Getting an replacement card to Thailand from US

[jmansilla]

Hello all, who has experience getting a replacement debit card from the US? My Bank and from what I found out won't send a new card to Thailand because customs scans it and the magnetic strip sets off some kind of scanner and they hold the package. I am having a replacement card sent to a family member in the US and am trying to see if the can FedEx or DHL it to Thailand? I have also read that wrapping it in aluminum foil keeps if from setting off the scanner, but what would happen if they open the package anyway? Or maybe send it with a phone or other small electronic device and just put the card in the box?

I am grasping at straws at this point, I have been travelling for years and never had this problem so I have not been concerned about it and have a few other cards but this is the main account to get funds from. I even trying doing a transfer electronically to my Bangkok Bank account and also tried to send it through Paypal but it doesn't seem to show up in my account, I am assuming they have some kind of block for incoming funds even though I used the routing number for the NY Bk Bank branch!

Thanks in advance!

[Suradit69]

I've received many replacement credit cards sent to me in Thailand over the years, sent from home in Chicago. Always send regular airmail inside a greeting card for padding.

I don't know if customs ever scanned them (I doubt it), but they've all reached me without a problem.

I also send deposits to Bangkok Bank in NY every month or two. The name and account number need to exactly the same as on your account in Thailand. Again, have been doing this for more than ten years and never had a problem. Get the money here in a couple of days.

Your US bank needs to send a dollar amount (not baht) to the bank as a domestic transfer, not international. Use the Fed routing number below.

New York Branch

Mr. Thitipong Prasertsilp, VP & Branch Manager
29 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York
NY 10006
Business Hours: Mon-Fri (9:00 am to 5:00 pm)
Tel: (1-212) 422-8200
Fax: (1-212) 422-0728
SWIFT: BKKB US 33
E-mail: [email protected]
FED Routing No: 026008691
CHIPS ABA: 0869

Edited September 3, 2014 by Suradit69

[lopburi3]

I got my last card in normal mail this week, sent directly from my US bank.

[Thaimaishoe]

If I were you I would persue the electronic transfer to BKK Bank. That should be workable. I know I have transferred to Kbank from Citibank (US account) but not the nifty ACT transfer you should be able to do with BKK Bank. I had to do some wire transfer or something - it was in the transfer money page of the Citi online banking site - no bank branch visits on either end required. I have done that several times. - I am no longer with Citi, or I would look up the details on thier online banking site.

But that's all just for transferring the money. For the physical card I have no direct knowledge of how to get the card here. When my Citi card was stolen, I had the new number sent to me and used that online. I bought the airline tickets back to the US in person, just incase they asked to see the physical card the tickets were purchased with (that has happened to me once or twice so far.)

Depending on what bank you are with in the US, Citi for example, you may be able to have them generate and issue the card here, for your US account (Citi bank is just down the street from Soi Cowboy, erm, I mean its on the corner of Asoke and Sukumvit!! I'll let you guess which of the 4 corners. :-)), or possibly generate the card in the US and courier to the local bank - you've got to REALLY want it though, I can forsee that costing a fortune!! I'm just running different ideas around, since you have already thought of straight DHL, FedEx ect.

Since you can use the card online, its not really much of an impediment not having the card itself - especially having a card from a local bank anyway.

[JusMe]

A few years back, I needed a replacement debit card from my Canadian bank. The only problem seemed to be security of sending it, but as I knew the bank manager personally, we got it sent to me by registered mail.

Careful if it needs "activation." My credit card needs a phone call within a week of being issued, which can be a problem if it needs to be sent by mail. In that case, someone local needs to activate it and then send it by registered mail, but not so secure as it's already valid for use by anyone who has access to it.

[Seligne2]

My Canadian Visa card expired in March. My pal there at my permanent address sent me the new card (I am in CM) regular post. I never got it. She sent a replacement card in a paperback book. I never received it. This has been a huge issue for me. I am going to try DHL or FedEx on my third attempt.

[keeniau96]

I have had mixed success with sending bank cards from USA to TH. About 5 yrs ago US Post Office refused to do it and currently the express services (FedEx etc) have policy against sending such. Several months ago I had card sent to me in my USA address and people there sent it to home of friend in CA who was traveling to TH a few days later. The tricky thing is the activation because my bank requires a transaction in an ATM and I found several years ago that it did not work at ATM in TH for reasons unknown. So once the card arrived in CA home the gent activated it, put in his wallet and traveled to TH, all OK. Clearly I trusted him, for good reasons proven in the past.

Re money from USA to BKK bank I found the best way is to go to Bangkok Bank website here and follow their page of directions on the transfer. This is a domestic transfer from your USA bank to BKK bank branch in NYC, which in turn sends it immediately to your BKK bank account here. Typically one to three days, cost about US$15, far better than anything else I have tried in past 12 years. The setup looks a bit complicated at first but truly, it is easier to actually do it than to describe it.

[cnx355]

My Canadian Visa card expired in March. My pal there at my permanent address sent me the new card (I am in CM) regular post. I never got it. She sent a replacement card in a paperback book. I never received it. This has been a huge issue for me. I am going to try DHL or FedEx on my third attempt.

My sister mailed my credit cards renewal from Canada to Chiangmai using registered mail.

This was done many time as I have more than one card. ( Visa-Master Card- Amex)

Never had problem. A registered letter from Canada to Thailand cost about 15 CAD $ but is worth it.

You can track the letter in Canada using Canada Post and in Thailand using Thai Post.

[dddave]

I've had debit cards sent to me by family members from the US and never had a problem. Usually used the International Post. It is never a good idea to try to conceal anything such as putting a CC in a book...they can spot anything these days and that just raises red flags as it is against postal regulations to intentionally conceal anything.

One problem can be activation. Many bank cards require a phone call from a domestic phone, not from overseas. Also, many ATM's in Thailand transmit only 4 numbers of a PIN and activation may require more. You should probably discuss activation options beforehand with the issuing bank. You may need a family member to activate the card.

[Soutpeel]

who has experience getting a replacement debit card from the US? My Bank and from what I found out won't send a new card to Thailand because customs scans it and the magnetic strip sets off some kind of scanner and they hold the package

<deleted>...I have had mutiple cards sent to Thailand from Citibank, granted its Citi singapore and they have never been stopped, and there is nothing in the magnetic strip which sets anything off....someone is talking BS to you

Send it registered post or courier...it's not problem, you dont need tin foil for your card or for the tin foil hat

[Soutpeel]

..they can spot anything these days and that just raises red flags

yes because they x-ray a lot or all post these day, wrapping something in tin foil or hiding it in a book does nothing, as they can see it on X-ray, an if they think this and other things are being concealed, your package gets stopped for addtional inspection.

[DickS]

While visiting Hong Kong Standard Chartered Bank ATM ate my ATM ! Seriously.. and Standard Chartered refused to do anything. Schwab Bank was great they sent a new card at no expense to my home in Korat. It came registered mail/signature required in 2 days with Thai Post from the USA.