When I withdraw money from a Siam Commercial Bank ATM, I nowadays see a text on the screen which gives you 2 choices : a) continue with conversion and continue without conversion.

Does it make any difference which choice you make, I wonder ?

I suspect it makes some difference in how the transaction is made if this is what is sounds like it is. Look up dynamic currency conversion as that is likely what the first option is (although I was not aware they were using that). If that is first option the second would likely be the normal conversion rate with the 150 baht ATM usage fee.

In general DCC has been a poor rate of exchange but without an ATM fee involved (only BAY had been using this system to my knowledge). It may be six of one; half dozen of the other with the ATM fee being 150 baht now.

But above is just a guess as I have not used ATM service from outside Thailand in many years.

I suspect it makes some difference in how the transaction is made if this is what is sounds like it is. Look up dynamic currency conversion as that is likely what the first option is (although I was not aware they were using that). If that is first option the second would likely be the normal conversion rate with the 150 baht ATM usage fee.

In general DCC has been a poor rate of exchange but without an ATM fee involved (only BAY had been using this system to my knowledge). It may be six of one; half dozen of the other with the ATM fee being 150 baht now.

But above is just a guess as I have not used ATM service from outside Thailand in many years.

Thanks.

I chose for the non-conversion option, and this proved to give a better rate, as compared to the conversion option, as I later found out online.

It would appear to be another scam for taking a few THB from the farangs. Over the two weeks they have consistently been offering about 2 THB less than XE.com are quoting and about 1.25 THB less than they quote on the board inside their banks.

Either way you are still being charged the 150 THB fee.

Don't you just love them!

Edited August 7, 201015 yr by ChiangmaiCheers