to allow Kasikorn to debit my card for the K-Cyber banking fee." So I didn't accept, and besides I have the impression that K-Cyber banking just means viewing your account balances online, not upgrading to a web-shopping card. By the way, this web shopping card you have, it would be the same as calling up a vendor by voice and giving them your CC# and let them enter it on their end, wouldn't it?

Lastly, I don't understand about using Paypal in conjunction with a credit card. Why does someone use it? Essentially, I need any way possible that I can make a small monthly fee to the US (a storage unit) while avoiding fees as much as possible. A direct wire transfer was quoted to me anywhere from 500baht to 1200baht per transfer -- that's almost more than the amount I'd send. A credit card would only have like a 1% or 2% fee plus small conversion fees, ends up being relatively little.

edit: I should also mention I am only on a tourst visa with no work, although I may set something up in another month or two.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Portlandstone

[Loke]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Not quite sure I understand fully. I have a "K-Max Debit Card", with a VISA logo and standard 16 dig number, but says "electronic use only" at bottom in red. I also have a "Savings Deposit passbook" which consists of a 10 dig number. Do you and I have a different card (yet similar savings account type)? What's the exact name of your card (i.e. the title)? I looked online and saw something listed as a "K-Web Shopping Card" but it may not be identical to the K-Max which I have.

I wonder if I could in any way upgrade to this kind of card you are talking about. I took a look at that K-Cyber Banking for Kasikornbank, but when I entered my user info it asked me to make an agreement to their terms, one of their terms being "I agree to allow Kasikorn to debit my card for the K-Cyber banking fee." So I didn't accept, and besides I have the impression that K-Cyber banking just means viewing your account balances online, not upgrading to a web-shopping card. By the way, this web shopping card you have, it would be the same as calling up a vendor by voice and giving them your CC# and let them enter it on their end, wouldn't it?

Lastly, I don't understand about using Paypal in conjunction with a credit card. Why does someone use it? Essentially, I need any way possible that I can make a small monthly fee to the US (a storage unit) while avoiding fees as much as possible. A direct wire transfer was quoted to me anywhere from 500baht to 1200baht per transfer -- that's almost more than the amount I'd send. A credit card would only have like a 1% or 2% fee plus small conversion fees, ends up being relatively little.

edit: I should also mention I am only on a tourst visa with no work, although I may set something up in another month or two.

Kasikorn will only charge you fees for using K-Cyber Bank for i.e. transfering money between banks, paying your bills etc. - as any bank would charge fees for.

Allow me to elaborate a bit on Portlands answer:

Your card - K-Max Debit - is a ATM-card only. It will work only if there's sufficient funds available for your withdrawal, and the ATM are able to verify this on use.

Once you have K-Cyber Bank, then you can apply for a "Web Shopping Card" online (via K-Cyber Bank). It's free, and the card is a virtual Visa-card - meaning it has everything a physical card has, except from being physical - and it's meant for being used online, which your K-max Debit can't. You'll set the limit on the card yourself upon applying for it, and if you do set the limit equal to your balance, or less, then it is usually granted within 1 day only. Afterward you'll be able to change the limit online on your own discretion. The Web Shopping Card can be reqistered with Paypal etc., but your K-Max cannot.

Many uses Paypal to pay for their internet-shoppings - especially on eBay and such - due to it's "safer" - with the possibility to get your money back if you get cheated. Others uses Paypal for transfering money to their foreign girlfriends, or to transfer money between their own bank-accounts in different countries. To my knowledge then Paypal has just "closed" that cheap moneytransfer-service by starting to charge horrific fees for that service... The service is however still competitive though, as many other "cheap moneybookers" are indeed offering low fees, but also unbelievable low (phony) exhange-rates.

On Paypal you can attach some bank-accounts, and also creditcards. I guess most aren't to happy about attaching their savings-accounts and allow Paypal to withdraw from those. It's more safe to attach a creditcard to Paypal, as this have limits and somewhat protection. I for one, would also rather enter my creditcard informations into my account in Paypal, than enter it into some more or less obscure paysite, when shopping on the net.

[rayong09]

Many uses Paypal to pay for their internet-shoppings - especially on eBay and such - due to it's "safer" - with the possibility to get your money back if you get cheated.

And also many buyers use PayPal to cheat honest sellers, it is a serious problem for online sellers unless shipped via courier with online tracking which is not possible when sending something of low cost.

Also these virtual debit cards are great for shopping online but don't buy flight tickets with them as when you go to the airport many companies want to actually see the card, I tried myself to explain a Virtual Card purchase at the airport and they thought I was nuts! They let me on eventually after getting a guarantor but it was a nightmare.

[keestha]

Personally I never used credit cards, but I have often helped customers to pay for flight tickets online using a credit card.

Two years ago when I had to go to Malaysia, I went to the Katsikorn Bank to get an ATM card that could be used abroad, and they gave me a VISA card with a text written at the bottom "electronic use only". The card looks just like a regular credit card, with the 16 digit number on the front, and the 3 digit number at the back.

Could I use this card for purchasing a plane ticket online? And could I use it to buy something in a shop? What exactly do they mean by "electronic use only"?

Please help out the old nitwit.

[theoldgit]

^^^^^^^

I have a Kasikornbank Debit Card and you cannot use it online, or even to guarantee a car hire booking, but I have used mine around Asia and Europe to withdraw funds from an ATM, to purchase goods and checking out of a hotel, in fact anywhere with a swipe terminal, I presume this is was they mean by Electronic Use only, they swipe your card and freeze the amount from your account immediately.

Regarding the virtual web based card I have actually used mine to purchase tickets online with Air Asia without a problem, I suspect that with carriers who need to see a card, such as Thai, you wouldn't get away with it.

[blakegeee]

Once you have the Kasikorn ATM card, you must sign up for online banking. Once approved for that (24hrs i think), then you must apply for a "K-Shopping Card" (another 24 hours i think). They just give you a credit card number, and the 3 digit security code on the back, but there is actually no physical card. This can be used for online payments like a real visa card.

Oh ya, I needed no work permit for any of this.

Edited December 18, 2009 by blakegeee

[jboras]

I have a Platinum Visa creditcard with KTC with my (thai)wife as guarantor.

It's called a secondary card with your wife being the primary Card holder.....

I bet you pay both Bills...hahahah

[Searat7]

I use a kasikorn bank web card (its basically a virtual visa debit card) which you apply for from online banking and is attached to your standard savings account (which you of course need!) and its accepted everywhere online, and also works with paypal, and moneybookers which enables you to transfer funds to and from your account in another country very cheaply and within about 3 days.

Hope that helps.

'Standard Savings Accounts' also require a work permit from most banks. I was only able to open one from Bangkok Bank but without online privileges.

Curious to what 'moneybookers' you use. I have used Paypal, my own banks in the U.S., and XETrades.

I also have Savings Account with Bangkok Bank for 5 years now. At the beginning of this year I filled out application

for internet access with a note at the bottom stating I would take my business elsewhere if application was denied. About 10 days later I received e-mail with internet access.