Bank charges for withdrawing and transfering

[y2k]

My Kasikorn branch is in Phuket and so is my girlfriend's. She wanted to make a withdrawal from a Kasikorn branch in Lampang but has to pay a fee for doing this because it is in a different city/province. Is this normal for all Thai banks?

If so, would I be better advised to move our accounts to Lampang thereby removing the withdrawal fee?

[chiang mai]

Yes, Thailand operates provincial banking so out of province transactions are chargeable, best to move to a local bank, all banks the same here.

[Madgee]

No, all banks are not the same.

I have a standard debit visa card linked to a standard savings account with Bangkok Bank.

I can use it throughout Thailand at any ATM, not just Bangkok Bank's ATM's, without a fee for each withdrawal.

Initial one off set up fee of 100Bht.

Cost: 200Bht p.a.

SMS notification of any transaction over 500Bht (in or out) available for 10Bht p.m. This includes a Monday morning

SMS notification of the current balance.

I think most banks charge an annual fee for a debit card?

[chiang mai]

I'm trying to understand from your post whether the 100 baht set up fee is some part of a new program that allows for free inter province banking, I don't think it is but I may be wrong?

Unless you have some sort of special account, or if the banking rules have changed in the past three weeks, I'm afraid you are mistaken. I've seen numerous examples over the years of what I've described, at most banks, including BB - but most recently:

we have a Bangkok Bank account in Sukhothai but live in Chiang Mai, the account is used only once a month or so but any transaction performed on that account in Chiang Mai incurs a 10 baht ATM fee. Any deposit to that account made in Chiang Mai incurs a charge also. I suggest you look at your ATM slips more closely, the next time you use your BB card out of province.

[Madgee]

No mistake on my behalf.

I use my card several times a month outside of my province at whatever ATM is the nearest.

My SMS and online statements can confirm that I do not receive any charges for this privilege.

Sorry quotes not working.

Bangkok Bank:

Your Be1st Visa Debit card can be used just like an ATM card. You can withdraw cash or use it to make a transaction

at a Bangkok Bank Bualuang ATM or other ATM participating in the ATM Pool in Thailand. You can also withdraw cash from

any ATM anywhere in the world where you see the PLUS or VISA logo.

Most banks in Thailand participate in the ATM pool.

I suggest you check and confirm with your branch what is available to you.

Fees are on the BB website.

My fees for SMS service were waived for the first 3 months as a trial period and if one can be bothered, the trial period can be re-activated by your local branch on request.

[Pib]

OP, it is a common fee as most Thai banks operate under a region concept where they have Thailand broken up into a dozen or so regions where certain transactions generate inter-region fees for the bank.

[Pib]

No mistake on my behalf.

I use my card several times a month outside of my province at whatever ATM is the nearest.

My SMS and online statements can confirm that I do not receive any charges for this privilege.

Sorry quotes not working.

Bangkok Bank:

Your Be1st Visa Debit card can be used just like an ATM card. You can withdraw cash or use it to make a transaction

at a Bangkok Bank Bualuang ATM or other ATM participating in the ATM Pool in Thailand. You can also withdraw cash from

any ATM anywhere in the world where you see the PLUS or VISA logo.

Most banks in Thailand participate in the ATM pool.

I suggest you check and confirm with your branch what is available to you.

Fees are on the BB website.

My fees for SMS service were waived for the first 3 months as a trial period and if one can be bothered, the trial period can be re-activated by your local branch on request.

Here are the ATM fees associated with using your Bangkok Bank debit card within (within region and inter region) and outside Thailand.

[chiang mai]

No mistake on my behalf.

I use my card several times a month outside of my province at whatever ATM is the nearest.

My SMS and online statements can confirm that I do not receive any charges for this privilege.

Sorry quotes not working.

Bangkok Bank:

Your Be1st Visa Debit card can be used just like an ATM card. You can withdraw cash or use it to make a transaction

at a Bangkok Bank Bualuang ATM or other ATM participating in the ATM Pool in Thailand. You can also withdraw cash from

any ATM anywhere in the world where you see the PLUS or VISA logo.

Most banks in Thailand participate in the ATM pool.

I suggest you check and confirm with your branch what is available to you.

Fees are on the BB website.

My fees for SMS service were waived for the first 3 months as a trial period and if one can be bothered, the trial period can be re-activated by your local branch on request.

Ok so your first four transactions each month are free, thereafter you are charged and presumably that's what the 100 baht set up fee was for, that's hardly a free service and really not too different from how other banks operate inter province banking here!

[Pib]

For Bangkok Bank "ibanking" transfers, below is how Bangkok Bank describes its regional areas....pretty much as between "provinces" although some of the provinces right around Bangkok are lumped in with Bangkok region. Maybe their "ATM" inter-region fee boundaries are the same.

[y2k]

So, is there any advantage in me transferring my account to Bangkok Bank?

[chiang mai]

So, is there any advantage in me transferring my account to Bangkok Bank?

I think it's horses for courses, not much between many of them. Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) is the best capitalized Thai owned bank whilst Bank of Ayudhya is owned by the Japanese and the group has huge assets, in the trillions. Union Overseas Bank (UOB) is a Singaporean bank with branches in Thailand and is rated in the top 15 safest banks worldwide.

Take your pick, they all offer very similar products and their charges are broadly the same, personally I bank with UOB and the Malaysian bank in Thailand, CIMB.

EDIT: one advantage to UOB (for me) is their preferred savings account pays 2% monthly with no tax and free ATM usage at any UOB ATM, I use it as my daily working account and the security is very good.

Edited July 18, 2014 by chiang mai

[lopburi3]

The advantage of Bangkok Bank is for international transfers from US and believe UK where local systems can be used rather than the more expensive SWIFT system. For inside Thailand the current Bangkok Bank advantage is they are the only bank offering the safe from cloning chip type debit card (but this is scheduled to change as all banks will have to have within a year or so I believe). Always best to have account in same banking area that you live.

[y2k]

The advantage of Bangkok Bank is for international transfers from US and believe UK where local systems can be used rather than the more expensive SWIFT system. For inside Thailand the current Bangkok Bank advantage is they are the only bank offering the safe from cloning chip type debit card (but this is scheduled to change as all banks will have to have within a year or so I believe). Always best to have account in same banking area that you live.

Kasikorn use SWIFT but HSBC Australia don't so I guess I'm avoiding the higher fees though I am paying AUD20 per TT. Kasikorn then deduct their charges on receipt of funds.

I will need to email Kasikorn to find out if I can transfer my account to another province.

[Pib]

Personally, I think any true distinction between banks in Thailand regarding services and fees is minor. Now Bangkok Bank does seem to have a clear advantage for certain farangs such as U.S. citizens in being able to avoid costly SWIFT transfers from the U.S. to Thailand by being the only bank in Thailand with low cost ACH funds transfer receiving capability. Bangkok Bank website, in Thai and correct English, is excellent in terms of level of detail/info provided...no other Thai bank even places a close second IMO. I've been with Bangkok Bank for many years and been happy with them...got four accounts with them. Nothing prevents a person from having accounts with several different banks like Bangkok Bank, Kbank, SCB, etc....then maybe after a few years of test driving each one a person could consolidate to just one bank if desired. And of course, your local branch can make a big difference in how satisfied you are with the bank as some branches have very little English capability on staff while others do have good English capability...some branches seem to open their arms to farangs while other branches don't...it can be a little bit of a crap shoot in picking a branch. Definitely pick a branch that is close to where you live.

[Pib]

The advantage of Bangkok Bank is for international transfers from US and believe UK where local systems can be used rather than the more expensive SWIFT system. For inside Thailand the current Bangkok Bank advantage is they are the only bank offering the safe from cloning chip type debit card (but this is scheduled to change as all banks will have to have within a year or so I believe). Always best to have account in same banking area that you live.

Kasikorn use SWIFT but HSBC Australia don't so I guess I'm avoiding the higher fees though I am paying AUD20 per TT. Kasikorn then deduct their charges on receipt of funds.

I will need to email Kasikorn to find out if I can transfer my account to another province.

Sure HSBC Australia does SWIFT transfers...expect every bank in the world can use SWIFT for outgoing and incoming transfers. Below is HSBC SWIFT code if you were sending money to them.

What is the HSBC SWIFT Code and when is it needed?

HSBC Australia customers can refer to the SWIFT Code of HKBAAU2S.

The SWIFT Code is a unique identifier of every bank worldwide via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system.

For incoming overseas payments to your Australian HSBC account, the above SWIFT Code is required.

[y2k]

Sure HSBC Australia does SWIFT transfers...expect every bank in the world can use SWIFT for outgoing and incoming transfers. Below is HSBC SWIFT code if you were sending money to them.

What is the HSBC SWIFT Code and when is it needed?

HSBC Australia customers can refer to the SWIFT Code of HKBAAU2S.

The SWIFT Code is a unique identifier of every bank worldwide via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system.

For incoming overseas payments to your Australian HSBC account, the above SWIFT Code is required.

What I meant to say is that HSBC Australia doesn't use SWIFT for TT out to other banks.

[chiang mai]

Sure HSBC Australia does SWIFT transfers...expect every bank in the world can use SWIFT for outgoing and incoming transfers. Below is HSBC SWIFT code if you were sending money to them.

What is the HSBC SWIFT Code and when is it needed?

HSBC Australia customers can refer to the SWIFT Code of HKBAAU2S.

The SWIFT Code is a unique identifier of every bank worldwide via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system.

For incoming overseas payments to your Australian HSBC account, the above SWIFT Code is required.

What I meant to say is that HSBC Australia doesn't use SWIFT for TT out to other banks.

I don't think there's many places in the world that still use TT (as in Telex) for transfers, the banks here still refer to them as TT transfers but in fact they are all SWIFT.

http://howtoexportimport.com/Difference-between-Telegraphic-Transfer-and-Swift-435.aspx

[Pib]

Sure HSBC Australia does SWIFT transfers...expect every bank in the world can use SWIFT for outgoing and incoming transfers. Below is HSBC SWIFT code if you were sending money to them.

What is the HSBC SWIFT Code and when is it needed?

HSBC Australia customers can refer to the SWIFT Code of HKBAAU2S.

The SWIFT Code is a unique identifier of every bank worldwide via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system.

For incoming overseas payments to your Australian HSBC account, the above SWIFT Code is required.

What I meant to say is that HSBC Australia doesn't use SWIFT for TT out to other banks.

Sure they do...SWIFT is a/the main system to transfer funds between countries. Below is another quote from the HSBC Australia website

What is a Priority Payment?

A Priority Payment is a high-value same day payment that uses both the RTGS (real – time gross settlement) clearing system to settle domestic transactions and the SWIFT network to settle foreign currency telegraphic transfers.

[y2k]

Hmm maybe I'm wrong in my assumption. It was based on the fact that the funds transfer page on the HSBC Australia online banking page does not have a place for the SWIFT code. I had to enter the full postal address of the destination bank. The funds did arrive safely to my relief.

[Pib]

Hmm maybe I'm wrong in my assumption. It was based on the fact that the funds transfer page on the HSBC Australia online banking page does not have a place for the SWIFT code. I had to enter the full postal address of the destination bank. The funds did arrive safely to my relief.

Sounds like it's more of a manual system where you fill out the form online with bank address and then the bank looks up the appropriate SWIFT code--and you hope they get it right based on the address you give.