Trying To Make Paypal Work...

[DVik44]

Hi All,

I don't know if this issue has been addressed on the forums yet but I'll throw it out there anyways...so here goes:

I came from the U.S. without a Paypal account set up there and no bank accounts there as well (Long story)

When I made a Paypal account here linking my bank accounts in Thailand to it all was fine and dandy until I tried sending money asking that I verify the account by giving a credit card number. I know that obtaining a credit card out here is <deleted> hard for foreigners even though I do have Thai citizenship as well. I was wondering if anyone ever had this problem and found a way around it. In the U.S. the debit cards banks give act as credit cards with name and all. Out here I'm with SCB Bank and their debit cards do the same but don't have your name on them. I tried calling the bank and they said they can't be used with Paypal. Are there other banks I can try to link with my Paypal?

Because I had to send the money via Western Union and it was a major hassle not to mention expensive. Also, there are some things I would like to buy online and of course a lot of sites utilize Paypal.

Any feedback will be grateful!

Edited June 6, 2013 by DVik44

[Crossy]

I have my Bangkok Bank Be-1st Visa debit card linked to my Thai PayPal account, no name on the card (it says 'Founder Member').

It's been a while, but IIRC I simply put my name as it appears in the bank book in the 'name on card' field and it all worked.

Sending from the BKK Bank account works, as does withdrawing funds to it

[sunlong]

OP you included a lot of extraneous information.

As far as what I think you're asking goes, it is very easy to set up PayPal here in Thailand linked to a Thai bank account.

If you use Kasikorn and their (completely separate from PayPal) online banking, you can also get a "virtual credit card" to use online that wrt your account works like a debit card but appears to the payment processors to be a full regular credit (not debit) card for when you can't use PayPal. Probably other banks now have the same.

But for in-person transactions you need to get a real credit card, usually requires having a regular income, not hard at all if you meet their financial requirements, especially if you're a Thai citizen.

It is also easy to set up PayPal tied to a US bank account, but most likely you need to actually be in the states to do so.

You cannot use the SAME PayPal account tied to both Thai and US accounts, set them up with different email addresses and you can transfer between them as if they were two different people.

WRT PayPal generally, they are notorious for shutting down accounts and seizing the money when they arbitrarily judge as engaging in suspicious activity and it's apparently very difficult to get the money back, so don't keep large balances in PayPal itself, just use it for transfers.

Hope that helps.

Edited June 6, 2013 by sunlong

[DVik44]

Thanks for the info. Sorry for the extraneous info I was just trying to explain all factors.

@ Sunlong:

-I meant to say I don't have any bank accounts in the U.S.

@Crossy

- I tried doing the same thing you did with my debit card on Paypal. but when I put my name in it didn't work Same thing happens when I try buying stuff online

- I'm guessing if I want to be able to make online purchases and use Paypal to send money to friends/family in the U.S. I have to use a different bank? It doesn't seem like SBC Bank can do much for online related issues.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sell some stuff online from Thailand.

Use the money they pay into PayPal to buy the stuff you want.

[monty]

Never used scb. I think their debitcards are Mastecards.

Both Bkk bank and Kasikorn debit cards are visa cards and both work on Paypal.

To use your kasikorn debit card online, you have to activate this at an ATM. Alternatively, if you have k-bank cyber banking, then you can get a virtual credit card for online usage.

The Bkk bank.debit card (Be1st) works online.out of the box, the vbv (verified by visa) works through sms otp sent to the mobile phone registerd with your account.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[seajae]

I just linked my Bangkok Bank account to paypal and have had it verified, will do my card next but I am waiting for the bank to make my card available for online transactions. I had to go to my local Surat Thani bank with my visa/passport and fill out a form to show I am a resident here and they will notify me sometime this week that it is ok. Sorry I dont know why this had to be done as I couldnt get a straight answer from any of the workers, they just all stared at me like I was an idiot for wanting to be able to do it.

[DVik44]

@ Monty

Thanks for the input...looks like I got to open an account with another bank.

@seajae

lol I know what you mean, the customer service here blows. It seems like the simplest requests hurt their brain or something

[joncl]

Works with most Thai Visa and all Thai American Express cards as well once verified, I use both.

[DVik44]

SBC has the Mastercard logo...I know Paypal accepts it but still no go as I visited a branch and was told they don't work with Paypal.

[DVik44]

ARGH I'm still having problems with Paypal after getting a debit card from Bangkok Bank. Everyone has said they were able to link their debit card to Paypal okay but I'm still having issues! I still can't make online purchases either despite me asking if everything was ok and ready to go after I finished opening the account at a Bangkok Bank branch. I still get error messages everywhere despite I got my card verified by Visa. Is there something else I forgot to do to make this damn thing work? Again thanks in advance

[Eesat]

"I came from the U.S. without a Paypal account set up there and no bank accounts there as well (Long story)"

Bankruptcy?Not that long really,just 11 letters!

[boosta]

ARGH I'm still having problems with Paypal after getting a debit card from Bangkok Bank. Everyone has said they were able to link their debit card to Paypal okay but I'm still having issues! I still can't make online purchases either despite me asking if everything was ok and ready to go after I finished opening the account at a Bangkok Bank branch. I still get error messages everywhere despite I got my card verified by Visa. Is there something else I forgot to do to make this dam_n thing work? Again thanks in advance

You need to be more clear in order for us to help advise you.

"Link a debit card to PayPal"

Do you mean when you use PayPal to make purchases online, you want the amount charged to your debit card?

Or do you mean the ability to receive money into your PayPal and then withdraw from there into your BB account?

Or is it possibly that you're looking for ways to "fund" your PayPal account from your own money?

"got my card verified by VISA"

Do you mean your BB debit card is the Visa Electron type?

Or do you mean some other debit card?

Or do you mean a genuine VISA credit card?

What verification process do you mean, within the Paypal procedures? The "small change" bank account verifaction procedure? Or something direct with VISA International?

You really need to write more precisely for us to understand what's going wrong where. . .

The PayPal service has been set up with very carefully written step-by-step directions, tested and honed over the years and millions of customers.

You can always try more than one bank or accounts at the same bank or different cards etc in each path in/out category to see where the issue lies.

Have you tried contacting their customer service?

If you post back here, try to be clear about exactly what procedure you tried to follow - use their terminology in your post - and exactly what errors you go at what stage.

Edited June 22, 2013 by boosta

[boosta]

SBC has the Mastercard logo...I know Paypal accepts it but still no go as I visited a branch and was told they don't work with Paypal.

I don't know if that's true or not, most local branches have no clue whatsoever about PayPal, and they can't help you do anything anyway, PayPal is set up to do everything via their website software through the payment processing networks without any human bank employees doing anything.

You should be able to find out when you set up the feature "link a Thai bank account" to your PayPal for the purpose of withdrawing money from your PayPal account by having money deposited to your bank account.

If you mean funding (topping up) your PayPal account, that can only be done with a true **credit card** in Thailand not by automated withdrawal direct from a bank account AFAIK their instructions for say SG don't apply to Thailand.

If you mean registering a card to use via PayPal to make purchases online, that may mean that SCB blocks transfers to that vendor (PayPal). Probably best to contact their central Customer Service during working hours and try to get transferred to someone with a clue about PayPal that speaks decent English, or go to their head office branch, not deal with local branches.

Edited June 22, 2013 by boosta

[babyelepante]

For those who need a verified Paypal account linked to a Thai Bank

Kasikornbank will work fine and now easier than ever

You will need your identification ID , your email and your cell phone for verifying online transactions.

1. Go to Kasikornbank and open a account (500 Baht is the minimum to open an account) ATM card is an option.

2. Apply only for online banking , make sure that you write your email clearly. check your email after 2 or 3 working days.

3. Log in to your account in www.kasikornbank.com click on K-web shopping card and apply

took me 2 days to get this activated

verifying with paypal is easier but takes longer time and will be easy to follow for everybody