Barclays Bank Visa Debit Card Charges

[thaibound2]

hello everybody hope you can help me?,

im currently staying in bangkok for 3 months business and pleasure but my barclays visa debit card gets charged alot every time i withdraw cash or make payments in stores etc? how can i avoid the fees as its adding up to quite alot now and ive only been here 1 week. is there any barclays banks or known ATM machines that dont charge for withdraws? with barclay cards? also if i open a thai account will i get charged to transfer my funds from my barclays over to the thai account via online banking??

basically guys any advice in regards to, using my barclyas debit card at ATMs that dont charge or at barclys bankbranches in BKK if they have them?

and

transferring money into good thai bank account from barclys via online banking with out fees and then be able to use the thai account during my stay?

any help much appreciated thanks for yout time and for helping?

cheers

thaibound2

[Capealava]

All Thai banks charge 150 baht for withdrawals. As for Barclays they should only be charging you a 1% international transfer fee. To avoid the 150 baht ThaI ATM Charge use Aeon atms, about 100 machines in bangkok. Google Aeon Bangkok for locations. Opening a Thai bank account can be easy or difficult depending on the bank and your visa type. Might be more problem than it is worth for only a 3 month stay.

[Lannatyne]

EX-Barclays staff replying here, but, of course, I admit to perhaps being a little out of date.

Firstly, international card transactions do attract a fee per usage. That's no secret, is easily found out at a branch, and to be fair, something you should have really checked out before you left UK for a relatively long period. Whenever you use your card, you're stuck with these, so use it as little as possible, and take as much cash as you dare in any one withdrawal simply to reduce the number of times you use it.

No problem with opening a Thai bank account. But, unless you've made prior arrangements, then I very much doubt if you'd be able to do an international transfer from a Barclays branch account by internet or phone to your Thai bank account. Even for me, it can't be done. The simple issue is that they need to confirm you and your ID first, in person, at the branch. Think about it - the bank won't take chances with customer's money by being conned into sending money to Thailand by a fraudster on the phone or by internet?

Since you haven't got your Thai bank account set up, then I'm pretty sure you won't have any "special" arrangements. All of the above may change, though, if you already have your accounts with Barclays International - then, it'll be possible, I think.

So, how to get a decent sized sum of money over here as cheaply as possible? Use a family member, or friend..........

Using your current online banking, you should be able to make a payment to your friend / family. Then simply tell them your new Thai bank details, and they can Telegraphic Transfer it across here. Of course, they may still have to go into their own branch (of any bank) for the very same reasons I've stated above.

And next time, before you leave UK for 3 months or more, get yourself organised!!! Good luck.

[Richard7]

So a simple Telegraphic Transfer from UK bank to Thai bank will save a fortune?