ATM Warning

[hdkane]

Hello...I'm posting this note in the Bangkok forum, but it could probably apply to any tourist area of Thailand...this week, I was in the lower end of Sukumvit and stopped by an ATM outside a 7-11. The affiliate was Krungthep Bank...I attempted to withdraw a large sum of money...and the ATM displayed a notice that the transaction was declined, and that I needed to see my bank that issued the ATM card (Kasikorn)...I crossed Sukumvit to a Kasikorn ATM, and found that my account had been drained by the exact amount I attempted to withdraw...

I went to Kasikorn and was told this happens fairly often...a transaction approved on their end, but declined by the ATM

they placed calls to KTB and was told that they would investigate the matter...if they felt they were in fault, they would re-deposit the money...the investigation would take 21 days...

the fellow at Kasikorn told me there was a 50-50 chance that I would get my money back...

so here are the lesson from my experience...

if you use an ATM, be sure it is affiliated with the bank that issued your card..the fellow at Kasikorn stated that if I had used their ATM, I could be credited with funds in a matter of minutes...

do not attempt to withdraw any more money than you can afford to lose in a 1 month time frame...

I reside in BKK...but just imagine the difficulty imposed on a family vacationing in Thailand...if they went to an ATM on the first day of their vacation to withdraw money for dinner/hotel, and their account was depleted...

or a retiree who depends on a monthly stipend...

nonetheless, I am on a tight budget for the next month...and that is if I am lucky enough to get my money back...it took 30 seconds to take my money...but 21 days to return (again...if the "investigation" finds that KTB made a mistake)...I'm left to wonder if this a scam of many banks in Thailand...

I should state that Kasikorn was helpful, and determined that KTB made the mistake...but overall...no one could help me...I'm left at the "mercy" of KTB...

[draftvader]

All that said I also bank with K-Bank and have had their own machine do exactly the same thing. They looked into it and refunded the money back to my account after 5 days.

[N47HAN]

By large you mean 20k i assume ?

Thats the max in one withdrawl

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Meddle]

Exactly the same thing happened to me on Sunday - down by 20K now ! Had to go into the bank, fill in a form, after which they said it would be sorted out by Thursday .....Thursday! I told Thai girlfriend who didn't seem too perturbed by it, that banking incompetencies may happen frequently in Thailand, but not sure if she appreciates just how serious this kind of thing would be in the West.

Few months before, an ATM froze on me and a Windows XP screen popped up!

Anyway, no point in stressing .. let's see what tomorrow brings.

[thrilled]

Sounds like I will be using cash more and more.

[DogNo1]

Simple solution - don't use ATMs. Go inside the bank and withdraw your money at the counter. That's what I Always do. Doesn't take much longer than using the ATM!

[uhuh]

on 30th of June, the system to facilitate interbank ATM withdrawals broke down nationwide.

It was on Thai TV and in the Bangkok Post.

Things were complicated by the facts that it was payday and 1st of July was a bank holiday.

Bangkok Bank advised customers not to use the system for a couple of days.

Not a common occurrence

[mikebell]

Simple solution - don't use ATMs. Go inside the bank and withdraw your money at the counter. That's what I Always do. Doesn't take much longer than using the ATM!

Oh yes it does! I am always amazed at the milling crowd in any Thai bank. Once a month I withdraw wages for the workers on our Moo Baan. It invariably involves a 30 minute wait. I once put the wrong date at the top of a cheque whilst being instructed by the Branch manageress. She told me the cheque was now no longer valid & I would have to make a 40 kms round trip to get my co-signatorie's name again. I pointed out she had witnessed/been a party to this & as manager could approve it with her own signature. All in vain.

We moved our account (1.5M TBT) the following week to a different bank.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Non-disbursement of money has happened to me twice at ATMs of a bank associated with the military. I called their help line and was told I would have to initiate the investigation with my Canadian bank. The first incident took a couple of days to gather the right information to begin the refund process. That's after multiple calls to said bank wading through flawed information. Once learned, the second time it only took a few hours for my home bank to refund the cash because I called them direct. Presumably my home bank contacted said bank via some internal international banking contact system. I never used their ATMs again.

[KhunBENQ]

on 30th of June, the system to facilitate interbank ATM withdrawals broke down nationwide.

This fits the description of the thread starter.

Interbanking (Krungthep -> Kasikorn).

Posted on 2nd July and "this week" might have been on Monday.

To read the article, google for "ATM hickup payday".

(link is not allowed)

Edited July 4, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[DogNo1]

I suppose the speed with which you can withdraw money from the counter depends on your bank and its branch. I've been able to do it very quickly at Bangkok Bank in Phantip and MBK. I haven't tried Paragon. Bangkok Bank in Central Chidlom doesn't allow cash withdrawals from the counter so you have to choose the branch of your bank which allows the withdrawals and isn't crowded. Good luck.

[Mekong Coffee]

A few days ago I used a Krungsri ATM machine and attempted to withdraw 10,000b. It took a long time then finally read an error message about the transaction timed out and spit out my card... Did not spit out the cash or receipt. I left the machine and checked my account later seeing I was down 10,000 baht. What the hell happened there? I'm thinking the machine spit out the cash after I walked away? Either way it's gone from my balance and didn't make it into my wallet.

I don't know what do about this so I have done nothing yet... If I'm going to blow 10,000 I can think of many better ways then leaving it hanging out of an ATM machine and walking away.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Mekong Coffee

[dddave]

I make it a point not to use street ATM's. If I have time, I will look for a Bangkok Bank branch (where I have my account) and use an ATM in their lobby.

If there is not a Bangkok Bank nearby, I will at least use an ATM in the lobby of, or outside another bank.

ATM's located in bank lobbies or just outside the banks are far less likely to be tampered with than stand alone ATM's.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

A few days ago I used a Krungsri ATM machine and attempted to withdraw 10,000b. It took a long time then finally read an error message about the transaction timed out and spit out my card... Did not spit out the cash or receipt. I left the machine and checked my account later seeing I was down 10,000 baht. What the hell happened there? I'm thinking the machine spit out the cash after I walked away? Either way it's gone from my balance and didn't make it into my wallet.

I don't know what do about this so I have done nothing yet... If I'm going to blow 10,000 I can think of many better ways then leaving it hanging out of an ATM machine and walking away.

Man, you should have called the help line phone number, which is usually attached to the machines. Go back and look for it. It's not always front and centre. Give them the details and ask for the refund, They should have found an extra 10,000 baht one night after the machine was resupplied. BTW, if you ever seen the techs who open the ATMs, they remove and fit a completely locked unit and take it back to the bank's offices. There should be some evidence of machine trouble.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[Mekong Coffee]

A few days ago I used a Krungsri ATM machine and attempted to withdraw 10,000b. It took a long time then finally read an error message about the transaction timed out and spit out my card... Did not spit out the cash or receipt. I left the machine and checked my account later seeing I was down 10,000 baht. What the hell happened there? I'm thinking the machine spit out the cash after I walked away? Either way it's gone from my balance and didn't make it into my wallet.

I don't know what do about this so I have done nothing yet... If I'm going to blow 10,000 I can think of many better ways then leaving it hanging out of an ATM machine and walking away.

Man, you should have called the help line phone number, which is usually attached to the machines. Go back and look for it. It's not always front and centre. Give them the details and ask for the refund, They should have found an extra 10,000 baht one night after the machine was resupplied. BTW, if you ever seen the techs who open the ATMs, they remove and fit a completely locked unit and take it back to the bank's offices. There should be some evidence of machine trouble.

Thanks. I will do that now it's on my street. I saw a website and I was going to try to contact them online and give them the location... I'm not sure if the cash never came out or if it spit out 10,000 after I walked away? I figured I just bought the local taxi gang there a case of whiskey. I'll go check for the number now.

[ProThaiExpat]

SCB no longer will permit in bank ATM withdrawals and insist you use ATM outside the branch. Don the newsletter guy confirms that a manager told him the denial is done so fees are earned with each ATM withdrawal.

Fortunately by stateside bank reimburses three ATM fees per month so I rarely suffer from such ATM fees. There have been no reports that other banks have followed this policy but I doubt this will continue if SCB gets away with it long term.