Best Thai credit card for intl and online purchases?

[Mencken]

Which is best card? My needs are simple.

Charge limit of say...70k. 1.5mos my teaching salary. I have accountsband other funds. This is just an emg. card.

Card that can easily be used internationally

Grace period, does not chg fee or interest from date of charge

Decent customer service

Internet balance check +

Free, preferably.

SCB is easiest, then Krungsri. No to Kbank. Thanks.

Any bad words about SCB?

[Cloggie]

I have a Visa Credit Card from UOB, never a problem in 10 years. I once bought a mobile phone at Pantip Plaza TB 30.000 and within 10 seconds I received a telephone call to check if this was correct, bought software in America TB 1.200 within 10 seconds I received a telephone call to verify if I purchased something with my credit card. Not always but randomly they check if the use of the cc is correct - again never a problem and I feel safe as I know they watch / monitor my 'purchases'.

[gamini]

all proper credit are the same when using them. But how much credit the issuing bank will give you and for how long is up to the bank who will decide these two things depending on your financial status, Normall credit is nfor 5 weeks, I got a limit of Bt80,000. it was increased to Bt160,000 after 3 years because I never defaulted. This was K Bank.

[smileplur]

I have two, both from Krung Sri. One is First Choice, credit limit 100,000. The other is Platinum, credit limit 70,000. I use them for automatic bill payment because it's just easier to pay one bill one a month. Plus, I collect points I can use for miles. I have 45 days interest free. Their online system is easy to use. They have top-notch customer service. I can't complain. I also use them to buy gas for my car, as I get 2% cash back. It adds up over time. Both are unsecured. I have two because I applied for both simultaneously. I was told First Choice is much easier to get and Platinum wasn't easy at all. I got my First Choice card within 2 er. I was pleased just to have one. The Platinum Card came about 6 weeks later. It has a few additional benefits like Orr lounge access, etc. I was surprised to get it. No problems, highly recommended!

[Mencken]

Thanks for that all.

Just need an emergency card, convenience. I loathe credit and esp credit cards. Sometimes you just need it, car rentals for instance. Some online purchases.

I'm tempted to move to Krungsri. Just not enough banks and atms. Getting better though.

[smileplur]

Thanks for that all.

Just need an emergency card, convenience. I loathe credit and esp credit cards. Sometimes you just need it, car rentals for instance. Some online purchases.

I'm tempted to move to Krungsri. Just not enough banks and atms. Getting better though.

For the purposes of having a Credit Card, why do you need an abundance of branches and ATMs? Unless you are planning to take a cash advance on the card which would result in a "no grace period" situation, you would never need to use an ATM or go into a branch. I'm not sure where you are located, but Krung Sri branches and ATMs in Bangkok are literally everywhere. They are every bit as common as Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank. Their network seems to be much larger than Siam Commercial Bank's network in Bangkok. I cannot speak for other provinces or areas. The number of branches and ATMs shouldn't have any impact on your decision for obtaining a Credit Card. Good luck! If your salary is stable and can be verified with pay slips and and statements showing the monthly deposit of your salary (I needed 6 months of statements from UOB where my salary is deposited), getting a First Choice card should not be a problem. As I said, that's why I have two cards. The First Choice card was a "sure thing" according to Krung Sri. They told me they have had teachers from the Philippines obtain the card with a much lower salary than mine.

[Cheops]

Which is best card? My needs are simple.

Charge limit of say...70k. 1.5mos my teaching salary. I have accountsband other funds. This is just an emg. card.

Card that can easily be used internationally

Grace period, does not chg fee or interest from date of charge

Decent customer service

Internet balance check +

Free, preferably.

SCB is easiest, then Krungsri. No to Kbank. Thanks.

Any bad words about SCB?

Why no Kbank? I use a Kbank card for many years without any issue.

Further more I use a Citibank cc, but they require a bit more salary.

[brubakertx]

I have First Choice Visa, and AEON Visa.

I just had to show pay slips and work permit.

I got both cards at the same time.

I just wanted to get 0% financing for computer, camera, and phone.

No problems.

I think I should go ask them to up my credit limit, they gave me 60,000 and 80,000 credit limit.

[thurien]

the best Thai credit card is from HSBC Hong Kong ...

[NoshowJones]

To the OP. Beware of SCB. I had an account with them and applied for a credit card, I had a work permit as I was a schoolteacher. After I applied, they phoned me at the school and told me I would get a credit card, and they would phone me in about three weeks to come and pick it up.

After four weeks, I went to the bank and asked for my card, they told me I had been refused. I cancelled my account on the spot, and withdrew all my money. They are liars and should be avoided. I now have a credit card with the Bangkok Bank, and have never had any problems with it.

[Benowa]

but you can only get a credit card if you have a work permit and salary coming in every week/month ... yes? Seems to me, retirees cannot get any credit here.

[abrahamzvi]

I have a Visa Credit Card from UOB, never a problem in 10 years. I once bought a mobile phone at Pantip Plaza TB 30.000 and within 10 seconds I received a telephone call to check if this was correct, bought software in America TB 1.200 within 10 seconds I received a telephone call to verify if I purchased something with my credit card. Not always but randomly they check if the use of the cc is correct - again never a problem and I feel safe as I know they watch / monitor my 'purchases'.

Using a Thai CC outside Thailand is rather expensive. Normally most CC issuers (banks and Amex) convert the foreign currency used into US$ and then convert the amount to THB, obviously at not very favourable exchange rates. In addition they charge a fee of between 1.5 to 3%. I find that outside Thailand using my US or EU Credit cards , I am much better off.

[cassde]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

[smileplur]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

Of course. That is called a secured credit card. Banks prefer it, as they have nothing to lose. They can only gain from their primary sources of income, interest and merchant charges.

[cbuddha]

My wife and I have used credit cards from several banks in Thailand and SCB is the only one with which we've experienced no problems. We use cards offline mostly in Thailand, but also on trips to the US and Japan. Online, we've never had a problem buying from anywhere. Cards we had problems purchasing online with include:

- HSBC

- Citibank

- Bangkok Bank

Judging from others' experiences, maybe we've just been lucky with SCB.

[Soutpeel]

My wife and I have used credit cards from several banks in Thailand and SCB is the only one with which we've experienced no problems. We use cards offline mostly in Thailand, but also on trips to the US and Japan. Online, we've never had a problem buying from anywhere. Cards we had problems purchasing online with include:

- HSBC

- Citibank

- Bangkok Bank

Judging from others' experiences, maybe we've just been lucky with SCB.

I have had an SCB cc for nearly 14 years and never had an issue and have used it all over the world and for online stuff

[Arkady]

Citibank visa works for me. When I ask in restaurants what credit card promotional discounts they have, Citibank comes up quite often. I have a Kbank credit card too and it doubles up as an ATM card. Other banks like SCB and Krungsri seem unable to do this and give you a separate ATM/debit card.

[personchester]

My wife and I have used credit cards from several banks in Thailand and SCB is the only one with which we've experienced no problems. We use cards offline mostly in Thailand, but also on trips to the US and Japan. Online, we've never had a problem buying from anywhere. Cards we had problems purchasing online with include:

- HSBC

- Citibank

- Bangkok Bank

Judging from others' experiences, maybe we've just been lucky with SCB.

The c/card problems you had from the three banks (above) might have been for some particular reason that the banks regarded as negative.

Re. Bangkok Bank ... I have three c/cards with them for 13 years (two for myself, one for my wife) I use the c/cards 50% online both in Thailand and in many foreign countries with no problems, and after all those years I never had a c/card problem from Bangkok Bank.

[gamini]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

Not always so. I have a BKB credit card and am a retiree. I have no deposit with them.I got it last year. But I have had an account with them for a very long time and everyone in the Bank knows me. .

[cbuddha]

My wife and I have used credit cards from several banks in Thailand and SCB is the only one with which we've experienced no problems. We use cards offline mostly in Thailand, but also on trips to the US and Japan. Online, we've never had a problem buying from anywhere. Cards we had problems purchasing online with include:

- HSBC

- Citibank

- Bangkok Bank

Judging from others' experiences, maybe we've just been lucky with SCB.

The c/card problems you had from the three banks (above) might have been for some particular reason that the banks regarded as negative.

Re. Bangkok Bank ... I have three c/cards with them for 13 years (two for myself, one for my wife) I use the c/cards 50% online both in Thailand and in many foreign countries with no problems, and after all those years I never had a c/card problem from Bangkok Bank.

Bangkok Bank Visa worked fine for Amazon, Google Play, and Rakuten purchases, but choked a couple months ago when we tried to order a pizza online from the Pizza Company. Solved this by paying cash in the end, but it was a big hassle (being on the phone with their support guy who tried to get it to work with multiple methods several times) for a fairly forgettable meal. Used the same card the next day to make sure it was still valid, but didn't bother calling the company to see what the problem was.

HSBC couldn't send us OTP passwords on time to validate online purchases.

We couldn't figure out some of the service fees that Citibank was charging and they wanted a big annual fee after the first year, so we dropped them. It was nice using their card for discounts at some restaurants, though, as someone else stated above.

Now that I think about it, the other card that my wife has used for many years without problem is her TMB Visa - there's no reason for most people to use that bank over any other, though.

[mahtin]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

Of course. That is called a secured credit card. Banks prefer it, as they have nothing to lose. They can only gain from their primary sources of income, interest and merchant charges.

Secured credit card appears to be an American option, and prepaid another option I don't find on my Thai bank website.

If any retiree here has obtained a credit card from their Thai bank I would like to hear of how they did it.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: my status is retired with 800,000 on deposit in Thai bank.

Edited September 17, 2014 by mahtin

[smileplur]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

Of course. That is called a secured credit card. Banks prefer it, as they have nothing to lose. They can only gain from their primary sources of income, interest and merchant charges.

Secured credit card appears to be an American option, and prepaid another option I don't find on my Thai bank website.

If any retiree here has obtained a credit card from their Thai bank I would like to hear of how they did it.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: my status is retired with 800,000 on deposit in Thai bank.

It certainly isn't just an American option. It is an option that exists with banks in most countries around the world. Having looked extensively at the credit card pages on most of the Thai bank's websites, I don't ever recall seeing the option explicitly stated in writing. However, this forum has dozens of posts about obtaining a credit card. Many of these posts come from retired people. Despite not being stated on their websites, Thai banks do offer "secured" cards. When you go into a branch to apply or get information, they are likely to present this as the "only" option available for retirees who don't have a work permit with no source of verifiable income in Thailand. Any bank manager will be able to give the details of a secured card and their policies for that particular bank. It is worth noting that each branch seems to have their own interpretation of the rules, so each branch may differ slightly in terms of what they are prepared to offer.

If you do a search of this forum (and others), you will find countless posts about secured credit cards. Again, the bank loves this option because it minimizes the risk completely for them. You will have to deposit your money into some sort of a fixed account that can be used as collateral for the balance you accrue on the card. If you pay it off monthly, you won't pay interest. Also, you should have the opportunity to accumulate points towards whatever incentive program they offer. For retired people or those who need to keep funds "seasoned" in a bank account here, this might be an acceptable option. For me, it defeats the purpose of having a credit card. There are a number of debit cards in Thailand that will allow you to make online purchases, so a credit card isn't required.

I would suggest you select the bank you would like to have a card with. Then, go into a branch that is convenient for you. If you find one in a tourist area, you are more likely to find someone who speaks a reasonable amount of English which will be helpful. Otherwise, bring a competent translator with you. Make sure they are up to speed with their bank terminology. Words like interest, grace period, accrue, balance, etc. may not be in the vocabulary of casual English speakers. It might be worthwhile to sit down with them and discuss these words and your requirements before visiting a bank to ensure things go smoothly. The key is to accumulate points, pay no annual fee, and have a grace period for interest. Unfortunately, interest rates seem to be the same for all of the banks, so that isn't a primary concern. I do find 20% to be rather high, but it is what it is. You aren't going to be able to change that! Best of luck to you!

[mahtin]

Is it possible for retirees to obtain a CC in Thailand with a substantial deposit of cash in a fixed deposit account?

Of course. That is called a secured credit card. Banks prefer it, as they have nothing to lose. They can only gain from their primary sources of income, interest and merchant charges.

Secured credit card appears to be an American option, and prepaid another option I don't find on my Thai bank website.

If any retiree here has obtained a credit card from their Thai bank I would like to hear of how they did it.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: my status is retired with 800,000 on deposit in Thai bank.

It certainly isn't just an American option. It is an option that exists with banks in most countries around the world. Having looked extensively at the credit card pages on most of the Thai bank's websites, I don't ever recall seeing the option explicitly stated in writing. However, this forum has dozens of posts about obtaining a credit card. Many of these posts come from retired people. Despite not being stated on their websites, Thai banks do offer "secured" cards. When you go into a branch to apply or get information, they are likely to present this as the "only" option available for retirees who don't have a work permit with no source of verifiable income in Thailand. Any bank manager will be able to give the details of a secured card and their policies for that particular bank. It is worth noting that each branch seems to have their own interpretation of the rules, so each branch may differ slightly in terms of what they are prepared to offer.

If you do a search of this forum (and others), you will find countless posts about secured credit cards. Again, the bank loves this option because it minimizes the risk completely for them. You will have to deposit your money into some sort of a fixed account that can be used as collateral for the balance you accrue on the card. If you pay it off monthly, you won't pay interest. Also, you should have the opportunity to accumulate points towards whatever incentive program they offer. For retired people or those who need to keep funds "seasoned" in a bank account here, this might be an acceptable option. For me, it defeats the purpose of having a credit card. There are a number of debit cards in Thailand that will allow you to make online purchases, so a credit card isn't required.

I would suggest you select the bank you would like to have a card with. Then, go into a branch that is convenient for you. If you find one in a tourist area, you are more likely to find someone who speaks a reasonable amount of English which will be helpful. Otherwise, bring a competent translator with you. Make sure they are up to speed with their bank terminology. Words like interest, grace period, accrue, balance, etc. may not be in the vocabulary of casual English speakers. It might be worthwhile to sit down with them and discuss these words and your requirements before visiting a bank to ensure things go smoothly. The key is to accumulate points, pay no annual fee, and have a grace period for interest. Unfortunately, interest rates seem to be the same for all of the banks, so that isn't a primary concern. I do find 20% to be rather high, but it is what it is. You aren't going to be able to change that! Best of luck to you!

Thank you for your time and good will.

I have been having ISP problems, being up country rather than in a tourist area, so it's not laziness that has been the reason for asking...

Cheers.

[michael888]

hello, anybody know if any Thai CC's come with no foreign transaction fee and foriegn conversion fee? thanks

[sas_cars]

hello, anybody know if any Thai CC's come with no foreign transaction fee and foriegn conversion fee? thanks

As far as I am aware, there are None.

[Aussieroaming]

My wife has got a Visa card with Kasikorn ... Pays it off monthly so no interest and gets an SMS within seconds of using it each time.