180 Baht Charges for ATM.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The solution is don't use the ATM.I use the currency exchange both.Just hand over your ATM card ( not credit card ) and passport , they swipe your card , you sign the receipt get your money and no fees . I normally withdraw 20,000 baht each time then deposit it into my Thai account.

The approach Joe is mentioning here, and others have mentioned above, is generally known as a "counter withdrawal."

It is a viable method for avoiding the Thai ATM fees, but there are a variety of pitfalls that may come into play, and unless you're very careful, you could end up paying more fees than a regular ATM withdrawal.

The first issue is using a debit card vs. using a credit card.

--Debit cards have the advantage of not having any interest charges assessed and usually not having any fee assessed by the card issuing bank (although a growing number of U.S. banks have begun charging their own customers flat fees for counter withdrawals.

But a lot of Thai banks/bank tellers will refuse to do counter withdrawals with foreign debit cards, and instead instruct the customer to use their ATMs instead (perhaps because they know the bank would be missing out on its ATM fees). So sometimes, doing a debit card counter withdrawal will require quite a bit of bank branch shopping. But if you can find a Thai bank branch willing to do debit card counter withdrawals, it should be a good no-fee alternative.

--Credit cards seem to be more widely accepted by the Thai banks for counter withdrawals, especially for amounts larger than their ATM withdrawal limits. But, most credit cards will treat counter withdrawals as "cash advances." And, that usually means 1) an upfront fee of perhaps $5 plus 3%+ of the amount withdrawn, and 2) immediate interest charges being assessed on the cash advance, often at a higher rate than regular purchases, and no 30-day grace repayment period.

And, even if, as some have mentioned here, people try to prepay their credit card accounts by making an advance or simultaneous payment into their credit card account, that's not likely to avoid the upfront cash advance fees. There are, however, at least a few U.S. credit cards that allow cash advances with no upfront fees, making those a viable ATM alternative if you prepay or simultaneously pay the withdrawal amount into your credit card account. However, those kinds of cards are VERY few and far between.

[JDGRUEN]

I find it amusing why some people worry about what others pay in fees for ATM or other transactions.. And Why? do you not have a Thai bank account? Oh My... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'...

It is called Personal Choice sorta the same strange questioning -- Why are you here on a Non 'O' visa when you could be here on an Extension of Stay ? Oh My ... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'

Who gives a Sh__T what others do,... it someone posts about how they get a bargain on money transfers - and you want to emulate it ... fine -- your CHOICE... And if one doesn't -- then your CHOICE.

The way I handle my money fits my lifestyle and income... TO EACH HIS OWN...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Bangkok Bank charges 180 Baht ... I use it often -- I have receipts... Now they all charge 180 - except maybe Aeon ... but not sure of that...

My bank, Bangkok, charges me 150 baht per withdrawal from my Canadian account. Always has and continues to do so, the latest withdrawal was just yesterday.

There have been posts referencing using Visa endorsed cards versus MasterCard endorsed cards... Visa cards being charged less... Mine is MasterCard - On this issue - I only know what I pay ...

AFAIK, BKK Bank's ATM fees are 150 baht for foreign VISA logo debit cards, and 180 baht for foreign MC-logo debit cards.

It's also worth noting that VISA cards almost always give a somewhat better exchange rate than their MasterCard counterparts.

[jpinx]

Bangkok Bank charges 180 Baht ... I use it often -- I have receipts... Now they all charge 180 - except maybe Aeon ... but not sure of that...

My bank, Bangkok, charges me 150 baht per withdrawal from my Canadian account. Always has and continues to do so, the latest withdrawal was just yesterday.

There have been posts referencing using Visa endorsed cards versus MasterCard endorsed cards... Visa cards being charged less... Mine is MasterCard - On this issue - I only know what I pay ...

AFAIK, BKK Bank's ATM fees are 150 baht for foreign VISA logo debit cards, and 180 baht for foreign MC-logo debit cards.

It's also worth noting that VISA cards almost always give a somewhat better exchange rate than their MasterCard counterparts.

-----------------------------------

Agreed -- Visa credit card is the better card rate -- I have mastercard credit card as well and it's noticably and consistently worse.

Edited August 18, 2014 by jpinx

[nidieunimaitre]

I find it amusing why some people worry about what others pay in fees for ATM or other transactions.. And Why? do you not have a Thai bank account? Oh My... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'...

It is called Personal Choice sorta the same strange questioning -- Why are you here on a Non 'O' visa when you could be here on an Extension of Stay ? Oh My ... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'

Who gives a Sh__T what others do,... it someone posts about how they get a bargain on money transfers - and you want to emulate it ... fine -- your CHOICE... And if one doesn't -- then your CHOICE.

The way I handle my money fits my lifestyle and income... TO EACH HIS OWN...

Amusing? Why?

It is a matter og gathering information.

Where else could we find that information?

[JDGRUEN]

I find it amusing why some people worry about what others pay in fees for ATM or other transactions.. And Why? do you not have a Thai bank account? Oh My... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'...

It is called Personal Choice sorta the same strange questioning -- Why are you here on a Non 'O' visa when you could be here on an Extension of Stay ? Oh My ... 'the earth shall shudder and the seas shall rise'

Who gives a Sh__T what others do,... it someone posts about how they get a bargain on money transfers - and you want to emulate it ... fine -- your CHOICE... And if one doesn't -- then your CHOICE.

The way I handle my money fits my lifestyle and income... TO EACH HIS OWN...

Amusing? Why?

It is a matter og gathering information.

Where else could we find that information?

I am NOT talking about the gathering of information - lots of good information posted on this thread - What I am talking about is the naive - incredulous posts almost in ridicule stating in amazement that someone would NOT choose to do what they do - Get a Thai Bank account or use Travel's Checks ... it is rather juvenile in nature... Posting what rates one gets, fees paid or not paid, or How To, etc. is just fine but the other posts should just stay un-posted...

That is what my comment was about...

[jim1953]

$5 non bla bla bla atm withdrawal fee, in Bali.

$5= thb 150 withdrawal fee in LoS.

It appears to me this is our home bank fee.

No, its the actualy rule in every ATM in Phuket too.....

[dagobert]

$5 non bla bla bla atm withdrawal fee, in Bali.

$5= thb 150 withdrawal fee in LoS.

It appears to me this is our home bank fee.

No, its the actualy rule in every ATM in Phuket too.....

That was disscust 4 hours ago in post 80 (180 + $5 + 3%)

[ableguy]

A lot of you people admit to taking out large sums from ATMs, constantly, WHY .? With all the skimming one could consider this behavior somewhat foolhardy ( bloody stupid ).

[Pib]

A lot of you people admit to taking out large sums from ATMs, constantly, WHY .? With all the skimming one could consider this behavior somewhat foolhardy ( bloody stupid ).

Whether it's a Bt100 or Bt30K withdrawal, it sure beats running to the bank all the time with passport and passbook in hand in order to withdraw money.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The partial answer is... don't use stand alone ATMs away from bank branches or in other locations that make them vulnerable to tampering.

Best approach is to use ATMs inside the bank branch itself or in other locations where it would be difficult to tamper without being observed.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I have just arrived in Chiang Mai on a long-stay visa, intending to spend my retirement in Thailand. Before I left the UK, I enquired about using my debit card to withdraw money here from the ATM's. My UK bank charges me about £4.50 per every £100 I withdraw, so with Thai banks hitting such a withdrawal at B180, that equates to about £32-£33 charges were I to use an ATM machine to withdraw my monthly pension.

With Thai banks charging expat cards, and the greed of my UK bank, that is a route I shall not be taking. Once I have a Thai bank account, I can have my teacher's pension paid in directly to my Thai bank account. The charge for that is £1 per month, as they don't operate with the greed of the banks in the UK, who would charge me £25 for transferring my pension from my UK bank to my Thai one.

I will work out how much I need to supplement by pension with on a yearly basis, and just make the one annual transfer.

You should have organised a better bank account before you left or at least obtained a fee free card.

Your options for a fee free bank account were either for a N&P Gold Classic Current Account or the Cumberland Plus Account(depending on your location).

Failing that, you could have applied for a Halifax Clarity credit card(fee free cash withdrawals, but interest payable. Best to clear withdrawal amounts asap) or even a SAGA Platinum CC(2% for ATM withdrawals, but no interest if statement amounts are paid in full). No fees for purchases with either.

Failing that a Kalixa Pay Prepaid MasterCard would still offer better rates than your current card. For instance any purchases would net you the full Mastercard rate, currently 52.88 baht. So you could pay for your shopping at TOPS, for instance.

The other option would have been to use Halifax Bank to transfer an amount to a Thailand bank account in Pounds and let the Thailand bank do the exchange. Halifaz charge £7.50 to £9.50 for this service.

You need to get your affairs in order.

No need to stick to just one bank account and/or credit card.

You need to have more weapons in your arsenal.

[balo]

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It always suprises me why so many use foreign credit cards when it's so easy to open up a thai bank account with atm card for free. And when you do an online transfer from your home country you'll get the best exchange rates as well.

That's not necessarily true.

If someone is making Thai ATM withdrawals using their home country card, and if it's a VISA logo card that has 1) no foreign currency fee and 2) reimburses other banks' ATM fees, then those transactions are going to be more economical than almost any international funds transfer into Thailand.

The above transaction has no fees to the cardholder, because their home country isn't charging any and they're also covering the Thai bank's ATM fee, and the exchange rate will be the VISA network rate, which is as good as a person can get most of the time.

On the other hand, most international funds transfers into Thailand involve an often substantial fee charged by the sending bank, and almost always a 0.25% fee, usually with 200 baht minimums and 500 baht maximums) by the receiving Thai bank. (That fee alone is larger than a single 180 baht ATM fee for a 30,000 baht withdrawal). The exchange rate for those transfers usually will be the bank's buying TT rate, which isn't necessarily better than the VISA network rate.

Many people seem to not be aware of the Thai banks taking a 200 to 500 baht commission on the incoming funds for international transfers, apparently because the Thai banks tend not to break out that detail in their online banking ledgers, and you won't see it unless you specifically ask for a detailed breakdown of the international transfer.

I am aware of the fees that Kasikorn bank charge for incoming transfers , but when I transfer money its always a big amount , minimum 50 to 100k . And my sender bank only charge $4, they do not charge any additional fees . When the money is safely inside my Kasikorn account , all withdrawals are free with my Kasikorn atm card, thats the big advantage . I can also use the card for visa online shopping. So look at the advantages having a Thai bank account and try to make the online transfers from your home bank as cheap as possible.

[hawker9000]

Using your foreign ATM card in Thailand or any other country is a stupid way to fund your trip out here..unless you have so much money you just dont care and like the convenience..otherwise this should only be used in an emergency..

good ol travelers checks are still the best way to go, more secure than cash and the best possible exchange rate.

The charge for cashing "good ol travellers checks" is now 153 baht (150 charge + 3 baht stamp duty) per cheque so whilst still secure method is no longer as cost effective.

Thailand has imposed these fees on T/C cashing for as long as I can remember. They are a good security solution for some, but simply/definitely NOT "the best possible exchange rate":

1) Not everyone can GET them for free. My CU charges 1%. I'm an AMEX gold card holder but I can't get the checks for free 'cause there's no AMEX office w/in a reasonable driving distance of my home.

2) Travelers look at the exchange windows and see a T/C rate which is better than the rate for banknotes. But if they'd look around some, esp. at the independent exchange booths (the ones NOT affiliated with banks), they'd see that it's no better, maybe even not as good, as rates for notes at these other places. (The indies often don't do T/Cs though.) And then there are rates obtainable when using wire transfers & the like.

3) In Thailand I've never had a problem cashing T/Cs, but try doing it in some other countries! Universal acceptability and convenience NOT guaranteed!

[Pib]

The travelers cheques fee increase from 30 baht plus 3 baht stamp duty for a total of 33 baht to 150 baht plus 3 baht stamp duty for a total of 153 occurred Feb-Apr 14 at Thai banks; before that for as long as I can remember the fee was 33 baht. Please note the 3 baht stamp duty which is the govt tax did not increase; only the Thai banks' fee increased 5-fold from 30 to 150 baht.

Travelers cheques get the travelers cheques/sight bill exchange rate at Thai banks which is between the note/cash rate and iTT Buying Rate...usually the rate is 0.1 to 0.15 baht per USD below the TT Buying Rate used for incoming wire transfers.

If continuing to use T/Cs probably best to use large denomination checks of $500USD or more to help minimize the 153 baht/per cheque cashing fee....153 baht (almost $5 USD) on a $100 USD cheque is approaching 5% of the check being taken in bank fees....on a $500 cheque its approaching 1% of the check being taken in bank fees.

Around that same early 2014 period s when AEON ATMs went from zero baht fee for using a foreign card to a 150 baht fee...I believe the change occurred Feb 14. And also earlier this year is when quite a few of the Thai banks started upping their ATM foreign card fee from Bt150 to Bt180.

Guess early 2014 was an auspicious time to increase such fees which mainly impact farangs.

[thailand49]

I also am very vary as to how much I want to keep in a Thai Bank, although chances are remote I just do not trust the banks here if something big happen like a run on money how much do you think they are going to cover for their bank customers. In the U.S. they have FDIC protection up to 250,000 USD, what is the amount here 100,000 baht?

It's worth noting here that the Thai government's deposit protection insurance limit on insured deposits per accountholder, per bank is slated to fall from 50 million to a lower 25 million baht as of Aug. 11, 2015. And then further to 1 million baht from Aug. 11, 2016 onwards.

But what's probably more important right now, is that unlike the U.S. FDIC program, Thailand's relatively recent current deposit insurance program has never really been tested in real life, and, its procedures envision a potentially months long delay before receiving reimbursement, which is very much different than the FDIC's timing.

http://www.dpa.or.th/main.php?filename=index___EN

There are people who visit and live here that compare everything working here as it is the same as in the country which we might come. Living here has taught me to appreciate many of the laws and rules in the country which I came. My own personal experience to many of the system here has been very negative so negative I wish others never have to go through what I have gone through.

So, if I get your response correctly I hope their system never does does get tested because if the past is any indication to the future I personally do not believe they would make good on my money in the bank before another Thai? We can only speak and read so much what real rights do we have here? Can't speak, read, therefore how much can you fight in court? and if your funds are held up what are you going to fight with?

The daily frustration of their culture is the main reason why I would not put more money in their banks than necessary or required and just pay the fee until there is a better way? The make us jump through hoops to stay here so if the system has to be tested being as old as I am if I have to jump reality it is not going to be very high and I'm not white! 555

In the end, maybe Thai banks know this and that is the reason they raise it knowing there are many guys like me who will cough it up?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I am aware of the fees that Kasikorn bank charge for incoming transfers , but when I transfer money its always a big amount , minimum 50 to 100k . And my sender bank only charge $4, they do not charge any additional fees . When the money is safely inside my Kasikorn account , all withdrawals are free with my Kasikorn atm card, thats the big advantage . I can also use the card for visa online shopping. So look at the advantages having a Thai bank account and try to make the online transfers from your home bank as cheap as possible.

Balo, I think we've covered this same subject in prior banking threads... If indeed you're only being charged $4 per international transfer by your home bank -- and there are no other %ages or intermediary bank fees or other bs stuff involved -- then that of course is a very good price for international fund transfers.

Unfortunately, I'd say the percentage of Thai Visa readers here who have that kind of international funds transfer pricing available to them would probably not even fill the fingers on one hand. That's just not a pricing model that most people can take advantage of. That's why I see your situation as more of an exception to the rule...and not the rule.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So, if I get your response correctly I hope their system never does does get tested because if the past is any indication to the future I personally do not believe they would make good on my money in the bank before another Thai? We can only speak and read so much what real rights do we have here? Can't speak, read, therefore how much can you fight in court? and if your funds are held up what are you going to fight with?

I personally am not a big fan of the Thai banking industry or the Thai legal system, from a consumer perspective. So for me personally, I choose to keep my dealings with and reliance on them to be as limited as possible.

However, as for your question above, a bit more background as I understand it. The current Thai government deposit insurance scheme was enacted as a law and resulting new government agency (the DPA) well after the Asian Financial Meltdown, to be precise, 6 years ago.

So, from the history that I've read, all the Thais and non-Thais who had money in the various Thai banks that failed during the Meltdown were handled in a different way, from what I gather, more directly through the Thai government at that time.

It may exist out there somewhere, but I've never seen any actual, factual accounting of the extent to which Thai bank customers losses from the Meltdown were or weren't fully covered in that whole debacle, and how long the reimbursements actually took.

I have seen some longer term expats here post that they did get their funds in failed banks restored, but those posters claimed it only occurred some years after the original failure. If those reports are broadly accurate for how things went back then, and whether Thais fared differently from farangs, I don't know.

If you look at the details listed on the current DPA website, the process for filing a claim against a failed bank that they lay out could, if you simply follow their procedure AND they also kept to that procedure, take a couple months. Supposedly, Thais and non-Thai account holders would be covered equally. But given the lack of a real performance track record for the current DPA, it seems pretty hard to say much for certain.

Here's the claims process the DPA lays out on their website:

http://www.dpa.or.th/ewt_news.php?nid=372&filename=index___EN

Edited August 19, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[CodyB]

3) Get a Citibank every savings account and get withdraw for no charge in Asok or Silom.

Maybe my comment here can help others...

As an Australian my bank charges $5 plus 3% to use a foreign ATM.

This is in addition to the 180 baht now charged by local ATMs here.

This means fees for common transactions are:

* Withdraw 5000 baht (fee = about $17 AUD)

* Withdraw 10000 baht (fee = about $22 AUD)

* Withdraw 20000 baht (fee = about $32 AUD)

There are two alternatives here.

1) Open a Thai Bank Account OR use a friends/girlfriends/someone you trust

In this case I can transfer up to $10,000 for a $22 AUD flat fee

Then the only local charges depend on the location of the home branch of the Thai Account (i.e. in Australia your charged for using a different bank - but in Thailand you're charged for using a bank which isn't your home branch even if its the same bank e.g. if you have an SCB account in Khon Kaen, the fee to use an SCB or Krung Thai or Any ATM outside Khon Kaen is between 10-30 baht).

Therefore, as you can see in this example, getting 20000 baht is cheaper while the smaller withdrawals are not.

Also, if you are a long termer you can then transfer much larger amounts and make the $22 fee go a lot further.

2) Use Paypal

While researching this, my girlfriend setup Paypal here in Thailand. We then did a test transfer of 20,000 baht. The fees ended up about the same as the $32 mentioned above. Actually I think it was about $33.

However, that being said the other factor one must always consider in these calculations is the exchange rate that you are offered!

Re: Exchange Rates

In my case, if using an ATM here in Thailand I always opt to allow my home bank do the conversion. EVERY time, my home bank has given me a better rate. Which is also generally better than what Paypal offers.

Sorry, I don't tend to use currency exchange places much so can't offer a good comparison here.

Also sorry, I can't comment here for countries other than Australia, although I hope my above figures are of help to someone out there!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Re Thai banking deposit insurance, I certainly don't know the full history of things going back to the 1990s and before.

But this circa 2007 banking blog posted on The Nation's website makes it sound like there was no formal government banking deposit insurance in Thailand prior to that being decreed in the midst of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

The first chapter of Thai deposit insurance history was written during 1997’s economic crisis, when the government of that time put forward a resolution to fully insure (blanket guarantee) all depositors and creditors of financial institutes. This was done in August 1997 to pull investor confidence in Thailand’s financial sector back from the brink of panic. The Financial Institution Development Fund (FIDF) was also established at that time to administrate it.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/print.php?id=1746

Presumably, if there had been a real deposit insurance program backed by the government operating previously, it wouldn't have been necessary in 1997, as the article says, "to pull investor confidence in Thailand's financial sector back from the brink of panic."

[Absolut]

Using your foreign ATM card in Thailand or any other country is a stupid way to fund your trip out here..unless you have so much money you just dont care and like the convenience..otherwise this should only be used in an emergency..

good ol travelers checks are still the best way to go, more secure than cash and the best possible exchange rate.

I will agree t/c's are the most secure but the fee to exchange t/c's is the same as an ATM withdrawl, as for the exchange rate, there's an advantage there as you do get s,ightly better rate than cash exchange.

[Jaggg88]

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I have an ATM card that does not charge anything and REFUNDS me the ATM fee up to 5 a month. I just take out 20k at a time and the $6 is refunded to me on the last day of the month.

I bet banks love people who think paying $6 is no big deal! I know I have saved hundreds over the years by doing a bit of research!

These cards aren't available in the UK.....I think probably only in the US

[Pib]

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I have an ATM card that does not charge anything and REFUNDS me the ATM fee up to 5 a month. I just take out 20k at a time and the $6 is refunded to me on the last day of the month.

I bet banks love people who think paying $6 is no big deal! I know I have saved hundreds over the years by doing a bit of research!

These cards aren't available in the UK.....I think probably only in the US

U.S. banksters are probably a little behind on the fee-curve compared to U.K. banksters, but U.S. banksters are trying hard to catch up.

[mrtoad]

Aeon at one time was free. Not sure now

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Aeon at one time was free. Not sure now

Not for many months now... 150 baht for VISA cards, last time I checked. Not sure about MC fee.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Re UK folks, this Jan. 2014 article from The Telegraph seems to talk about just a couple UK debit cards and a couple UK credit cards that have no foreign currency fee charged when used abroad.

There's no mention of any account, though, that refunds OTHER banks' ATM fees.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/bank-accounts/10558064/Metro-Bank-to-charge-for-overseas-use.html

New customers who want a free overseas card will be directed to N&P’s Gold Classic account which requires customers to pay in around £500 a month and [supposedly it's OR, not and] have a balance of at least £5,000, otherwise there is a charge of £5 a month.

N&P’s Gold Classic account and Cumberland Buidling Society, for local customers, are now the only banks to offer debit cards that do not add on a "loading" when you take out money abroad, outside of Europe.

And then they mention one credit card in particular:

The best is Halifax Clarity because it has no foreign exchange fee anywhere in the world on spending and also doesn't levy an ATM charge.

CC travel_lite • 7 months ago

I never use cash, pay by Halifax Clarity card for all items, you get
the interbank rate with no other charges or fees, up to 56 days interest
free but make sure you pay them by the due date, cannot fault
them, they still pay me a £5 bonus each month for spending over £300 a month but thats been stopped for new customers, its still the best credit card for overseas use though.

−

travel_lite CC • 7 months ago

Yes, the Halifax Clarity Credit card is fine for overseas use (if you can obtain one) but their Debit Card is listed as one of the most costly to use outside the UK.

[Tuskfish]

Hi Cody

No charge sounds great, are you Aussie?

Are you suggesting an Australian Citibank account or a Thai Citibank account?

Cheers

P.S. As others have commented, I'm not too keen on keeping much money here in Thailand - I much prefer to keep money in my Australian accounts and transfer as required

3) Get a Citibank every savings account and get withdraw for no charge in Asok or Silom.

[dagobert]

Hi Cody

No charge sounds great, are you Aussie?

Are you suggesting an Australian Citibank account or a Thai Citibank account?

Cheers

P.S. As others have commented, I'm not too keen on keeping much money here in Thailand - I much prefer to keep money in my Australian accounts and transfer as required

3) Get a Citibank every savings account and get withdraw for no charge in Asok or Silom.

Thats exactly the way to handle your money in foreign countrys

transfer as its needed, thats the joy of internet banking "can do it all on a simple HP"

I transfer in blocks of $5000 and its available in less than 36 hours.

[moto77]

If you are an American, Charles Schwab Bank in the US does not charge a fee for using a foreign ATM AND they refund any fees that a foreign ATM charges--with NO LIMIT. It works at every bank I've ever tried except for one in mainland China. No monthly fees associated with the account, and they have the best 24 hour customer service in the industry. They never route calls to the Philippines or India and the person that answers can always answer your questions. If you receive a check, you can photograph it and it is deposited into your account. Of all of the businesses I deal with, Schwab is probably the one with which I am most pleased. I like them so much, I actually seek out cheaper ATMs to keep their costs down. LOL!

I just spoke to a Schwab agent and they will not allow online applications overseas but that aside the accounts look good even the wire rate which is $25 USD outgoing $0 in. Chase for example is $40. But, as all banks are in the business of making money there must be a cost. As I cannot find it in their documentation online can you tell us what the exchange rates are when you withdraw bhat? A known banking tip is to never let the US bank do the conversion always have the Thai bank do that so I am concerned this is where it costs the Schwab user. So again, if possible, dates and rates would be so helpful. Have a great one.

I'll try to check it out when I have a moment, but I'd say they are pretty good. They reason they can do this, though, is that they have no branches. It is a 100% online bank.

[moto77]

If you are staying here for any length of time why not open a Thai bank account?

If someone skims your ATM card and withdraws all of your cash from a Thai bank, you won't get it back.

Sure, open one, but don't keep a lot of cash there.