help me apply for a thai credit card

[ghworker2010]

Facts:

- started work june and salary paid to KTB bank

- 400,000 in bangkok bank- they have been unreliable when Ive tried to get i banking (despite having a WP)

- Recently successfully applied for finance for my new pickup (wife guarantor). First payment due in december

I want to build up a good credit rating in case I want to do business in the next few yrs. I obviously intend to pay on time the car loan.

Questions:

1. should I apply for the credit card at KTB as this is where my salary is?

2. should I move the 400k to KTB? Would this help with my application? Or is this unnecessary?

3. should I wait until feb or march to prove my short reliable payment history. I might finish at this job in may / june and obviously want to do this prior to then.

4. re credit rating / history. The address for my car loan is at work. Should I make my bank acc the work address as well? Or does it not matter. Im sure that there will not be 2 people with my name in thailand- i.e. in the system.

Any tips are appreciated.

thanks

tim

[AyG]

Why bother with a credit card? You'll almost certainly be expected to deposit at least the credit limit of the card as security. Personally I'd just stick with a debit card. Gives you more flexibility. (However, you do lose out on the various promotions at chain restaurants and the like.)

[Jasun]

I reckon it would help to have the cash in the same account your pay is going into and apply through that bank.

[Don Mega]

Have a read of this topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/529514-getting-a-credit-card-in-thailand/

[gerry123]

what ever you decide on any advise you may receive keep it all very simple ie address all the same etc if your bank now is being awkward/picky

just take your account elsewhere to get every thing as per your requirements i can personally recommend k bank they have been very accommodating to my requests similar to yours

[theoldgit]

Have a read of this topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/529514-getting-a-credit-card-in-thailand/

In fact there have been numerous threads on this subject, this was the most recent one, though the OP asked about applications for those with no WP is-a-thai-bank-cc-available-without-a-work-permit/ though there are plenty of others.

Some people get then by leaving a deposit, some people get them totally unsecured, even some with no WP, the whole thing seems to be hit and miss.

I know of at least two people who have Amex Cards who have no WP's and needed no deposit, both with reasonable credit limits.

[SWW]

The KTC (Krung Thai) credit card is one of the easiest to apply for.

I got one back in about 2008, because I was fed up with Bangkok Bank's credit card that required me to have the same amount 'locked' in an account, and they still charged me 'interest' to use it.

I have never had a KTB account, and yet they still accepted my application, with a decent credit limit.

Credit cards I have applied for in the past are :

Bangkok Bank - requires you to lock away money, but still charges you interest if you use the credit card. Not that easy to get, and they seem reluctant to accept non-Thais. No benefits I found.

Kasikorn Bank - they even have an English language form, with good information on it. They seem to want your business. Points are useful in cinemas.

KTC - very easy to get. Points are useful in restaurants and cinemas.

Central Card - this one took a while before they accepted it, but it seems OK. One benefit to this one is access to the restricted parking spaces at Central malls (including Central World).

For credit limits, the default seems to be that they will offer you a limit equivalent to two months' salary. For platinum cards, you are supposed to have a salary of 100K or more, but there seems to be some leeway here (especially in light of how there is a higher annual fee for these).

[dao16]

Aeon has worked well for me. They have offices in places like Tesco. They will want to see your passport, work permit, other forms of ID (just bring everything you can think of, including marriage certificate and wife's ID--don't worry...the card will still be yours...they just wanted a reference). Also, I brought several months of pay slips to verify my income. Then they sent that off to HQ and I waited a few weeks. I essentially got a credit line equivalent to my monthly salary, about half of which can be used for cash advances. I have made all my payments on time and they send the bills to my house. There is also one called "First" card or something and people have told me it is good.

EDIT--By the way, I didn't have to put up a deposit of any kind.

Edited November 24, 2014 by dao16

[Tatsujin]

(deleted - incorrect information)

Edited November 24, 2014 by Tatsujin

[Millenial]

I have had the SCB platinum card for over. Year, I obtained it after having my salary paid in to my current account with them (savings I believe it is called ) for 6 months and showing my wp, also a letter from my employer confirming my time working with them and my annual salary .

They supplied me with 120k initially then moved it up to 500k recently based on history and spending .

No deposit, as long as you earn over 100k and have wp and banking and salary history 6+ months you should have no problem.

Chalong SCB phuket did all the paperwork - 2 weeks later recieved .

[jamiesilver]

ithink a deposit is for those who dont have work permits and are more risky

[connda]

What is ironic is that a Thai making 15K/mo can probably get one at the drop of a hat. lol

[Pib]

What is ironic is that a Thai making 15K/mo can probably get one at the drop of a hat. lol

probably right, but usually they can't just skip the country with an outstanding credit card balance like a farang can.

[robblok]

What is ironic is that a Thai making 15K/mo can probably get one at the drop of a hat. lol

probably right, but usually they can't just skip the country with an outstanding credit card balance like a farang can.

Read here on Thaivisa about plenty of farangs doing just that making debt in the home country then going to thailand

Face it plenty of bad farangs around.

[Bangkokhatter]

Have unsecured UOB Platinum card but bank account at BKK Bank. Usual id required but have WP , employers letter not required.

[wooloomooloo]

No different from the motherland.

When I was younger I couldn't get much joy from my bank except a bad attitude. As soon as I started earning a decent salary, then suddenly the doors opened up for credit.

It's all about creditworthiness and risk.

[JacChang]

If a bank doesn't treat you like a boss, leave. There are plenty of wonderful banks in Thailand.

I never, ever, beg for any request or hope for things to go smoothly.

I demand and expect the bankers to beg for me to "participate" in the services they offer. I am very pleased with my kbank. They work to please me. Not the other way around. Welcome to Thailand.

[Millenial]

If a bank doesn't treat you like a boss, leave. There are plenty of wonderful banks in Thailand.

I never, ever, beg for any request or hope for things to go smoothly.

I demand and expect the bankers to beg for me to "participate" in the services they offer. I am very pleased with my kbank. They work to please me. Not the other way around. Welcome to Thailand.

Im confused by this attitude....

Why/how do you come to this statement??

[JacChang]

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If a bank doesn't treat you like a boss, leave. There are plenty of wonderful banks in Thailand.

I never, ever, beg for any request or hope for things to go smoothly.

I demand and expect the bankers to beg for me to "participate" in the services they offer. I am very pleased with my kbank. They work to please me. Not the other way around. Welcome to Thailand.

Im confused by this attitude....

Why/how do you come to this statement??

Over more than 30 years, this is how it has always worked here in Thailand. It's called connections. All those show this, show that, that's just regular checklist. But is it required for "everyone"? Nope.

It's just one of the freebies one gets in this country. No waiting in line as soon as you enter the bank, manager comes forward to wai you and takes your errand into their matters immediately. Every service they have is offered to you, with what I like to call "instant acceptance". Some might say this is abuse of courtesy and rights, but hey, they offer it, I never begged for it. How can I reject good customer service, and you shouldn't either if your bank doesn't treat you with respect, change to another one.

Same with immigration, it's all connections. No line up, no getting number. As soon as you go in, give them the required docs, they instantly do it, give it to you in 5 mins. Out the door. If you live here, you must learn to love the life here.

[razorramone]

Why bother with a credit card? You'll almost certainly be expected to deposit at least the credit limit of the card as security. Personally I'd just stick with a debit card. Gives you more flexibility. (However, you do lose out on the various promotions at chain restaurants and the like.)

Standard Chartered and Kasikorn both issue credit cards as long as you can provide work permit + pay slips proving your earnings + your old bank book. It may depend on how long you've been working here. But no deposit required. If they asked me for a deposit i would have said no... it defeats the whole point of getting credit!

I've been here 3 years, my friend 5 years, and we both got cards. For us it was between 1 and 2 times our monthly salary.

Edited December 5, 2014 by razorramone

[SantiSuk]

What is ironic is that a Thai making 15K/mo can probably get one at the drop of a hat. lol

probably right, but usually they can't just skip the country with an outstanding credit card balance like a farang can.

Read here on Thaivisa about plenty of farangs doing just that making debt in the home country then going to thailand

Face it plenty of bad farangs around.

So true. I sat next to one in a bar a few years back. boasted how he had quit Japan leaving a US$ 20k balance on reneged credit cards. He seemed to be expecting murmurs of appreciation.

To$$er - would have loved to call him out, but drank up quietly and moved on.