Aeon Atms Are Charging 150 Baht !

[Penkoprod]

Counter withdrawal. Just go into your Thai bank branch with your foreign ATM card and passport and they will process for you. Quick, easy, no fee.

You missed the last 2 (and most important?) words from the sentence

"Quick, easy, no fee"...................for now

Remember, Aeon ATMs didnt impose the 150 Baht fee.......UNTIL now

Penkoprod

[Chivas]

While you might not see a charge from AEON during your transaction, it shows up immediatly when i check my account whether by phone or online afterwords, and it does if fact show a $5 charge from AEON.

Yes I always thought they were charging somehow.Why on earth wouldn't they ??

[wimpy]

I have never been charged by Aeon, including yesterday. I always check my statement and the exchange rate.

Edited May 5, 2011 by wimpy

[Chivas]

Yes same AEON atm in Buriram has charged the 150 baht again today.

Chivas, I'm wondering what exactly your AEON ATM printed receipt says/shows... Does it just show a 10,150 baht total, or a 10,000 withdrawal and then a separate notation for 150 baht under some separate listing?

I last did an AEON w/d a few days ago in BKK with a U.S. MC debit card and was not charged any 150 baht fee... But that was a few days ago at the beginning of this month.

I think it unlikely any variation on this is related to new vs. old ATM machines, since what they show is a result of programming... not the hardware of the machine. So when a bank wants to make a change like that, they change the software programming of their system -- they don't do out and fiddle around with the guts of each one of their hundreds or thousands of ATMs.

Also, another possible explanation, though Chivas would have to address it himself, is whether the added charge is coming from his own home country bank or from AEON.

Right now, AFAIK, every Thai bank whose ATMs charge the 150 baht fee show a menu screen asking the customer if they will accept the 150 baht fee prior to proceeding with the transaction.

Will find out for everyone.

The wife is using one of my visa cards in my absence but she's pretty switched on (aren't they all)

However my online account clearly shows 10150 baht withdrawal.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Chivas

[Pib]

From all the posts so far and if I read them right, only the OP (Chivas) says AEON charged a 150 baht fee at one particular AEON ATM.

Chivas, you sure the wife was using an AEON ATM versus a similar looking Thai bank ATM? Maybe your home country bank has just started charging a 1.5% foreign transaction fee, which would equal 150 baht on a 10,000 baht transaction, and you are seeing them lumped together online. The AEON receipt sure confirm whether AEON charged a fee; if no fee is shown, it could very well be a home country bank fee (new fee possibly). Looking forward to what your additional research turns up. I may just do another AEON ATM withdrawal here in western Bangkok tomorrow, but I have done two withdrawals over the last approx 10 days with no fee charged. Cheers.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Pib

[jfchandler]

Yes I always thought they were charging somehow.Why on earth wouldn't they ??

Because, AEON is not a Thai bank or a member of the Thai Bankers Assn. that originally instituted the 150 baht ATM withdrawal fee.

AEON is the Thai subsidiary of a Japanese credit card company that just happens to operate ATMs in Thailand that accept VISA and MC logo cards for withdrawals... probably because AEON credit card holders can use their cards to make (very high interest) cash advance withdrawals from their ATMs.... And also pay their AEON bills via ATM deposits.

At least up until now, AEON has NEVER charged any ATM withdrawal fees in Thailand to users from any country... If there have been charges in the past, they've come from the home country banks of those card users...not AEON.

If something has changed with AEON very lately, I'll be interested to see and confirm for myself and others.

There have been some prior reports like this here on TV in the past re AEON, and they've proven ultimately to be false and/or premature... But, I'm waiting to see how the details of this latest flare-up pan out...

Edited May 5, 2011 by jfchandler

[el jefe]

I agree entirely. It's such a pain in the ass to use AEON machines, that I've given up saving Schwab from paying the fee. They can afford it. Schwab, E-trade, and I believe Fidelity will all reimburse the 150 baht fee. And none of them charge a foreign transaction fee.

Why do we repeat this thread every couple of weeks?

Probably because people periodically post incorrect or half-correct information, like you have above, and need to be corrected for the good of everyone...

E*Trade does charge (or to put it another way, no longer covers) the VISA/MC network fee of 1% on foreign ATM withdrawals... They began doing so a year or so back, after not doing so for many years. So they don't charge their own foreign currency fee when you withdraw funds from an ATM abroad, but they will deduct 1% off the normal ATM exchange rate (such as that delivered by AEON ATMs)... On the good side, E*Trade still does do immediate reimbursements of other banks' ATM fees, including the Thai ones.

In contrast, Schwab charges neither the card networks' 1% fee nor their own foreign currency fee on foreign ATM withdrawals. And they do reimburse the ATM fees charged by other banks, including Thai ones, but at month's end.

Fidelity says they do charge the card networks 1% fee... and they don't charge their own separate foreign currency fee. One TV member posted the other day that, as a Fidelity member, he hasn't been getting charged the 1% on his Fidelity ATM withdrawals abroad, despite what Fidelity clearly says on their web site. I haven't seen that TV member's experience confirmed as yet by other TV/Fidelity members here.

Of course, you're absolutely right, JFChandler. Rretty foolish of me to be repeating the same info reported on other threads without having first hand knowledge. A was unaware that E-Trade began charging the 1% fee, and as I implied my only experience with Fidelity is what I read here. My apologies to everyone.

Now, to correct the "half-correct information ... for the good of everyone". ;-)

Others have also posted that they get one reimbursement at month end. That is not the way my account works. Schwab reimburses my 150 baht fee immediately. No need to wait until month's end to check and verify that I got all the reimbursements. If I make two ATM withdrawals today, I will have two debits hit my account as soon as the w/d posts. Makes it very easy to track -- for every w/d there is a corresponding fee credit. But whether at month's end or immediately, it's not a significant difference and shouldn't be a reason not to use Schwab.

So please allow me to restate my original point, although more narrowly now. If anyone using an American bank for ATM withdrawals switched to Schwab, we wouldn't need to have this discussion for a while.

[jfchandler]

Thanks for clarifying that, El... Schwab's debit card is indeed a great account for those traveling or living abroad. Let's just hope that people don't over-use the $5 (for Thailand) ATM fee reimbursements to the point that Schwab eliminates them, as they already did by closing their money-losing 2% cash back VISA credit card. (The credit card and 2% rebate deal still functions for prior card holders, but it's no longer under Schwab (now under FIA) and is no longer offered to new applicants.) Who knows about the future under FIA, which is a unit of Bank of America.

As for the timing of Schwab's ATM fee reimbursements, I rarely use them. But I did happen to have one recently, and the ATM fee credit was not posted to my account until the very last day of the month, which happened to be two business days after my ATM withdrawal.

It would seem strange if they're handling different people's accounts in different ways about that, but perhaps they are.. I will say, most of the other TV member reports re Schwab that I've seen here do seem to say month-end, and that's certainly been my own direct experience. (I should add "limited" experience... In looking online into my account, you can search by ATM activity...and I found only ONE rebate used in the past 24 months... , though I'm pretty sure I did have some prior to that...

Edited May 6, 2011 by jfchandler

[removed]

I just withdrew 29,000 baht yesterday which is my max per day allowed on my American Visa Debit Card from Wells Fargo Bank. No Fee charged.

[jfchandler]

I just withdrew 29,000 baht yesterday which is my max per day allowed on my American Visa Debit Card from Wells Fargo Bank. No Fee charged.

It does seem that the reports of AEON's demise may be premature...

Brianks, we don't hear much from Wells Fargo users here... How much of a foreign currency charge is Wells applying for ATM w/d's?

Here's what the FlyersGuide web site says re Wells:

Wells Fargo / Wachovia Visa cards

Debit Card ATM w/d

0% for PMA Checking; 3% + $5 per transaction for all other accounts

Some non-PMA accounts may be exempt from the 3% ATM fee (but still subject to the $5/transaction fee). PMA accounts qualify for the first 2 ATM withdrawals w/o fees or unlimited with PMA qualifying balance over $100,000 [85]

Debit card POS

3% [84]

Credit card

3%

Edited May 6, 2011 by jfchandler

[timekeeper]

Counter withdrawal. Just go into your Thai bank branch with your foreign ATM card and passport and they will process for you. Quick, easy, no fee.

You missed the last 2 (and most important?) words from the sentence

"Quick, easy, no fee"...................for now

Remember, Aeon ATMs didnt impose the 150 Baht fee.......UNTIL now

Penkoprod

Penkoprod, despite the doom and gloom you have forecast for well over a year now and your joy at thinking you are finally right, you are still wrong

there is no fee being charged at AEON in Pattaya at all three locations

the staff in the Aeon branch at Tesco Lotus on Pattaya Nua say that there is no charge now nor any intention to charge in the foreseeable future

i have drawn over 60,000 in the last 3 days with no charges on 3 different countries ATM cards

try again next year..........

[timekeeper]

While you might not see a charge from AEON during your transaction, it shows up immediatly when i check my account whether by phone or online afterwords, and it does if fact show a $5 charge from AEON.

i can see similar charges when i use Aeon but the charges are made by my home banks NOT Aeon

HSBC UK charge £5

DBS Singapore charge SG$5

Aeon have never levied a charge and did not do so this morning

[Penkoprod]

Penkoprod, despite the doom and gloom you have forecast for well over a year now and your joy at thinking you are finally right, you are still wrong

there is no fee being charged at AEON in Pattaya at all three locations

the staff in the Aeon branch at Tesco Lotus on Pattaya Nua say that there is no charge now nor any intention to charge in the foreseeable future

i have drawn over 60,000 in the last 3 days with no charges on 3 different countries ATM cards

try again next year..........

Oh, believe me, there is no "joy" at all....just a great deal of skepticism where banks and similar institutes are concerned

This has all thehallmarks of being exactly the same situation as with Bank of Ayutthaya, when they were one of the few not to charge at first. Then, one or 2 reports of ATMs charging that nobody would believe. Then they got round to updating all the ATMs to reflect the fee. Remember that?

But thanks for your constant monitoring of my posts on this........its nice to have someone thinking of me

Penkoprod

[timekeeper]

Penkoprod, despite the doom and gloom you have forecast for well over a year now and your joy at thinking you are finally right, you are still wrong

there is no fee being charged at AEON in Pattaya at all three locations

the staff in the Aeon branch at Tesco Lotus on Pattaya Nua say that there is no charge now nor any intention to charge in the foreseeable future

i have drawn over 60,000 in the last 3 days with no charges on 3 different countries ATM cards

try again next year..........

Oh, believe me, there is no "joy" at all....just a great deal of skepticism where banks and similar institutes are concerned

This has all thehallmarks of being exactly the same situation as with Bank of Ayutthaya, when they were one of the few not to charge at first. Then, one or 2 reports of ATMs charging that nobody would believe. Then they got round to updating all the ATMs to reflect the fee. Remember that?

But thanks for your constant monitoring of my posts on this........its nice to have someone thinking of me

Penkoprod

not monitoring you penkoprod, your posts on this subject were just memorable in that despite all evidence to the contrary you still insisted that Aeon would be charging soon

you maintained that as the no charge became more well known to foreigners that they would have to charge, you said it simply wasn't possible that they could maintain the service with no fees

well that's well over a year ago, and there's still no charge so its still too early for you to celebrate a victory

not too late to admit you were wrong though

i also vaguely remember one of your posts when i think you intimated that the Aeon machines were so far off your circuit you could not be bothered to go to save 150 baht anyway

so really your fascination with Aeon machines and any fees they might levy for the rest of us paupers, who like me may travel from as far as Mabrachan Lake to an Aeon machine, really surprises me

happy sailing......

[Penkoprod]

Penkoprod, despite the doom and gloom you have forecast for well over a year now and your joy at thinking you are finally right, you are still wrong

there is no fee being charged at AEON in Pattaya at all three locations

the staff in the Aeon branch at Tesco Lotus on Pattaya Nua say that there is no charge now nor any intention to charge in the foreseeable future

i have drawn over 60,000 in the last 3 days with no charges on 3 different countries ATM cards

try again next year..........

Oh, believe me, there is no "joy" at all....just a great deal of skepticism where banks and similar institutes are concerned

This has all thehallmarks of being exactly the same situation as with Bank of Ayutthaya, when they were one of the few not to charge at first. Then, one or 2 reports of ATMs charging that nobody would believe. Then they got round to updating all the ATMs to reflect the fee. Remember that?

But thanks for your constant monitoring of my posts on this........its nice to have someone thinking of me

Penkoprod

not monitoring you penkoprod, your posts on this subject were just memorable in that despite all evidence to the contrary you still insisted that Aeon would be charging soon

you maintained that as the no charge became more well known to foreigners that they would have to charge, you said it simply wasn't possible that they could maintain the service with no fees

well that's well over a year ago, and there's still no charge so its still too early for you to celebrate a victory

not too late to admit you were wrong though

i also vaguely remember one of your posts when i think you intimated that the Aeon machines were so far off your circuit you could not be bothered to go to save 150 baht anyway

so really your fascination with Aeon machines and any fees they might levy for the rest of us paupers, who like me may travel from as far as Mabrachan Lake to an Aeon machine, really surprises me

happy sailing......

Likewise, happy sailing to you

[jfchandler]

So, barring any new updates from Chivas, and based on the contrary accounts from other posters here, it does seem to be that AEON ATMs continue to be FEE-FREE for foreign MC and VISA logo cards....nothing different from before.

As long as they remain fee-free, it's in anyone's interest to use them -- if their locations fit into a person's life.

I will say, some time back I already made alternate arrangements, just in case there ever is a change in the future. It's always good to have a backup plan... But for the time being, they remain backup plans.

[el jefe]

Thanks for clarifying that, El... Schwab's debit card is indeed a great account for those traveling or living abroad. Let's just hope that people don't over-use the $5 (for Thailand) ATM fee reimbursements to the point that Schwab eliminates them, as they already did by closing their money-losing 2% cash back VISA credit card. (The credit card and 2% rebate deal still functions for prior card holders, but it's no longer under Schwab (now under FIA) and is no longer offered to new applicants.) Who knows about the future under FIA, which is a unit of Bank of America.

As for the timing of Schwab's ATM fee reimbursements, I rarely use them. But I did happen to have one recently, and the ATM fee credit was not posted to my account until the very last day of the month, which happened to be two business days after my ATM withdrawal.

It would seem strange if they're handling different people's accounts in different ways about that, but perhaps they are.. I will say, most of the other TV member reports re Schwab that I've seen here do seem to say month-end, and that's certainly been my own direct experience. (I should add "limited" experience... In looking online into my account, you can search by ATM activity...and I found only ONE rebate used in the past 24 months... , though I'm pretty sure I did have some prior to that...

Well, I guess Schwab does treat different accounts differently. I have about 150 ATM withdrawals in the last 2 years in several different countries and had the fee reimbursed (where applicable) simultaneously with the w/d for all of them. they did miss a couple of 10k kip fees in Laos, but I can live with that.

And yes I got a FIA card when they were affiliated with Schwab. No foreign transaction fees and 2% back on all purchases. It's the only card I ever use (except for Air Asia who won't accept it). That can't last forever either.

[jfchandler]

Well...several days have now passed since the last post by the creator of this thread, TV member Chivas, and nothing new from him....

I did get the impression, as I reread the posts above, that he may be away from home and his Thai wife is the one making the ATM withdrawals. And then he's reporting seeing the debit from his account.

It occurred to me that another possibility -- besides the potential fee coming from his home country bank -- is that some AEON ATMs are not particularly well signed, and have a color scheme that is similar to at least one other Thai bank, Thai Military Bank, with their blue and grey colors.

It's possible that wifey thought she was using an AEON ATM but actually used one from a different, Thai bank.... That would explain the charging of a 150 baht fee, when no one else posting here has seen any fee from AEON.

[Chivas]

Well...several days have now passed since the last post by the creator of this thread, TV member Chivas, and nothing new from him....

I did get the impression, as I reread the posts above, that he may be away from home and his Thai wife is the one making the ATM withdrawals. And then he's reporting seeing the debit from his account.

It occurred to me that another possibility -- besides the potential fee coming from his home country bank -- is that some AEON ATMs are not particularly well signed, and have a color scheme that is similar to at least one other Thai bank, Thai Military Bank, with their blue and grey colors.

It's possible that wifey thought she was using an AEON ATM but actually used one from a different, Thai bank.... That would explain the charging of a 150 baht fee, when no one else posting here has seen any fee from AEON.

No skin off my old bones !!

No news from me as there won't be further withdrawals until same time next month.

Thought I made it clear that I wasn't in Thailand and it was my wife using my card ??

Likewise again my wife is somewhat intelligent with her own 2 restaurants and I asked her to search out the appropriate ATM machine.

When online banking shows withdrawal from AEON at 10,150 baht you can rest assured it was.(The Halifax is shight but NOT that shight !)

Rogue machine,site charge,whatever, but on these 2 occasions charges were made.

[dananderson]

JFC, I stand corrected and all your info is spot on. My bank has changed thier policy as perviously it was a straight 3% charge on int'l transactions. I remember speaking to a branch manager before leaving the states early last year. I asked if it was still a flat $5 charge. He said, "no, we now charge only 3%, so it will be better. If you take out 100$ for example, it will only cost 3$." I was immediatly thinking, what a <deleted>-where did you go to college and did you even pass a basic accounting course? I digress. Anyway thank you for your much valued contribution here and i humbly apologise for previously posting inncorrectly.:jap:

Edited May 8, 2011 by dananderson

[Soboringtochooseaname]

So the only good point with Aeon is that they give 40000 thb each time (stupid to withdraw less than this) when any other ATM gives a maximum of 20k or 25k (bkk bank it seems).

[Langsuan Man]

So the only good point with Aeon is that they give 40000 thb each time (stupid to withdraw less than this) when any other ATM gives a maximum of 20k or 25k (bkk bank it seems).

No, that is just one good point, not paying the 150 THB ATM fee is the best point

AEON, Big C South, Pattaya, today, E*trade Visa branded debit card, no fee other than the pesky 1% foreign transaction fee now levied by E*trade Bank

[jfchandler]

Thanks for confirming that... LSM...

The latest in a series of TV member posts indicating that AEON ATMs remain fee-free....

[jfchandler]

Chivas, I'm trying to find an answer that would explain your situation, and yet the continuing posts from other TV members who are withdrawing funds and say AEON is not charging the 150 baht fee...

Just wondering, if you're using Halifax UK, based on the sparse transaction details you've posted, I'm wondering how Halifax's own foreign currency fees fit into your numbers...

When I look at the Halifax web site, it looks like they say they charge foreign ATM withdrawal fees of 2.75% on the amount of the withdrawal plus a flat 1.5 pounds per transaction.

Based on a 10,000 baht withdrawal, the 2.75% cut would be 275 baht. And at the current pound-baht exchange rate, the 1.50 pounds would be a bit under 75 baht per transaction, or about 150 baht for two.

http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/rates-rewards-fees/#Buying_goods_and_services_in_a_foreign_currency

Yet you didn't seem to mention anything about those home bank fees in your posts.... Are those accurate for Halifax, or perhaps you have some different kind of account?

No skin off my old bones !!

No news from me as there won't be further withdrawals until same time next month.

Thought I made it clear that I wasn't in Thailand and it was my wife using my card ??

Likewise again my wife is somewhat intelligent with her own 2 restaurants and I asked her to search out the appropriate ATM machine.

When online banking shows withdrawal from AEON at 10,150 baht you can rest assured it was.(The Halifax is shight but NOT that shight !)

Rogue machine,site charge,whatever, but on these 2 occasions charges were made.

[Chivas]

Chivas, I'm trying to find an answer that would explain your situation, and yet the continuing posts from other TV members who are withdrawing funds and say AEON is not charging the 150 baht fee...

Just wondering, if you're using Halifax UK, based on the sparse transaction details you've posted, I'm wondering how Halifax's own foreign currency fees fit into your numbers...

When I look at the Halifax web site, it looks like they say they charge foreign ATM withdrawal fees of 2.75% on the amount of the withdrawal plus a flat 1.5 pounds per transaction.

Based on a 10,000 baht withdrawal, the 2.75% cut would be 275 baht. And at the current pound-baht exchange rate, the 1.50 pounds would be a bit under 75 baht per transaction, or about 150 baht for two.

http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/rates-rewards-fees/#Buying_goods_and_services_in_a_foreign_currency

Yet you didn't seem to mention anything about those home bank fees in your posts.... Are those accurate for Halifax, or perhaps you have some different kind of account?

No skin off my old bones !!

No news from me as there won't be further withdrawals until same time next month.

Thought I made it clear that I wasn't in Thailand and it was my wife using my card ??

Likewise again my wife is somewhat intelligent with her own 2 restaurants and I asked her to search out the appropriate ATM machine.

When online banking shows withdrawal from AEON at 10,150 baht you can rest assured it was.(The Halifax is shight but NOT that shight !)

Rogue machine,site charge,whatever, but on these 2 occasions charges were made.

No you are quite correct-the transaction percentage is incorporated into the interbank rate as always, and a seperate overseas usage fee of £1.50 is noted as a seperate fee on statement.

Will try same machine next month.

[wimpy]

Two transactions at two different Aeon ATMs in Chiang Mai today. No fees charged. Exchange rate of 29.961 / USD.

Hard to imagine Aeon would roll out a new fee policy in Buriram and nowhere else.

[Heng]

If more people wrote in to Aeon, we could finally level this 'double pricing' once and for all!

[ThunderDuck]

After 4 months of no problems Aeon ATMS in Chiang Rai

now responding with "invalid transaction" for standard 7k

withdrawal. 5 attempts at 3 different ATMs 2 locations.

Went to SCB and paid the annoying 150 bt.

Aussie 28 degrees mastercard.

[jfchandler]

After 4 months of no problems Aeon ATMS in Chiang Rai

now responding with "invalid transaction" for standard 7k

withdrawal. 5 attempts at 3 different ATMs 2 locations.

Went to SCB and paid the annoying 150 bt.

Aussie 28 degrees mastercard.

There are times when a bank will be having a communications network problem or something similar. Often those kinds of messages are temporary, and the next time you try the same ATM in a few days, it should be fine. You didn't indicate whether the attempts you mentioned were all in a single day, or spread out over time...

Normally, barring any unknown changes, AEON ATMs will work fine with any MasterCard logo debit card, even those that have the Cirrus logo on the reverse. However, what AEON ATM machines always will not accept are Cirrus network ATM-only cards that DO NOT have a VISA or MC logo on the front.

[ThunderDuck]

There are times when a bank will be having a communications network problem or something similar. Often those kinds of messages are temporary, and the next time you try the same ATM in a few days, it should be fine. You didn't indicate whether the attempts you mentioned were all in a single day, or spread out over time...

Thats what I thought at first but went back the next day and still no joy. Was surprised to see

SCB's attempt at a double shafting with dynamic currency conversion "for my convenience".

Hope its just a network problem as you suggest ...