Innovative Thai Advertising With A Risk Of Losing Your Bank Card

[george]

ATM WARNING

Innovative Thai Advertising

Thursday, 3 May 2012

By marc.cn

I am spending a few days on Koh Samui with my family, one of my favorite tropical islands. The place has everything: from unspoiled beaches and endless coconut plantations, to high-end dining and a good night life. Although I was here mainly for business related reasons I had a great time.

This morning I drove from our villa to the French bakery to buy a baguette for breakfast and then wanted to get gas, when I realized I did not bring enough cash. So I stopped at an ATM (every 7-11 and Family Mart has an ATM here, meaning that you are never more than a few hundred meters away from one) to get some more Thai Baht. In Thailand you normally first get your receipt, then your money and only then your bank card. Not smart, because people may forget their cards after taking their money, but that’s a different story.

Anyway, I got my receipt and money and was waiting for my card to come out. After waiting for about 10 seconds the card still did not come out, and I got a bit worried that my card may have been lost. But that was not the case, because when I looked at the ATM screen I saw an ad with the question whether I liked the advertising or not. Only after clicking that I would get my card back!

I have seen a lot of ATMs all over the world, and many of them have advertising on it. Either before you start, during the transaction or you get your money. But this is the first time that I was asked to let the bank know whether I liked the ad before getting back my card! An innovative idea, but I hope China won’t start copying this.

Source: http://www.marc.cn/2...dvertising.html

[kevjohn]

Did you say that you liked their advertising so that you received your card back?

[dantilley]

The headline of this thread says "Innovative Thai Advertising With A Risk Of Losing Your Bank Card". I don't see how you could lose your bank card though? It seems like if you just answer the question your card comes straight out. Or if you wait for a while and don't answer the question, does your card get kept by the ATM?

[kevjohn]

The headline of this thread says "Innovative Thai Advertising With A Risk Of Losing Your Bank Card". I don't see how you could lose your bank card though? It seems like if you just answer the question your card comes straight out. Or if you wait for a while and don't answer the question, does your card get kept by the ATM?

This is more or less what I ment.

If you say "No" are they "offended", meaning you don't get your card back.

[warfie]

"Innovative advertising" is much too kind a term for "holding your card hostage"... <deleted>!

[Rooo]

That happened to me in one of the ATM's at a petrol station. After getting the money & struggling to press no receipt required due to sun glare on the screen,but I did.

I waited for a bit no card, eventually had to look hard & distinguished the word no, I pressed it then the card came out.

[wjhall]

Is it just one bank? If so which please? Or is it all of them?

If it is one bank I for one will not use their ATM in future. Getting a new card here is just too diffficult to risk losing it!!!

[warfie]

"Innovative advertising" is too kind a term for "holding your card hostage"... <deleted>!

[dantilley]

Does anyone know if you can you press the red Cancel button and get the card back that way? I've seen messages on the screen before written in Thai, which have seemed to be asking me something, i.e. at a glance I can read the Thai for Yes and No but not the whole message. In this situation though, pressing cancel spits the card out as usual.

[dantilley]

If it is one bank I for one will not use their ATM in future. Getting a new card here is just too diffficult to risk losing it!!!

If you read the OP though it looks like there's no risk of losing it, so you'd be safe. It's a misleading headline for the thread I think.

[Theyreallrubbish]

I've also noticed they no longer ask before you do the transaction if you want to do it with the 10 Baht fee if you use another bank's ATM machine.

Before they used to put up a screen showing what you wanted to do and the fee and asked if you wanted to proceed. Now there's no warning screen there'll be a fee and they just deduct the money.

[Gillespie]

The most recent ad I saw on an ATM gave the options INTEREST and NOT INTEREST. Since it was for a banking product, I assumed it was asking what sort of account I wanted. In fact, it was asking whether or not I gave a dam_n.

[ronthai]

You can always ask some dougee looking Thai that hangs around the ATM for some help

Quote "Now there's no warning screen there'll be a fee and they just deduct the money." /QUOTE

The first 4 ATM withdraws per month are free.

[drdoom6996]

"Innovative advertising" is much too kind a term for "holding your card hostage"... <deleted>!

You got that right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BKKBrit]

Come on George...this has been going on for ages but your email header "Warning" is misleading - it doesn't take your card. Just hit yes or no and either way the card comes out..

[sbk]

Happened to me and I almost went inside the bank to see about my card before noting the very small not interested button on the screen. Not everyone will look closely, especially I would think, tourists who have no idea in the differences in ATMs here. I like the one (I used in the US) where you slide your card in and out. No keeping the card in the machine at all.

[falangjim]

Thank you for posting this story! I had the same thing happen to me at an ATM on Sukhumvit Soi 8 a month ago. It's VERY DECEPTIVE. You get into a pattern with cashpoint machines expecting prompts, visual cues, even the "whirr" of money being counted behind the slot. But the Thai advert throws a completely new loop into the pattern. You risk simply forgetting to retrieve your card. You have your receipt and your cash so a customer may easily just leave. It's a very bad set up. I have stopped using those machines.

[drdoom6996]

Come on George...this has been going on for ages but your email header "Warning" is misleading - it doesn't take your card. Just hit yes or no and either way the card comes out..

When I was in Laem Chabang I had the same thing happen to me. But the add and the "yes" or "no" was in Thai and I can't read that. Luckily I was using an atm next to the bank and got it resolved. Nothing misleading about your header. There is always one who knows everything, so everybody else should too.

[Theyreallrubbish]

You can always ask some dougee looking Thai that hangs around the ATM for some help

Quote "Now there's no warning screen there'll be a fee and they just deduct the money." /QUOTE

The first 4 ATM withdraws per month are free.

I know, but before when they were going to charge you a fee for the fifth onwards, they'd pop up a screen giving you a warning and asking if you wanted to proceed. That screen has gone on all bank ATMs now. Seems to have disappeared in just the last month or so.

I only noticed because I take out money in 1000s and the final 3 digits started dropping from 150, where it had been for ages until it was at 110 when I noticed.

[samuibeachcomber]

Is it just one bank? If so which please? Or is it all of them?

If it is one bank I for one will not use their ATM in future. Getting a new card here is just too diffficult to risk losing it!!!

its very easy to get a replacement card if you go straight to your bank where account is held.took me 30minutes max.i had left my card in another ATM machine the night before.

[cnx355]

I use the Yellow bank ( Krungsri ) ATM and I always get the money first, then my ATM card and last the receipt. And there is not publicity yet....

And like another ronthai said..we are allowed 4 free withdrawal using other bank ATM each month in the same banking area but the banks charge 10 bahts for the 4 "free" withdrawal outside your banking area...

[samuibeachcomber]

usually at bangkok bank ATM machines,firstly the money comes out,then the machine asks you if you want a receipt,so you press yes or no and the card appears again and you take it.

[hgma]

ATM at 7/11 border crossing in NK is notorious for "stucked" atm cards

police are regular spotted (reading magazines) inide the 7/11 to keep a close eye and assist in case of trouble.........

anyway........in case of trouble call 042-412710 (police station NongKhai)

hgma

[belg]

is this urgent news ??????????????

[sprq]

The headline of this thread says "Innovative Thai Advertising With A Risk Of Losing Your Bank Card". I don't see how you could lose your bank card though? It seems like if you just answer the question your card comes straight out. Or if you wait for a while and don't answer the question, does your card get kept by the ATM?

The latter is likely. I have already experienced this thing myself, and saw the relevant message in time. It is a very stupid innovation, particularly for users with poor English, millions of whom come to Thailand. The explanation: TIT.

[DiamondKing]

I have lost count the number of cards I have lost to the Machine after getting the money and walking away umpteen times finally I am used to it now but the faces on the bank tellers face was classic when I was ordering a new atm card when she saw the long list of previous lost cards LOL

[david555]

latest i was surprised at KK atm as i took money .....the screen wished me HAPPY BIRTHDAY .... , they remembered the day correct where other more close forgot ...nice gesture from KK

Edited May 4, 2012 by david555

[peterdk]

Maybe its just me or maybe its just the way its supposed to work.

I for one always get smiley faces and a few laughs when ever I enter the local branck of my bank.

They know, that I'm there to re-issue a new atm card..

On my 7'th card so far for one particular bank.

5'th with another bank and 2'nd with a third bank.

( 6 years and counting being here )

It is so counter intuitive, that you can't take off, once you got your cash.

The whole point of going to the atm is to acomplish the goal of getting cash.

Once achieved - its bye bye.

I for one seem to have issues learning the Thai approach to atm machines ;-p

Anyway, to the ones saying its difficult to get a new atm card from a bank in Thailand, that is utterly wrong.

Bring your bank book, your passport and a 100 baht to any of the branches from your current bank and let the bank lady fill out the form for you to sign.

Done.

And if they start saying ohh, card fee this and insurance that, kindly remind them, the visa fee is a yearly fee and as such on the account and not the individual card.

No point paying the what 300-400 baht yearly visa or master card fee, each time you loose your atm card.

[Payboy]

At the K-Bank ATM in the Emporium such end screen appears only in Thai. That could be dangerous for persons who don't read Thai - especially if there are fees associated with selecting the ใช้ or ไม่ใช้ option.

Absolutely an "<deleted>" gimmick, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Payboy

[TommyHellsten]

I never use ATM! I go into the Bank with my card and passport, and tell how much I want take out,

It's give you much better exchange rate (TT) and NO 150thb, you can take out 20,000 every time, but you can do it 2 time to get 40,

OK take little bit more time, but you save a lot of money, and no risk to lose your card.

I do this for years now and I save 700-1,200thb every mounth

And one more thing look this site before you go to a Bank, to get the best exchange rate

http://www.bankthailand.info/ExchangeRates.htm

Good Luck

Tom/