UK Debit Visa Card.Money withdrawal from SCB Thailand

[billbenbob]

I have lived in Thailand now for over 10 years and have had an account with the SCB for that long today like every month I have gone into the bank to withdraw my usual 50'000 baht by visa transaction with my Nationwide visa debit card . I was told no sir we do not do that service anymore you would have to use a credit card I was dumb struck they showed me a letter from there head office dated the 15th January stating this fact .Can anyone tell me does using a credit card for drawing monies cost anything and also have all banks stopped doing visa transactions with a debit card? I will change banks if I can still do.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

If you have the 'right' credit card, it costs nothing. Halifax Clarity, Santander Zero... It also depends on how the transaction is recorded. If it is not recorded as a cash withdrawal, then certain fees might not be triggered.

Have you tried walking into other banks to see what they say?

[Briggsy]

Beware that if you use a credit card, the bank (Thai end) or vendor does not apply what is called "the dynamic conversion rate". This is almost always a rip-off.

If you don't know what it is, you will get your goods or cash in Baht but the charge will immediately appear in pounds sterling. The claimed "advantage" for the credit card holder is that they know for certain how much their credit card will be charged. The trick or catch is that the rate is always bad.

I have no idea if that is what the bank is trying to push you towards but don't go there.

Be aware you can theoretically use your debit card in any bank to withdraw cash. There is no need to be an account holder.

[JB300]

Getting cash on a credit card would be considered a "Cash Advance" which is usually subject to a charge & interest is payable from that day rather than at the end of the billing cycle so no chance to pay it off without incurring at least a day or twos interest.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Getting cash on a credit card would be considered a "Cash Advance" which is usually subject to a charge & interest is payable from that day rather than at the end of the billing cycle so no chance to pay it off without incurring at least a day or twos interest.

Of course this is not the case in every situation. A timely online payment can eliminate this, as can the use of an appropriate card. I use this method and incur no extra charges whatsoever.

[garyk]

I run into it all the time. Using my debit card. Just head to another bank. This time around I went to 3 I believe before one would run the card. If I remember right SCB has been turning me down for some time now.

When they all stop I will have to find another way to get monty? Need to start thinking about it I guess. It will surely come to that.

[JB300]

Getting cash on a credit card would be considered a "Cash Advance" which is usually subject to a charge & interest is payable from that day rather than at the end of the billing cycle so no chance to pay it off without incurring at least a day or twos interest.

Of course this is not the case in every situation. A timely online payment can eliminate this, as can the use of an appropriate card. I use this method and incur no extra charges whatsoever.

Interested in which card allows this as the bank is effectively lending you their money (credit) for free Vs you withdrawing your own money (Debit).

Thinking about it, I guess if you "Pre-Loaded" your credit card (I. E. Got it into credit so it has a negative amount owing) you could avoid the interest charge but then you would need to be careful that you stay in credit or you could find a purchase on the card in the same billing cycle triggers the interest.. e. g.. If you put £1500 on your credit card, took out £1,000 cash then later bought something for £1,000 on credit, you're likely to be charged daily interest on the £500 as the cash advance is the last thing to be paid off).

Edited February 11, 2015 by JB300

[VBF]

Billenbob

Can I just ask you to clarify something please:

Did you ask SCB for cash over the counter, or did you ask them to take cash from your Nationwide visa debit card and pay it straight into your SCB account?

There is a difference.

If the former, then this is likely to affect a lot of people, Expats and Tourists alike - I for one have often gone into banks in Thailand with my passport and Nationwide Debit Card and just taken out cash. Is THAT procedure no longer allowed by SCB?

As I also have an SCB account, I've been known to keep some of the cash and pay the rest into my account for next time.

Also, may I ask you if your Nationwide visa debit card is linked to a Flex account? I ask because mine is!

Finally, do you happen to know if this affects ALL UK Debit Cards?

And does anyone know if UK Debit Cards may still be used in ATMs - SCB or otherwise?

Thank you

VBF

Edited February 11, 2015 by VBF

[billbenbob]

VBF. As I stated I have an account with SCB and have always paid my visa debit monies into the account they know me well in the bank after 10 years of using it so I do not have a problem like some expats of being declined because the manager does not know you.I have a flex account nationwide debit card.As I have also stated it is now the SCB policy not to allow the use of debit cards in any of there banks ATM ok of course with a. Fee of180 baht .The SCB now want you to use a credit card to draw monies inside the bank because it would be a nice little earner for them.My question to Expats who have other banks and use the method of a visa withdrawal are they having problems of a new policy.

[VBF]

VBF. As I stated I have an account with SCB and have always paid my visa debit monies into the account they know me well in the bank after 10 years of using it so I do not have a problem like some expats of being declined because the manager does not know you.I have a flex account nationwide debit card.As I have also stated it is now the SCB policy not to allow the use of debit cards in any of there banks ATM ok of course with a. Fee of180 baht .The SCB now want you to use a credit card to draw monies inside the bank because it would be a nice little earner for them.My question to Expats who have other banks and use the method of a visa withdrawal are they having problems of a new policy.

Thank you Billenbob

My request for clarification was partly because I thought, as did Briggsy (above) that "..... you can theoretically use your debit card in any bank to withdraw cash. There is no need to be an account holder."

So that is therefore no longer the case at SCB. And of course the ATM limit is usually about 20,000 so in your example of taking 50,000 from Nationwide and depositing it into SCB would need 3 transactions with 3 lots of 180 Baht ATM fee and would probably need to be done over more than one day!

In the past, I've used a variety of UK Debit cards in a variety of SCB branches and always presented my passport as ID, so it's probably nothing to do with the manager knowing you - just SCB policy!

Very annoying, and as I said is likely to catch out expats and visitors alike.

Waiting to see what others say about their banks.

Edited February 12, 2015 by VBF

[fgmr]

I use a Natwest Debit card frequently at ATMs, last used on the 6th. Only problem is all the bank charges but none as to payout.

Billenbob

Can I just ask you to clarify something please:

Did you ask SCB for cash over the counter, or did you ask them to take cash from your Nationwide visa debit card and pay it straight into your SCB account?

There is a difference.

If the former, then this is likely to affect a lot of people, Expats and Tourists alike - I for one have often gone into banks in Thailand with my passport and Nationwide Debit Card and just taken out cash. Is THAT procedure no longer allowed by SCB?

As I also have an SCB account, I've been known to keep some of the cash and pay the rest into my account for next time.

Also, may I ask you if your Nationwide visa debit card is linked to a Flex account? I ask because mine is!

Finally, do you happen to know if this affects ALL UK Debit Cards?

And does anyone know if UK Debit Cards may still be used in ATMs - SCB or otherwise?

Thank you

VBF

[Richie1971]

SCB blocked me from doing it with a debit card some time ago , simply use another bank - the charges are nominal - from my Nationwidewide account I am charged £1 for the foreign withdrawal and around 2% on the total. The exchange rate is reasonable and there is no charge (that I can see) levied by the Thai bank. The max is 250,000 baht per transaction, per day. In theory you can can do that every day if required

Edited February 12, 2015 by Richie1971

[Jiu-Jitsu]

SCB blocked me from doing it with a debit card some time ago , simply use another bank - the charges are nominal - from my Nationwidewide account I am charged £1 for the foreign withdrawal and around 2% on the total. The exchange rate is reasonable and there is no charge (that I can see) levied by the Thai bank. The max is 250,000 baht per transaction, per day. In theory you can can do that every day if required

That's a poor deal. Get a better card.

[billbenbob]

So you all know SCB ,Bangkok Bank, have now stopped expats etc from using your visa debit card to withdraw monies from inside the bank they were not getting anything from this service this is the reason I would think all Thai banks will or have followed suit. They want you to use ATM so that they get there rip off fee of 180 baht I will in future be using a swift transfer once a month or maybe 2,3 months at a time the fee is 20£. This bubble of a kingdom is getting so greedy.

[parryhandy]

^ don't forget the fee from your Thai bank for accepting the money .

[VBF]

So you all know SCB ,Bangkok Bank, have now stopped expats etc from using your visa debit card to withdraw monies from inside the bank they were not getting anything from this service this is the reason I would think all Thai banks will or have followed suit. They want you to use ATM so that they get there rip off fee of 180 baht I will in future be using a swift transfer once a month or maybe 2,3 months at a time the fee is 20£. This bubble of a kingdom is getting so greedy.

Right from your OP, that was what I thought this might eventually mean....and I agree with you about the greed....in so many ways!

Edited February 12, 2015 by VBF

[maccraw]

Have just used the outside kiosk at the krungsiri bank,Jomtien. Only 10,000 but with a Barclays visa Debit card-no problem . Big Russian after me--"I want 75,0000". Real charmer.

My own bank ,Thai military have always declined to cash debit cards but no problem with credit cards--inside the bank that is--..outside they -.like others steer you to the atm.

"No machine in here use atm"

[Pib]

I've been doing counter withdrawals/cash advances with my U.S. credit card approx once a month for around a year now at a Bangkok Bank branch here in western Bangkok. The credit card has no foreign transaction fee or cash advance fee (one of the few with no cash advance fee)...and I pay off the cash advance same day to prevent any interest charge. A year ago when I walked into the branch wanting to do the counter withdrawal with my U.S. "debit" card they would not do it...they would just point me to their ATM, but they gladly do it for a credit card. However there are plenty of recent posts on ThaiVisa where Bangkok Bank branches do accept debit cards and credit cards or counter withdrawal. You get the card network (i.e., Visa/Mastercard) exchange rate that is plus or minus a few stang of the TT Buying Rate used for incoming transfers....and of course any fees with your "card-issuing" bank may apply. Seems policy from Thai bank branch-to-branch varies on whether they will do a counter withdrawal/cash advance for a foreign debit/credit card.

[JB300]

Seems like a good strategy is to "Pre-Load" your UK/US credit card then take the cash out transaction & interest free ... I've generally found I get a better rate from my Barclays UK Credit Card Vs Debit card so maybe a double bonus with the avoided ATM fees [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Edit: thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I got stung for around £4.50 (225 Bhat)'last time I used the Barclays credit card for a "Cash Advance" so maybe best to give it a try 1 time and checking the full charges.

Edited February 12, 2015 by JB300

[parryhandy]

So you all know SCB ,Bangkok Bank, have now stopped expats etc from using your visa debit card to withdraw monies from inside the bank they were not getting anything from this service this is the reason I would think all Thai banks will or have followed suit. They want you to use ATM so that they get there rip off fee of 180 baht I will in future be using a swift transfer once a month or maybe 2,3 months at a time the fee is 20£. This bubble of a kingdom is getting so greedy.

This method looks ok for large amounts (not tried it myself) http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailybanking/transferingfunds/transferringintothailand/receivingfundsfromuk/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUK.aspx

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Seems like a good strategy is to "Pre-Load" your UK/US credit card then take the cash out transaction & interest free ... I've generally found I get a better rate from my Barclays UK Credit Card Vs Debit card so maybe a double bonus with the avoided ATM fees [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Edit: thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I got stung for around £4.50 (225 Bhat)'last time I used the Barclays credit card for a "Cash Advance" so maybe best to give it a try 1 time and checking the full charges.

Barclays charge 2.99%. Get a better credit card.

[topt]

So you all know SCB ,Bangkok Bank, have now stopped expats etc from using your visa debit card to withdraw monies from inside the bank they were not getting anything from this service this is the reason I would think all Thai banks will or have followed suit. They want you to use ATM so that they get there rip off fee of 180 baht I will in future be using a swift transfer once a month or maybe 2,3 months at a time the fee is 20£. This bubble of a kingdom is getting so greedy.

This method looks ok for large amounts (not tried it myself) http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailybanking/transferingfunds/transferringintothailand/receivingfundsfromuk/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUK.aspx

Thanks for the link. Interesting to see the two different options -

Bangkok Bank London transfer into baht = lower charges but what is the exchange rate compared to Thailand?

Exchange into baht in Thailand - extra approx. £15 on the option above.

Be interesting to look at what the exchange rate difference is on any one day and the breakeven amount to choose one or the other method.

[parryhandy]

Back in September I walked into the branch of Krung Thai bank where I have a savings account with a visa debit card and asked for 100000 baht from my Uk nationwide card to be put into my savings account.She took me to card reader machine where I had to enter my pin, and after that spat out a receipt, then credited my savings book.

I checked my Nationwide account online and the usual 2% fees were not charged and also the rate was the actual visa exchange rate with no skimming.So all in all no fees. Forgot all about it as was going on holiday soon after and then tried it at another Krung Thai branch that said they couldn't do it.

Anyway just done the same today (same branch) and it looks as if the same has happened again (all thats been debited is the exact amount according to the rate) but will know for sure tomorrow when my statement updates

Been using the ATMs for the last 4 months

Edited February 13, 2015 by parryhandy

[billbenbob]

Parry handy. Yes I have been using this method to get my money over from the UK for over 10 years from Nationwide to SCB never paid a bean in fees in all that time at either end now finished with SCB and put all my funds into Bangkok as they said they could do it but when the time come to do the transaction the visa debit they could not card was rejected- phone call to head office they were told this has stopped no more debit cards So funny enough went to the KRUNG Thai bank lol no have machine sir not my day.

[parryhandy]

wonder why no conversion fees are charged on the Uk side ? it says cash advance on the receipt.