Foreign Atm Charges

[hml367]

Charles Schwab never charges a ATM fee. All fee are refunded monthly.

Does Schwab charge the interchange fee? I mean is the interchange fee included in the, "All fee are refunded monthly."?

MSPain

Edited March 3, 2012 by hml367

[Lifer]

Can not speak for Bangkok Bank, but SCB is definitely not a preferred rate to use a debit card inside the bank. I use it all the time. The rate is not the best, but not the worst either, but very convenient. My CU charges 1% plus a flat $5.00 for a transaction. SCB charges nothing.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I entered the bank and showed them my Canadian bank card and told them I wanted to withdraw some cash. The teller asked the manager, who told me in no uncertain terms that I had to use the ATM machine outside to withdraw money from my foreign account.

A good example of what I was explaining above about the potential uncertainty involved in counter withdrawals... Sometimes you can... Sometimes you can't. Typical Thai banking experience.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Charles Schwab never charges a ATM fee. All fee are refunded monthly.

Does Schwab charge the interchange fee? I mean is the interchange fee included in the, "All fee are refunded monthly."?

Schwab doesn't charge its customers either any foreign currency fee or the card networks' 1% fee on ATM withdrawals made using the Schwab debit card.

So the only fees that need to be refunded are any charged by the withdrawal bank's ATM....

BTW, AEON ATMs do not charge any 150 baht ATM fee on foreign cards, either explicitly as a deducted fee, or through a hidden approach such as a reduced exchange rate.

If anyone is getting a reduced exchange rate on their withdrawals from AEON ATMs, you'd best look to your home bank's foreign use fee policies.

AEON ATMs don't set their own foreign exchange rates. They, like the regular Thai banks, use the VISA or MC network rates, depending on which logo card you're using.

[hml367]

There are branches that are designated to do international transactions. Not different than in most other countries, I think. When you go to any branch of a particular bank you can ask which branches can make the transactions for you.

I have not been able to make a counter transaction the Airport Plaza Bangkok Bank branch. This is a busy branch with lots of foreignors using that mall. Bank of Ayudayah in the same mall can make the transaction. Not sure of other banks there because I have never tried.

A Bangkok Bank branch nearer to my house, in a smaller shopping complex, could not do my counter transactions when it first opened. Now it can. That is indicated by Bangkok Bank as being a branch that can do this.

If you check which branches you can use there shouldn't be a problem. If you just walk in any branch and expect them to do exactly what you need, whether an plastic transaction or something else, it may not be normal for them to do that.

As for differing exchange rates whether you go to an ATM or inside the same bank, if you are using a Visa card, a Mastercard, or some other branded card, if that bank is on agreement with the particular brand you should receive the same rate.

MSPain

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As for differing exchange rates whether you go to an ATM or inside the same bank, if you are using a Visa card, a Mastercard, or some other branded card, if that bank is on agreement with the particular brand you should receive the same rate.

No, I don't believe that final comment is accurate.

Most Thai banks when doing a counter withdrawal are likely going to use their buying TT rate, which is set by each individual bank locally. The same rate they'd use if you walked into the bank wanting to exchange funds or used by their currency conversion booths. Each day, some Thai banks have higher buying TT rates and some have lower buying TT rates...

But the ATM rates when using a foreign card are the VISA or MC international networks rates, which are almost always higher/better than the local buying TT rates.

And that scenario leaves aside the examples of Thai banks such as Siam Commercial that do their own (even lower than buying TT) Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) rate on counter withdrawals....

[hml367]

Of course AEON does not set the exchange rate when someone uses their card from another insititution - the exchange rate is set by the issuing institution. As I have said many times, and as you allude to in reference to the 150 THB fee, people should check the card issuing company's policies and rules regarding using that card.

When someone withdraws from an ATM in Thailand, the ATM is making a local currency transaction. Then the ATM owner must make an exchange with the issuing country's bank for that amount of local currency. The issuing country then charges the issuing institution in that country's currency. It is actually much more steps involved.

People.... check with your card issuing instition for what you shoule be getting. No matter what I, or anyone else, says on any forum does not have any affect on what actually happens. All people on a forum can give is their own experience or opinion.

Complaining, for instance, about the ATM transaction fee in Thailand will not change it. Most other countries ATM networks charge for any foreign card transaction.

MSPain

Edited March 4, 2012 by hml367

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

No, the actual exchange rates for ATM transactions are NOT set by either the home country bank or the local Thai bank.

Those actual rates are the VISA or MC international exchange network rates, depending on the card being used.

But what may impact the NET rate received by the withdrawer are any number of different fees that can be added into the equation by either the Thai or home country bank...

Such as:

--the Thai banks' 150 baht fee on foreign card ATM withdrawals.

--the home country bank's foreign currency fee.

--the home country bank passing along the card networks' 1% foreign exchange fee.

--flat fee ATM withdrawal charges some banks add on top of their foreign currency fees.

With a debit card like the Schwab VISA card that charges and passes along no fees, you could use the same card simultaneously at any Thai bank ATM and get exactly the same result. Because they're all using the same card network rates. I've done exactly that many times and the result is always the same.

But whether people see or notice those fees is always a question.

--the Thai banks' 150 baht fee is always specifically listed as a separate fee.

--most U.S. banks, at least, separately list their foreign currency fees, both the percent ones and the flat fee ones, apart from the transaction amount.

--the one where most banks don't seem to list it separately is whether or not they absorb the card networks' 1% fee... If they pass it along to their customer, it usually shows up as a lower net exchange rate instead of being listed separately.

Edited March 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[elektrified]

Indeed AEON does not offer services to expats or tourists for free. They are in business to make money. Somewhere they are making the 150 Baht. They make it when I use my Maestro Card.

hml367 is right. Only some branches of Thai banks (like in other countries) can handle International transactions. For Kasikorn Bank, the Chang Klan main branch, Taphae branch and perhaps another one or two are able to handle all International transactions. Some smaller branches can not. I had the same experience with Bank of Ayudya in Tesco Lotus Superhighway just the other day trying to do an International transaction. They said I needed to go to the main branch.

[cerbera]

For Uk Nationals use a FX company.. I use gcen dot co dot uk. FREE service. Better rates... you speak with a human and get your money at a better rate in your thai nominated account. You can send from as little as 150quid. Again FREE. email them and they will call you back in Thailand and walk you through the registration which is very simple. Quote reference number 1651 -0100 for even better rates.. Saves me a fortune.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Indeed AEON does not offer services to expats or tourists for free. They are in business to make money. Somewhere they are making the 150 Baht. They make it when I use my Maestro Card.

Your comment contradicts my own personal experience and that of dozens or more of TV members here, who all continue to use AEON ATMs without any 150 baht fee...

If you think it's AEON charging you a fee, as opposed to your home country bank, please post here a scan of either the ATM receipt or your online banking ledger showing the AEON fee you suspect.

But yes, AEON does make money, and plenty of it... They're a credit card company, not a bank, and thus collect 20% to 30% per year in interest charges from their Thai credit card customers who carry revolving balances with them.

That's why they have their ATMs, to allow their card customers to make payments and make withdrawals... Expats are relatively irrelevant to them.

hml367 is right. Only some branches of Thai banks (like in other countries) can handle International transactions. For Kasikorn Bank, the Chang Klan main branch, Taphae branch and perhaps another one or two are able to handle all International transactions. Some smaller branches can not. I had the same experience with Bank of Ayudya in Tesco Lotus Superhighway just the other day trying to do an International transaction. They said I needed to go to the main branch.

There's a distinction between whether a Thai bank branch does or doesn't handle international transactions.... and whether or not any particular branch provides counter withdrawals for expats... Just because a branch does handle international transactions doesn't mean the teller won't or can't tell someone to use their ATM instead of handling a counter withdrawal.

[puck2]

As long as nobody writes here the exactly exchange rates

- for withdrawal over the counter of a bank

or

- of any FX company ( like cerbera #40)

as long I will doubt that these rates are better than all the other including swab.

I would appreciate it if somebody would like to do it. And please give me the facts for debiting your account in your homeland - of course, without any personal details -

a) day of debiting

the exactly rate (not only 2 digits)

c) possibly any fees and for which service

d) which card did you use? Visa, MC, Amex or ….. And even if you used a standard card or a special card like gold, diamond etc. (because these special cards can have terms which exclude any fess, but have a high/er yearly fee.)

e) where did you do it?

My intention: I would like to check your exchange rate against the Visa-rate. This check will show me and all the other guys if your teller counter debit card withdrawal or the other FX-company is really cheaper.

BTW, @TallGuyJohninBKK thank you very much for your ever excellent and correct comments.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I've done a number of AEON ATM withdrawals in BKK in recent days, and haven't posted those details here for awhile, so I'll take up the challenge above.

Both VISA debit cards I used were issued by small, unrelated banks in different states. Neither charge any foreign currency fee on POS or ATM withdrawals, but both appear to pass along the VISA 1% card network fee as part of the base transactions, without separating it out as a discrete charge amount. Neither of the banks involved above are Schwab, BTW.

Bearing out what I said above about the international exchange rates for ATM withdrawals being set by the card networks, not by either the Thai or home country banks, here's the results of my ATM withdrawals yesterday (Sat., March 3):

U.S. Bank "A" VISA debit card

Same AEON ATM 7:11 pm

8,000 baht withdrawn

$262.98 charged to my account

actual exchange rate 30.420

VISA USA website rate for the day:

1 baht = $0.032872 / 30.421 baht to the $

U.S. Bank "B" VISA debit card

Same AEON ATM 7:19 pm

8,000 baht withdrawn

$262.98 charged to my account

actual exchange rate 30.420

VISA USA website rate for the day:

1 baht = $0.032872 / 30.421 baht to the $

Because these transactions occurred on a Sat., there are no published comparison rates from the other sources I usually rely on, such as Xrates.com and the Bank of Thailand's Interbank Exchange Rate (IER) daily averages, which are only posted on weekdays.

But the point of the above data is to show: two entirely different U.S. bank cards used for AEON ATM withdrawals within moments of each other, and the debit amounts in dollars and the exchange rates are exactly the same. Because both transactions are being handled via the VISA card networks exchange rates system. And no 150 baht fee being charged by AEON.

Then last Thurs, March 1, I used the same Bank "A" VISA debit card to make two withdrawals at a different AEON ATM that were about 3 hours apart:

3:30 pm

4000b withdrawal

$132.35 charged to my account

actual exchange rate 30.222

VISA USA website rate for the day:

1 baht = $0.033088 / 30.222 baht to the $

6:30 pm

7000b withdrawal

$231.61 charged to my account

actual exchange rate 30.223

VISA USA website rate for the day:

1 baht = $0.033088 / 30.222 baht to the $

Bank of Thailand IER rate for the day: 30.500

Xrates.com THB rate for the day: 30.600

The difference between the exchange rates I received, 30.22, and the BOT IER, 30.50, basically reflects a 1% cut, which I assume is the VISA card networks fee being deducted from my proceeds.

If AEON or anyone else were charging a 150 baht fee as part of those transactions, given that the withdrawal amounts were very different (one larger and one smaller), a flat fee being deducted would have produced very different net exchange rates -- which obviously wasn't the case.

Edited March 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[hml367]

In my previous post regarding the 150THB fee from AEON, the difference I mentioned was still near 150 THB difference from the exchange rate. This difference could have been caused by the difference in the exchange rate from one day to the next and the timing of the transaction hitting the USA.

TallGuy, if the exchange rate (aside from fees) for using a Visa card is set by Visa, how can it be different then if you use that Visa card to make a Visa cash withdrawal over the counter? Isn't the transaction requiring signature still a cash withdrawal from the Visa and so settlement made through the Visa network?

In my experience I get the same rate as is posted on The Visa Corporate site for the US both when I use an AEON ATM and when I make a signature withdrawal with the same card inside Bangkok Bank.

MSPain

[elektrified]

I was referring to Maestro not Visa. 150 Baht (4,20-4,50 CHF) every time.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

TallGuy, if the exchange rate (aside from fees) for using a Visa card is set by Visa, how can it be different then if you use that Visa card to make a Visa cash withdrawal over the counter? Isn't the transaction requiring signature still a cash withdrawal from the Visa and so settlement made through the Visa network?

I'm not a banker... But from my experience and understanding...

--The ATM rates on international transactions are set by the card network (VISA or MC) depending on the card used. If you use the same bank card at BKK Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, Bank of Ayudhya etc. ATMs on the same day at the same time or close to the same time, the resulting exchange rates will be identical.

--The counter withdrawal rates are typically done using that particular local bank's buying TT rate, which may and probably does have some relationship with the card network rates, but usually are less than the card network rates. Buying TT rates are set by each individual bank, and will vary from company to company even within the same day. Just the same way if you go to exchange U.S. cash at a Thai bank here, each bank is going to have its own somewhat different rate that day.

Edited March 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

In my previous post regarding the 150THB fee from AEON, the difference I mentioned was still near 150 THB difference from the exchange rate. This difference could have been caused by the difference in the exchange rate from one day to the next and the timing of the transaction hitting the USA.

To get to the bottom of what's going on with the transaction you're referring to, you'd have to post the details similar to what I did above... That's the only way to dissect what's going on.

Over the past two years, there have been hundreds and hundreds of posts here on TV from various members using AEON ATMs with all kinds of various home country bank cards and getting charged no ATM fee.

In that entire time, there've been a handful of posts by members who claimed they had been charged a fee by AEON, but not one of those has ever been proven as best as I can recollect.

In quite a few of those cases, there has indeed been a fee being deducted from those members' ATM transactions... But it's often turned out to be a foreign currency fee being charged by their home country bank... ones the cardholders often weren't even aware their banks were charging.

[hml367]

In my previous post regarding the 150THB fee from AEON, the difference I mentioned was still near 150 THB difference from the exchange rate. This difference could have been caused by the difference in the exchange rate from one day to the next and the timing of the transaction hitting the USA.

To get to the bottom of what's going on with the transaction you're referring to, you'd have to post the details similar to what I did above... That's the only way to dissect what's going on.

Over the past two years, there have been hundreds and hundreds of posts here on TV from various members using AEON ATMs with all kinds of various home country bank cards and getting charged no ATM fee.

In that entire time, there've been a handful of posts by members who claimed they had been charged a fee by AEON, but not one of those has ever been proven as best as I can recollect.

In quite a few of those cases, there has indeed been a fee being deducted from those members' ATM transactions... But it's often turned out to be a foreign currency fee being charged by their home country bank... ones the cardholders often weren't even aware their banks were charging.

I have sent a message to AEON asking about their policy. As my posts indicate I was not being charged the 150 THB. I had some transactions that seemed there was a similar difference, and when I checked further, the difference in the rate from one day to the next could have been the difference.

I have also emailed Visa Corporate US to ask them about using a Visa branded card in an ATM versus a signature required transaction. In my experience there has not been a difference.

If I hear back from either or both I will post the answers.

If I take money from an ATM on my US based accounts I use AEON and I am not charged the 150 THB. When I make my larger, signature withdrawals I get the same rates as are posted on Visa Corporate for US.

MSPain

[hml367]

In my previous post regarding the 150THB fee from AEON, the difference I mentioned was still near 150 THB difference from the exchange rate. This difference could have been caused by the difference in the exchange rate from one day to the next and the timing of the transaction hitting the USA.

To get to the bottom of what's going on with the transaction you're referring to, you'd have to post the details similar to what I did above... That's the only way to dissect what's going on.

Over the past two years, there have been hundreds and hundreds of posts here on TV from various members using AEON ATMs with all kinds of various home country bank cards and getting charged no ATM fee.

In that entire time, there've been a handful of posts by members who claimed they had been charged a fee by AEON, but not one of those has ever been proven as best as I can recollect.

In quite a few of those cases, there has indeed been a fee being deducted from those members' ATM transactions... But it's often turned out to be a foreign currency fee being charged by their home country bank... ones the cardholders often weren't even aware their banks were charging.

A recent AEON ATM transaction done on 2 March 2012 Thai date:

Withdraw 7,000 THB. The USD charged to my account, $230.26. The Posting date on my US account shows March 1.

I will look for the transaction I thought there may have been a charge.

MSPain

Edited March 4, 2012 by hml367

[hml367]

I can't find the charges I thought there may be the 150THB fee and I am not going to look anymore. I must have been wrong and I attribute it to the daily fluxuation, aside from being wrong. It wasn' that important to me because I do my biggest transactions with a signature.

Here are some recent transactions for the person that was looking for something to use for comparison:

12Feb AEON ATM 15,000 THB USD 488.27

4Feb BkkBk signature 40,000 THB USD 1,297.40

2Feb BkkBk signature 55,000 THB USD 1,783.34

31Jan AEON ATM 6,000 THB USD 194.39

20Jan AEON ATM 5,000 THB USD 158.32

9Jan AEON ATM 15,000 THB USD 475.42

5Jan BkkBk signature 30,000 THB USD 958.80

If I use my Visa branded debit card from the same financial institution that issued my credit card I am charged the ISA fees of 0.8% in most instances, and occasionally the full 1%.

MSPain

[puck2]

Hml367

Many thanks for your datas - #50

I put them in an excel table ->

I assume your „transactions with a signature“ is identical with „over the counter“. Under this condition, I‘m getting straight to the point:

in your case, you didn‘t lose any cent or $ for contacting a teller.

Let me explain some details:

The table has 2 parts. The left part concerns your datas. In pink colour that are the exchange rates you received for your over the counter transactions.

On the right part you can see

- even in pink colour the exchange rates if you had used a Visa DEBIT-Card with no fees neither in Thailand nor in the US. This would match e.g. with an AEON-ATM here in Thailand and a bank account with SWAB.

- in the extreme right column you can find the difference between both money transaction. I explain the differences like this:

1. 1-digit cent differences are caused by the Visa-table itself. The table you can see on visa‘s website has 6 digits whereas the accounting works with 7 (maybe 8?) digits. This is like no difference.

2. The differences in the fields with asterisks are only caused by the geological time difference between Th. and the US. (Later or on another day I would like to explain this.)

To be able to compare these Visa Exchange Rates with the „normal“ = T/T bank rates I pasted the SCB T/T buying rates on the extreme right side of the table .

So, it‘s really worthwhile to go into a bank to a teller under the condition the branch is able to do it, like already mentioned here in this thread. But take care that you don’t order the transaction with the DCC rates (then you would lose a lot).

But, before I don‘t get details for more bank teller transactions (other than BKK Bk) I would not yet like to confirm that my result is right by 100%.

BTW, how come you made a teller transaction on a SA(=Saturday-4.Feb.) when the banks are closed?

[Jayman]

Looks like you are posting some helpful info to get to the bottom of this.

I am sure that I get a decent exchage rate and no fees when I use my card at AEON atms. What I would also like to know is what banks have a policy of giving you a good rate when doing the transaction with a teller. I keep hearing that SCB is not favorable in this area. Also, what needs to be told to the teller to insure that you get the transaction processed with the most favorable rate? Is there a specific banking name they would all understand for this type of transaction?

Thanks for all the helpful input on this as I'm sure it will help many.

[hml367]

Puck2,

The bank branches in malls are open 7 days a week. You have to get one that will do an international plastic transaction. I do most of mine in Bangkok Bank, Big C, on Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Road.

In my case, using a debit card would cost me at least 0.8% to 1% because my debit card (which is Visa branded) has the ISA fee added by my financial institution. I just go home and transfer from my checking account to my Visa credit card account after I make the signature required transaction. Signature required means the transacting bank has to verify your identity to make the transaction. That is probably the main reason you can get higher amounts with this type of transaction versus an ATM which anybody could do as long as they have the PIN.

I never doubted that I was getting the same exchange rate on either type of transaction. I mistakenly thought I was being charged the Thai Banking ATM fee, and then figured out I was not. It was not a big deal for me. My opinion is if I use my card, I get the exchange rate that would go with a card transaction. Dynamic Currency Converision is a different animal and easy to spot if people check their transaction receipt before signing it. I have never heard of that being used on a cash withdrawal. Maybe it is, I don't know.

MSPain

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

By various reports here, Siam Commercial is one of the Thai banks that supposedly uses much lower Dynamic Currency Conversion exchange rates for its counter withdrawals and similar transactions...

Look at the following SCB exchange rates page, and you'll see their regular U.S. $ rates at the top. Then down toward the bottom, you'll see their DCC rates in reference to credit card cash advances and credit card sales slips.

http://www.scb.co.th/scb_api/index.jsp

For Credit Card (Sale Slip) US$1 = 29.94

For Credit Card (Cash Advance) US$1 = 29.44

[hml367]

By various reports here, Siam Commercial is one of the Thai banks that supposedly uses much lower Dynamic Currency Conversion exchange rates for its counter withdrawals and similar transactions...

Look at the following SCB exchange rates page, and you'll see their regular U.S. $ rates at the top. Then down toward the bottom, you'll see their DCC rates in reference to credit card cash advances and credit card sales slips.

http://www.scb.co.th/scb_api/index.jsp

For Credit Card (Sale Slip) US$1 = 29.94

For Credit Card (Cash Advance) US$1 = 29.44

This is the reply USAA bank sent me regarding ATM rate versus over the counter:

Dear Mr. X,

Thank you for your ATM/Debit card inquiry with regards to using the card internationally. The foreign currency exchange rate should be the same when using the card at an ATM or for a signature cash withdrawal request. However, we do suggest contacting the financial institution where the card will be used to inquire if any other fees for the signature withdrawal may be applied.

We value your business and the opportunity to serve all your financial needs.

Thank you,

Colen Burke

USAA

MSPain

[hml367]

By various reports here, Siam Commercial is one of the Thai banks that supposedly uses much lower Dynamic Currency Conversion exchange rates for its counter withdrawals and similar transactions...

Look at the following SCB exchange rates page, and you'll see their regular U.S. $ rates at the top. Then down toward the bottom, you'll see their DCC rates in reference to credit card cash advances and credit card sales slips.

http://www.scb.co.th/scb_api/index.jsp

For Credit Card (Sale Slip) US$1 = 29.94

For Credit Card (Cash Advance) US$1 = 29.44

This is from US Visa Corporate web site FAQ regarding Dynamic Currency Conversion:

What is dynamic currency conversion?

Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), also referred to as Cardholder Preferred Currency (CPC), is a service offered by merchants – not Visa - in some countries when you are traveling abroad. If you choose to use the DCC service, the merchant will convert the purchase price of goods or services at the point of sale from the currency in which the price (i.e., the merchant’s local currency) is displayed into another currency (i.e. your home currency) using an exchange rate that typically includes a service fee.

Here’s an example of a DCC transaction:

A U.S. Visa cardholder is in Singapore and decides to purchase a box of chocolates priced at SGD 20. At checkout, the merchant offers the cardholder the option to pay in USD using a DCC service.

The merchant dynamically converts the SGD transaction amount to USD 15.80. The DCC transaction amount and transaction currency (in USD) are disclosed to the cardholder. An exchange rate of 0.79 (1 SGD = .79 USD), which includes a 2.5% mark up (over a wholesale exchange rate) and the 2.5% commission/fee/mark up are also disclosed to the cardholder.

The cardholder actively chooses DCC by checking a box on a printed receipt or pushing a button on an electronic screen and agrees to pay USD 15.80 for the box of chocolates using the exchange rate provided by the merchant that includes a 2.5% fee for the DCC service.

If you do not want to use DCC when making a purchase, then you have the right to refuse the offer and have your transaction billed in the merchant’s local currency, which will then use Visa’s conversion rate. If you did not agree to DCC, but see it on your bill, then you should ask your issuing bank to contest the charge.

Dynamic Currency Conversion is an option for the cardholder it seems.

MSPain

Edited March 6, 2012 by hml367

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This is the reply USAA bank sent me regarding ATM rate versus over the counter:

Dear Mr. X,

Thank you for your ATM/Debit card inquiry with regards to using the card internationally. The foreign currency exchange rate should be the same when using the card at an ATM or for a signature cash withdrawal request. However, we do suggest contacting the financial institution where the card will be used to inquire if any other fees for the signature withdrawal may be applied.

We value your business and the opportunity to serve all your financial needs.

Thank you,

Colen Burke

USAA

That's a nice note from USAA. But frankly, they're pretty much likely to be clueless as to what exchange rate practices banks in foreign countries use, or even if different banks use different methods including things such as DCC.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Dynamic Currency Conversion is an option for the cardholder it seems.

Based on past reports here by members who have done them, SCB simply used their DCC rate for counter withdrawals. There was no which rate would you like to use discussion at the teller counter....

And frankly, notwithstanding what the VISA website says, I've personally run into merchants here in Thailand, as have others here, who wiill automatically ring up purchases in DCC. And if you try to object, they'll insist the rate is the same (not less) and/or that that's the only way they can ring up the transaction on your foreign card. The King Power Pullman Hotel and its restaurants is one of those places, and I've posted about it here previously. And other members have posted about some Sizzler outlets doing the same kind of thing.

In theory and perhaps in policy, what the VISA site says is true. But I'm addressing the way things are done here in Thailand in reality, which often is a consierably different thing. Read the past posts here in TV re members' experiences with merchants and DCC...

[taff33]

I tried the newly opened aeon atm at big c lampang using a santandar debit card it don't work (no probs at other atms) any one have any ideas,and yes there is money in the bank.It's a master card,make any difference?.

Edited March 6, 2012 by taff33

[avalon2011]

It would be interesting to hear from the Thaivisa members who work for Bangkok Bank as to what fees or charges Bangkok Bank have for over the counter withdrawals using a Visa Debit or Credit card and whether they use Dynamic Currency Conversion?

And if they do use Dynamic Currency Conversion can the customer decline?