Thai Credit Card !

[anto]

I heard that you must deposit B200,00 in the Bank ,and leave it there .Can it be in an interest bearing a/c .

Can you get one on a retirement visa .Anyone here gone through the procedure ?

[elektrified]

I'm pretty sure you need a work permit to get a Central Master Card or Visa.

[angiud]

I got mine a couple of month ago with Krung Thai Bank.

Joint account with my wife. Got first card at her name and then, after a while, the 2nd one with my name.

Account long time open, good movements, they ask my WP and passport. VISA Platinum KTC

Edited June 29, 2012 by angiud

[Rsteeltje]

Last week I got a Visa and Mastercard from Bangkok bank. No workpermit and visa was an on arrival one. But have to deposit money into special account (2% interest). Every time I use card above THB 1,000 I receive an SMS from BKK bank with all details including balance of card. This is perfect security. If anybody uses the card you will know one second later. In all cases up to today I had the SMS before the card was return to me.

Good luck

R'tje

[ripstanley]

I applied for one through SCB and they wanted to set up an account for my now wife and I would get a secondary card. We had to deposit 100,000 baht in the account and not able to use it. I had a few million in my account but that meant nothing. I declined the offer.

[neilrob]

I got a Bangkok Bank Visa card five years ago with a retirement visa. I had to put 400,000B in a separate interest bearing account (from which I could not withdraw) to get a 200,000 credit limit. Two years ago I asked them to lift the requirement for me to hold money in this account. They agreed and I closed the account and still have my 200,000 credit limit. However, I do still have quite a bit on deposit with Bangkok Bank in other accounts.

[THAIPHUKET]

Is it true that each time I do a purchase with the card I get a separate authorization code via sms which is needed to conclude the transaction?

[hellodolly]

I get enough money once a month to last the month. I then take out a certain amount to pay monthly bills and deposit the rest in my SCB account. I have a ATM card for it.

I have several North American visa cards that every once in a while I will use. One of them gives you points and I now have enough points on it to get a round trip ticket from the west coast to Thailand. Only $1,000 if I use it for round trip from Thailand.

What would be the advantage to a Thai credit card. I would still have to convert my foreign money into Thai to pay it?

[anto]

I get enough money once a month to last the month. I then take out a certain amount to pay monthly bills and deposit the rest in my SCB account. I have a ATM card for it.

I have several North American visa cards that every once in a while I will use. One of them gives you points and I now have enough points on it to get a round trip ticket from the west coast to Thailand. Only $1,000 if I use it for round trip from Thailand.

What would be the advantage to a Thai credit card. I would still have to convert my foreign money into Thai to pay it?

No advantage to you as you have active US cards .My Irish credit card has run out ,and now i have no cretit card at all.

[iainiain101]

The benefit of using a Thai credit card over a UK one is the avoidance of transaction exchange rate loss.

For example last week I used my UK credit card at Home Pro and got a rate of 47.69322 to Sterling. On the same day the Telegraphic Transfer (TT) rate at SCB was 48.9775 to Sterling. So an exchange rate loss of 2.6928% on the transaction.

Obviously there is usually a cost for a TT, but if you are moving a reasonable amount it s negligible. There are also the pros and cons of holding cash in Thai Baht versus Sterling to consider. Losses of benefits such as airmiles need to be considered versus in store discounts for Thai credit cards.

Ironically it was my UK credit card sending me an annual statement for the first time that made me realise just how much I was losing over a year, and that has now cost them a lot of my business.

Iain

[Somtamnication]

No deposit needed with AEON.

[flying]

Is the Bangkok Bank Be 1st card a credit card?

Or a semi charge card? I think I have read folks use it for online

purchases but the purchase is then deducted from savings.

It does say Visa on it but I have only ever used it as a debit card.

Wondering because when I use it the clerks sometimes ask me if I want to charge or debit.

Not really important as I have Capital One Credit Cards that do not charge a Foreign Transaction fee.

Although I only use them to book airlines.....

Edited June 30, 2012 by flying

[THAIPHUKET]

No deposit needed with AEON.

and you really get a full flagged credit card? How does Aeon assure itself that you have sufficient funds?

And how do they fix the limit?

[neilrob]

As Iain points out, the advantage of holding both a Thai and, say, a US credit card is you can use the Thai credit card for charges in baht and the US credit card for charges in dollars. Even if there is no foriegn transaction fee on the US card, you will still pay extra by being given a poor exchange rate.

[THAIPHUKET]

Is the Bangkok Bank Be 1st card a credit card?

Or a semi charge card? I think I have read folks use it for online

purchases but the purchase is then deducted from savings.

It does say Visa on it but I have only ever used it as a debit card.

Wondering because when I use it the clerks sometimes ask me if I want to charge or debit.

Not really important as I have Capital One Credit Cards that do not charge a Foreign Transaction fee.

Although I only use them to book airlines.....

Here is the official answer from BKK Bank to my inquiry on the same question

Daveroc, who is with the BKK Bank and is a TV member said:

Your Be1st card is a debit card. As such it will only allow you to take money from the ATM's and make point of sale purchases. These items will be debited directly to your account and will only allow debits to the level of the balance in your account. The Credit Card will accumulate your purchases and send an account to you each month. you will have the choice of paying the account in full or making partial payment.

I attach a link to our website which explains the verify procedure.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Credit%20Card/Credit%20Cards/Be%20secure/Pages/default.aspx

Hi,

my local branch is not too strong in English.

Sure you have something ready to read

1. what can I do / not do with Visa Be1st compared to my normal German bank Visa card.

2. how the verification process works for online purchases.

Thks

[flying]

Thanks for that info TP

Yes Dave & Ian were very helpful on the forum.

As long as the Be-1st card can also be used for POS purchases online

that will be fine with me. I never carry a balance on any credit card anyway.

Thanks

[anto]

No deposit needed with AEON.

Do you ned a work permit with them ?.......Whats the credit limit ?

[elektrified]

No deposit needed with AEON.

Do you ned a work permit with them ?.......Whats the credit limit ?

I'm sure you need a work permit. But I don't understand when you say that your credit card from the bank in Ireland has "run out". Does that mean it expired? Then you will be receiving a replacement card won' you? Or am I missing something here?

[anto]

No deposit needed with AEON.

Do you ned a work permit with them ?.......Whats the credit limit ?

I'm sure you need a work permit. But I don't understand when you say that your credit card from the bank in Ireland has "run out". Does that mean it expired? Then you will be receiving a replacement card won' you? Or am I missing something here?

It expired .I use my sisters address over there .She keeps my mail but does not open it so a new card could possibly be there .I will find out when i go back to visit in September .I have not been back for nearly 3 years .

[hellodolly]

No deposit needed with AEON.

Do you ned a work permit with them ?.......Whats the credit limit ?

I'm sure you need a work permit. But I don't understand when you say that your credit card from the bank in Ireland has "run out". Does that mean it expired? Then you will be receiving a replacement card won' you? Or am I missing something here?

It expired .I use my sisters address over there .She keeps my mail but does not open it so a new card could possibly be there .I will find out when i go back to visit in September .I have not been back for nearly 3 years .

I have the same set up with my ex in Canada. When it was needed had her send it to me registered mail. She pulled the sticker off that had a phone number to activate the card and emailed it to me along with the card number in case it went missing in the mail I could call up and cancel the card. The card arrived OK I had the ex call and verify it. Problem solved.

Now I try to get them renewed at the same time of the year I would be going back. This has involved changing a few expiration dates.

[THAIPHUKET]

As long as the Be-1st card can also be used for POS purchases online

that will be fine with me.

I don´t believe it works. At with Qatar Air it does not, perhaps with Thai online shopping sites.

The reason might be that airline systems are not set up to handle direct debits, at least some of them bundle (less charges ) all true Visa charges by country , bank, or whatever makes sense for their cash management and have them settled with a time delay. Such time delay, days or weeks, is an extension of credit to you, i.e not covered by your b1st card. It allows only instantaneous debit to your account by the split second of your purchase.

[Somtamnication]

AEON does a job verification, you only need to make 30k a month. It is a true card. Unfortunately, my AEON gold card is maxed out!

[simoncnx]

I am on retirement visa and went through this process with BKK bank 2 years ago. I only need a credit card for online purchases; especially airline tickets. BKK bank told me I would have to deposit 2 times the limit I required in a 1 year deposit account. So I decided to deposit 60k baht for a 30k limit. Waited 3 weeks and 1 by ,1 3 cards arrived: mastercard, visa, amex. Each had a 60k limit and now they have just sent me a platinum visa as well so 4 cards at 60k for a 60k deposit. I dont know if this is normal or not. Apart from buying budget airline tickets there are 2 additional benefits. If you buy petrol ( gas for our american friends) at caltex or petronas you get a small rebate credited to your card (maybe i get 100b back a month) and when making purchases in some shops they offer 10 months interest free credit if you use the card. Also you get points credited to your account. 10 points are worth about 1 baht which you can exchange for various items in their catalogue. Best 1 is 1000b of shell fuel for 8500 points. It comes as a precharged debit card which is mailed to you. Just ordered my 3rd Shell card. Hope this helps

Edited July 1, 2012 by simoncnx

[anto]

^That sounds great and just what i require from Bangkok Bank .

[DaamNaam]

Is the Bangkok Bank Be 1st card a credit card?

Or a semi charge card? I think I have read folks use it for online

purchases but the purchase is then deducted from savings.

It does say Visa on it but I have only ever used it as a debit card.

Wondering because when I use it the clerks sometimes ask me if I want to charge or debit.

Not really important as I have Capital One Credit Cards that do not charge a Foreign Transaction fee.

Although I only use them to book airlines.....

I use my Bangkok bank debit card for online purchases, booking rentals, hotels, Amazon purchases, etc. With no problem at all. No need for a credit card.

[anto]

My debit card on SCB Bank works for Airasia but little else .