Getting A Credit Card In Thailand

[Neeranam]

I have tried a few times to get a credit card but they always say no

Rcently I tried with the Bangkok Bank. I gave them my work permit and the necessary stuff from my work(Thai govt. institution).

I thought that this time they would give me one, but no.

I had a book which I had had for over 5 years.

I didn't have money going in all the time but most of the time, and for the last 7 months regularly, 28,000 baht.

I remember that HSBC asked farang to have 1 million baht a year.

Siam commercial once told me that they never give farang(manager's words), which I know is <deleted>.

How can I get one?

[Totster]

Do you live in Bkk neeranam.... for some reason I think you don't....

If you don't it might be worth you opening an account in Bangkok ( I'm assuming you haven't already), one that's used to dealing with a large number of Farang, maybe you'll be more lucky.

just a suggestion based on assumptions that may be wrong..

totster

[trajan]

why dont you try:

Citibank Visa

Diners Club /Citibank

American Express

Central Department Store Mastercard

HSBC Visa

I know first hand that they issue credit cards in Thailand to foreigners.....

[Neeranam]

Do you live in Bkk neeranam.... for some reason I think you don't....

Correct Totster

why dont you try:

Citibank Visa

Diners Club /Citibank

American Express

Central Department Store Mastercard

HSBC Visa

I know first hand that they issue credit cards in Thailand to foreigners.....

Thanks, I did try HSBC but I don't make 1 million a year.

Do the other ones you say require this?

[h90]

crazy and they wanted to sell me a creditcard, don't want to check anything, just want to give me a CC at Bangkok Bank.

It seems it depends on with who you are speaking.

I would try to go to the mother branch or to a branch at a farang area. A bit outside they are afraid of everything which is unusual.

I had my special experience with money transfers.......

I have tried a few times to get a credit card but they always say no

Rcently I tried with the Bangkok Bank. I gave them my work permit and the necessary stuff from my work(Thai govt. institution).

I thought that this time they would give me one, but no.

I had a book which I had had for over 5 years.

I didn't have money going in all the time but most of the time, and for the last 7 months regularly, 28,000 baht.

I remember that HSBC asked farang to have 1 million baht a year.

Siam commercial once told me that they never give farang(manager's words), which I know is <deleted>.

How can I get one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[rainman]

crazy and they wanted to sell me a creditcard, don't want to check anything, just want to give me a CC at Bangkok Bank.

It seems it depends on with who you are speaking.

I would try to go to the mother branch or to a branch at a farang area. A bit outside they are afraid of everything which is unusual.

I had my special experience with money transfers.......

I have tried a few times to get a credit card but they always say no

Rcently I tried with the Bangkok Bank. I gave them my work permit and the necessary stuff from my work(Thai govt. institution).

I thought that this time they would give me one, but no.

I had a book which I had had for over 5 years.

I didn't have money going in all the time but most of the time, and for the last 7 months regularly, 28,000 baht.

I remember that HSBC asked farang to have 1 million baht a year.

Siam commercial once told me that they never give farang(manager's words), which I know is &lt;deleted&gt;.

How can I get one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

credit card or atm card?

[Crossy]

Do you REALLY want a Thai credit card??

There is no purchase protection like you are used to in the West, if someone copies your card and runs up a huge bill, tough, your problem.

In a word, avoid.

Just my 2 Satang of course.

[yuyi]

Do you REALLY want a Thai credit card??

There is no purchase protection like you are used to in the West, if someone copies your card and runs up a huge bill, tough, your problem.

In a word, avoid.

Just my 2 Satang of course.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never I will accept such a credit card... You just shop one time in the wrong place, and it is copied

[Tompa]

Siam commercial bank does give credit cards to foreigners. I have one, and 5 other farangs in our company also has their credit card. They do however require you to earn a minimum salary each month. Can’t remember the exact figure, but I think it’s about 80,000 for a gold card and 50,000 for a regular card.

You should also try Krueng Thai Bank and Standard Charter Bank. It was very easy to get credit cards from both these banks. Again, you need to meet their minimum monthly salary requirements as well as having a proper visa/work permit.

While there are risks with Thai credit cards, I feel that the benefits outweigh the risks. You just have to be careful with how you use the card.

[h90]

they told me VISA, but I did not check, if it is a real VISA or just a debit or whatever...

crazy and they wanted to sell me a creditcard, don't want to check anything, just want to give me a CC at Bangkok Bank.

It seems it depends on with who you are speaking.

I would try to go to the mother branch or to a branch at a farang area. A bit outside they are afraid of everything which is unusual.

I had my special experience with money transfers.......

I have tried a few times to get a credit card but they always say no

Rcently I tried with the Bangkok Bank. I gave them my work permit and the necessary stuff from my work(Thai govt. institution).

I thought that this time they would give me one, but no.

I had a book which I had had for over 5 years.

I didn't have money going in all the time but most of the time, and for the last 7 months regularly, 28,000 baht.

I remember that HSBC asked farang to have 1 million baht a year.

Siam commercial once told me that they never give farang(manager's words), which I know is &lt;deleted&gt;.

How can I get one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

credit card or atm card?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Khutan]

One of the big benefits of credit cards in this country is it shows you what places to avoid dut to over-pricing.

They hang the big signs out for brands of credit card, ok, somewhere else, at a minimum you are paying someone else's merchant service fee.

[Firefan]

I prefer to stick to a debit card/ATM-card. The ones you get in Thailand works even abroad (but not for internet purchases), have much lower fees ($5/year) and also lower cash advance costs and usage costs.

Cheers!

[lopburi3]

I prefer to stick to a debit card/ATM-card. The ones you get in Thailand works even abroad (but not for internet purchases), have much lower fees ($5/year) and also lower cash advance costs and usage costs.

Cheers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Believe mush lower protection also? I have not checked in years but when I did it looked as if you risked any and everything in your account. Believe a credit card is much less risky here in Thailand. But would be happy to learn otherwise.

[Firefan]

Somebody further up this thread says that there is NOT the protection we are used to from US/EU on the credit cards?

For the debit card I just make sure I do not hold millions in the debit card connected Thai account.

TIT and nomatter WHAT card (credit/debit/visa/master/amex or whatever) was abused I am sure that I will not have much say.

Cheers!

[Neeranam]

Maybe I'll forget it. Seems like they think unless we are earning a lot more than them then we are a credit risk. I guess they have thier reasons, apart from the obvious. I have a ATMs from 4 different Thai banks so they will be ok for me in Oz where I am going this week.

The only reason I wanted it for was for buying stuff on the internet.

I suppose I can borrow my wifes.

[trajan]

Do you live in Bkk neeranam.... for some reason I think you don't....

Correct Totster

why dont you try:

Citibank Visa

Diners Club /Citibank

American Express

Central Department Store Mastercard

HSBC Visa

I know first hand that they issue credit cards in Thailand to foreigners.....

Thanks, I did try HSBC but I don't make 1 million a year.

Do the other ones you say require this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sorry I dont remember the minimum income required, but I do remember that for a basic Central CC, the minimum was B15,000 per month, a gold card (with MC logo) was B30,000 per month and a platinum card was B250,000 per month in income.

further qualification details at: <http://www.central.co.th/web/html/eng/card.html>

[monty]

Trajan,

Foreign nationals applying for a Central CC needs to earn at least 50,000 a month...

On top of that they first need to see and make a blanco slip from another credit card in your name

[jingjingna]

Same as Tesco Lotus credit card, 50,000 per month minimum income.

I don't think it's easy to get a Thai credit card unless you are already financially well off!

[h90]

On top of that they first need to see and make a blanco slip from another credit card in your name

what the &lt;deleted&gt;*ck is that?????

blanco slips are not really a clean thing....

Trajan,

Foreign nationals applying for a Central CC needs to earn at least 50,000 a month...

On top of that they first need to see and make a blanco slip from another credit card in your name

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Plus+]

I tried applying for SCB card twice with no luck. Before that I got refused by Bank of Asia. The main problem, as I was told, is that my school doesn't have payroll slips and my salary is deposited manually.

I've been using Krung Thai's Visa which I got through their agent who overlook at least one rule for farangs - minimum three years on a Work Permit. My wild guess would be to find a sales guy from any bank and apply thorugh him, usually her.

If you go straight to the bank it doesn't matter which branch you apply at in Bangkok - CC are issued by their head offices.

[Plus+]

If your wife has a CC, let her apply for a supplementary card. I had Amex this way here. They waived the fees for the first two years but last May they asked for 12600 baht and we cancelled. I thought since I already have that Krung Thai Visa applying for a new card would be easy but no. I spend about 15k a month on that card and it's more than their monthly requirement but no, they want only "quality farangs".

[Amethyst]

I remember that HSBC asked farang to have 1 million baht a year.

Siam commercial once told me that they never give farang(manager's words), which I know is &lt;deleted&gt;

Siam Commercial do give out Credit Card to Foreighner,I got my CC last couple of month from SCB....Process for application only for 1 month..

And also ive got a Central Gold Mastercard Credit Card with lots of discount available and no minimum purchase at Central...

It all depends on the Credit Card issuing officer if they wants to approved it or not...

Edited August 8, 2005 by tytus

[Captain Chaos]

Try joining the TG frequent flyer programme. I fly a lot as part of my work, and was "invited" to apply for an Amex quite soon after getting here (1 year or so?). It's an Amex Travel card and is linked to my ROP account (ie. spend accumulates airmiles [but not very many!]). I did have to send down some salary slips etc but I don't recall it being a particularly onerous process.

I bank with HSBC and suppose I am paid a fairly substantial amount. Even so, persuading them to give me a Visa card was a pain in the arse I perservered and got it eventually. I have found an increasing number of outlets in Thailand that "prefer" a different card to Amex, and a lot of places in countries such as the UK or Hong Kong simply don't accept it. Anyone else noticed this?

[machangezi]

I'm using KTC visa and Citi visa (cash back) for over a year now. Simply called them up and the sales girl came to our office with the application form.

[otherstuff1957]

I was turned down by SCB, even though I had a WP, three months worth of pay slips, a letter from my employer and a referral from a Thai friend who does business with the bank (a real estate agent). I really couldn't figure out why, but maybe it was the income level. My pay slips averaged in the mid 40's, not quite the 50K that others have mentioned as their Farang minimum.

[machangezi]

When I got me first KTC visa, my salary was approx. 30K / month. I think it depends on which bank / branch / who do you contact.

[Plus]

Looks like you need to find a sales agent with application forms. If you teach English they probably won't turn up at your classroom door, though.

[trajan]

Trajan,

Foreign nationals applying for a Central CC needs to earn at least 50,000 a month...

On top of that they first need to see and make a blanco slip from another credit card in your name

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oh OK, so its B50K per month minimum for foreigners...but I got a Central CC without any "blanco slips."

Edited August 9, 2005 by trajan

[Khutan]

Bank Auttaya want 50k a month, six months savings history and 3 years of living in Thailand on a Non Immigrant Visa or PR

Then its easy.

[Nordlys]

The only reason I wanted it for was for buying stuff on the internet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tried to order some art books from Italian online book stores with my SCB CC early this year and for some reason their online system denied payment authorization. Tried this at two different online shops in Italy and at both times it was denied, though I didn't have any problem using the same CC in Italy. One of the shops happily accepted my CC payment though after I sent my card info by fax (split the fax in two for security reason, one for card number and another for expiry date). Also for some unexplained reason payment for fuel at service stations in Japan with Thai-issued Citibank Card was never been approved either. Some internet shops in Japan also refused payment by Thai CC but that could be because the shipping address was in Japan while the billing address is in Thailand. However, never had same problem with US amazon.com or Japanese amazon (for shipment to Japanese address).

I have my SCB CC since my income was only 30,000 Baht (which gave me only B40K credit limit), when I believe minimum income for foreigner required then was B100K (about 4 years ago). But that's because we asked at a branch where my company (my family business to be exact) had an account and long been a good customer at and my wife (who's also an employee of the same company and knew those people at SCB very well) begged for it.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Nordlys