Does Thailand have the biggest ATM network in the world?

[socksy01]

You would think with so many ATM's - the locals would have had enough practice to complete transactions. Whenever I stand behind a local they either obtain their PIN number (only four digit's <deleted>) from their mobile, or have it written on a piece of paper. A lot of them appear unable to read the screen instructions leading me to stand behind them, sometimes up to ten minutes, shaking my head.

[Pib]

The reason why Thailand has so many ATMs is the same reason why Thailand has so many bars and so many ladyboys: Taking advantage of the foreigner and finding ways to separate him from his money. Thailand ATMs have the highest fees in the world for foreigners. It's a huge money maker for the bank - charging you extremely high fees to access your OWN money!

Sorry. I cannot agree. Just open a Thai bank account and you will not have fees. Or, just continue your Thai bashing if that makes you happy.

Yes, really sorry for you if the appearance of ATMs separates you from your money. And what are the "extremely high fees" to which you refer--the B150/160 surcharge? That fee goes to your bank, not the Thai bank. My bank reimburses me the fee.

@ smotherb: the Bt150 fee display on the ATM goes to the "Thai bank" as it's a local ATM use fee. Any fee that displays on the ATM is a local fee applied by the bank/company that operates the ATM. Now your home country bank that issues the debit card may also apply its own foreign transaction feeo but that will only appear on your bank account statement as a separate fee or lower exchange rate.

[Sandman77]

Some European banks charge much More then thaibanks

Esoassaly maestro 11€ for one withdrawal outside eu, and a bad exchange rate of one baht less then visa!

On German online bank I pay no withdrawal fees , and when I send a email send me also back the 150 thb!

Even the banks count is also free of charge and Visa card also!

Thai banks must wake up and offer better condition , otherwise maybe loosing there face in international public..

[Pib]

We don't want to confuse what a local ATM fee may apply (like how Thai banks charge Bt150/180 for a foreign card) with what your home country card-issuing bank may charge as a foreign transaction fee...and many card-issuing banks have foreign transaction fees based on a "percentage" (like a 3% fee) and/or a flat fee (like a $5 fee).

These are completely separate fees applied by different entities. Up until AEON ATMs started charging a Bt150 fee, a person only needed to worry about what fee their home country card-issuing bank would apply....any fees hitting your bank account were all applied by your card-issuing bank...zero fees from the AEON ATM.

But as we all know, Thai bank ATM and AEON ATMs are now charging a Bt150/180 fee except maybe for a few foreign bank cards which a few people have said Thai bank/AEON ATMs don't charge a fee...but I'm somewhat suspicious of those posts. But if the ATM pops up a display saying a fee will be applied of X-amount, that is a local ATM fee being applied by the ATM operator; any fee your card-issuing bank may apply will appear on your bank account either as a separate fee or a lower exchange rate...it will not appear on the ATM display.

[smotherb]

The reason why Thailand has so many ATMs is the same reason why Thailand has so many bars and so many ladyboys: Taking advantage of the foreigner and finding ways to separate him from his money. Thailand ATMs have the highest fees in the world for foreigners. It's a huge money maker for the bank - charging you extremely high fees to access your OWN money!

Sorry. I cannot agree. Just open a Thai bank account and you will not have fees. Or, just continue your Thai bashing if that makes you happy.

Yes, really sorry for you if the appearance of ATMs separates you from your money. And what are the "extremely high fees" to which you refer--the B150/160 surcharge? That fee goes to your bank, not the Thai bank. My bank reimburses me the fee.

@ smotherb: the Bt150 fee display on the ATM goes to the "Thai bank" as it's a local ATM use fee. Any fee that displays on the ATM is a local fee applied by the bank/company that operates the ATM. Now your home country bank that issues the debit card may also apply its own foreign transaction feeo but that will only appear on your bank account statement as a separate fee or lower exchange rate.

Gee, then why does my bank reimburse me for the fee (B150 at current rates) each time I make a withdrawal? Are you suggesting my bank covers the fees other banks charge?

[smotherb]

The reason why Thailand has so many ATMs is the same reason why Thailand has so many bars and so many ladyboys: Taking advantage of the foreigner and finding ways to separate him from his money. Thailand ATMs have the highest fees in the world for foreigners. It's a huge money maker for the bank - charging you extremely high fees to access your OWN money!

Sorry. I cannot agree. Just open a Thai bank account and you will not have fees. Or, just continue your Thai bashing if that makes you happy.

Yes, really sorry for you if the appearance of ATMs separates you from your money. And what are the "extremely high fees" to which you refer--the B150/160 surcharge? That fee goes to your bank, not the Thai bank. My bank reimburses me the fee.

@ smotherb: the Bt150 fee display on the ATM goes to the "Thai bank" as it's a local ATM use fee. Any fee that displays on the ATM is a local fee applied by the bank/company that operates the ATM. Now your home country bank that issues the debit card may also apply its own foreign transaction feeo but that will only appear on your bank account statement as a separate fee or lower exchange rate.

Then why does my bank reimburse me the B150 fee for every withdrawal--as depicted on my bank statements. Do you think my bank covers the fees other banks charge?

[Pib]

Then why does my bank reimburse me the B150 fee for every withdrawal--as depicted on my bank statements. Do you think my bank covers the fees other banks charge?

Well, apparently they do....they should wouldn't be reimbursing you for charges they may apply...that would be a little silly if your bank charged you a fee and then turned around and reimbursed it.

Apparently your bank reimburses your ATM use fees just like quite a few other banks do such as Schwab which you hear Americans talking about all the time. Heck I have two debt cards...one from Schwab Bank and one from State Farm Bank which both reimburse ATM use fees like the Bt150/180 charged by Thai banks for foreign cards.

[smotherb]

Then why does my bank reimburse me the B150 fee for every withdrawal--as depicted on my bank statements. Do you think my bank covers the fees other banks charge?

Well, apparently they do....they should wouldn't be reimbursing you for charges they may apply...that would be a little silly if your bank charged you a fee and then turned around and reimbursed it.

Apparently your bank reimburses your ATM use fees just like quite a few other banks do such as Schwab which you hear Americans talking about all the time. Heck I have two debt cards...one from Schwab Bank and one from State Farm Bank which both reimburse ATM use fees like the Bt150/180 charged by Thai banks for foreign cards.

Sounds logical, I stand corrected