Paypal & Thai Visa Electron

[monty]

After reading Mouse's post about paypal going to work with Thai bank accounts from September 14th onwards, I decided to register a seperate paypal account specificly for use in Thailand.

Went through all the fields giving all requested info and registered succesfully.

Then they ask to register a creditcard with them so they can verify your account, to lift the 100 US$ limit.

I got this brilliant idea to try my regular Be 1st Bangkok Bank Visa Electron Card.

Entered the 16 digit card number, card holder's name and address and then got baffled by the request for the 3 digit cvv code (normally found on the backside of a regular credit card).

Now under the first 4 digit block of the Be 1st Card's number is in smaller print another 4 digit number, in my case equal to the first 4 digits of the cards number...

I used the last 3 digits as the cvv number and behold, it got accepted!

They deduct 1.95 US$ from your card, and then ask you the expanded use number, which should appear on your monthly credit card statement. A statement you certainly do not receive in Thailand on a visa electron card... Bummer...

Two days later when updating my passbook there appeared indeed a withdrawal of 72.65 Baht. Which roughly equals the 1.95 US$ Paypal said it was going to deduct...

So now paypal got their 2 bucks, now I just have to get hold of that expanded use number.

Took my GF to my Bkk Bank branch after explaining what I was after and why (not easy ).

The clercks at the counter certainly had no clue either, and anyway have no way themselves to access the details of the use of your card.

They did put my GF in touch with BuaLuang (which manages Bkk Bank Be 1st cards) on their telephone, after which the BuaLuang staff asked my GF to punch in the complete card number, followed by the PIN number.

They then confirmed the 1.95 US$ charge by Paypal, and also gave my GF the 4 digit expanded use number...

Straight home, logged onto my paypal account and put in this number which was duly accepted by paypal's system...

Now my account status is indicated as verified, with no limits on transfers...

So I guess I'm now probably the first person in Thailand to succesfully use a Thai issued Visa Electron card for an on-line payment to an American Company

If indeed on September 14th actual moneytransfers between Thai banks and paypal get possible, I guess a lot of people are going to get pretty relieved.

Even with the drawbacks of paypal, discussed endlessly on boards everywhere, it still is a hugely convenient way to make and receive payments....

I hope this lengthy post somehow can be of use to other fellow ThaiVisa members...

Cheers,

Monty

[Firefan]

Thanks! I will certainly look into that! Cheers!

[poorfarang]

Ive been using a Thai paypal account with a thai visa card for over a year. Sorry to burst your bubble

But good instructions for those looking to do it as well. Very helpful

[Oleg_Rus]

Thanks, its good to know.

But how I could get my $ from PayPal ? I mean %%%

[monty]

Poorfarang, are you talking about a genuine Visa debit or creditcard? I mean with the embossed cardnumber instead of just the printed number...

Those have been working long time already, but are pretty much impossible to get unless you are a decent payed workpermit holder, and have a tax history in Thailand of at least a year!

If it is an "for electronic use only" card for which you get no monthly statements, how did you get the 4 digit expanded use code which Paypal needs to verify your account?

It was generally accepted that the Thai version visa card (electronic use only) was worthless on the internet because of the lack of a cvv number on the back of the card, plus that most payment gateways did not cater for card expiry dates of more then 5 years in the future......

The general concensus was that only the e-web virtual card of kasikorn bank (with cvv number) could be used on-line...

Oleg_Rus, starting from the 14th september 2006, paypal will allow depositing and withdrawing money to/from your paypal account directly to/from Thai banks!

Amendment to the User Agreement

Notice Date: August 10, 2006

Effective Date: September 14, 2006

Beginning September 14, 2006, registered PayPal users in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Thailand will be able to receive funds into their PayPal accounts as well as withdraw them to a local bank account.

My post was directed to residents of Thailand holding only the plane jane Thai ATM card with the Visa logo, which basically any account holde with a Thai bank can get for a 200 Baht yearly fee

[Florin]

This method didn't work for me...I mean, it worked fine in the sense that I was able to enter the details, Paypal got their 1.95 and I got my expanded use number, BUT when actually trying to make a payment off eBay, no such luck, got the "Credit Card Denied" error message.

monty, were you actually successful in using your card? (I have the exact same type as the one you mention)

[monty]

It's actually only paypal which has access to your ATM card.

Trying to do other payments with a Thai ATM card pretty much always was rejected.

I was kind of hoping that they would actually implement their new policy of allowing transfers to/from Thai bank accounts.

Supposedly, according to their policy update notice from the 10th of august this should have gone into effect on the 14th september. My account is definately not updated yet, I can only add a US bank, which I don't have...

If we can load the paypal account through a Thai bank, we would not need a card anymore...

[monty]

Checking my e-mail (I have a seperate one only for paypal) and I saw they send a message that it might be a couple more days before they get the connections with the Thai banks up for everybody. If I understand the message correct, it seems that for some Thai users it is working already!

Which confirms Mouse's post a bit back that he already was able to add a Bangkok bank account...

Still hopefull!

[Florin]

It's actually only paypal which has access to your ATM card.

Trying to do other payments with a Thai ATM card pretty much always was rejected.

I was kind of hoping that they would actually implement their new policy of allowing transfers to/from Thai bank accounts.

Supposedly, according to their policy update notice from the 10th of august this should have gone into effect on the 14th september. My account is definately not updated yet, I can only add a US bank, which I don't have...

If we can load the paypal account through a Thai bank, we would not need a card anymore...

Yes, I understand that I can't use a Visa Electron online normally...I meant that I tried to make an eBay payment by using Paypal, connected to my BBL card - It did not work. Perhaps you could try actually using yours? I'd be very curious to know, otherwise this thread would spread misinformation.

What really puzzles and irritates me is that Paypal was able to charge me the 1.95, but doesn't charge other transactions...what's the difference, any transaction goes through them in the same manner, doesn't it?

[monty]

As far as I know you have to put money on your paypal account first, and then use that money to make payments!

Only problem, getting money on the system can only be done through a US bank.

What I didn't try yet is send a request for money to myself, and try to pay that with my Thai visa electron card...

Anyway, Paypal confirmed that the Thai bank thingy is postponed till 20 september, so we'll see what'll happen then...

[mouse]

So I guess I'm now probably the first person in Thailand to succesfully use a Thai issued Visa Electron card for an on-line payment to an American Company

Sorry mate the Mouse was first! Keep in mind that it helps that if you also have a U.S. or other western nation Bank account with a Credit or even a Debit Card linked to the same PayPal account, that you operate with the Thai Bank account. Once established seperately you will not be able to join the two. Be careful! They leave no room for error!

[Gerry290]

i am trying to set my GF with with a little ebay biz, to make some pocketmoney for me.

all ebay, email and paypal will be in her name.

she got one of those mickey mouse visa cards from TMB, you know they give it to you to 250 bhat when she deposited 1000 bhat in new account.

anyway, paypal will not take the card? is this the same as the lads above are talking about.

me being impaitent with this sort of red tape stuff....what if....could I guaranteee her paypal with my visa?

of course, I will be monitoring the account on a daily basis.

but can this be done?

[mouse]

Gerry290! Me thinks not. I know that once you use your credit card for a PayPal account PayPal will never again allow that Credit Card for another account. So one account per card. Be careful, no room for errors here.

I will be testing the waters soon and sending ten dollars to my Thai bank account from PayPal and then doing the same in the other direction one week later. Will keep all informed.

The way I understand it is; Anyone that has stateside or European Credit Card and Bank Account linked to a confirmed Thai PayPal account will be fine while adding additional bank accounts even from within Thailand.

[inthaiguy]

me being impaitent with this sort of red tape stuff....what if....could I guaranteee her paypal with my visa?

of course, I will be monitoring the account on a daily basis.

but can this be done?

My USD Thai Paypal is gauranteed with my US credit card, so should be possible.

I have been using a Thai paypal since the opened in Thailand. I just use is for money transfers into my bank account in US. It's a super easy way to move money. And there is now the option for transfers into Thai banks. More on how to set that up.

[junkofdavid2]

After reading Mouse's post about paypal going to work with Thai bank accounts from September 14th onwards, I decided to register a seperate paypal account specificly for use in Thailand.

Went through all the fields giving all requested info and registered succesfully.

Then they ask to register a creditcard with them so they can verify your account, to lift the 100 US$ limit.

I got this brilliant idea to try my regular Be 1st Bangkok Bank Visa Electron Card.

Entered the 16 digit card number, card holder's name and address and then got baffled by the request for the 3 digit cvv code (normally found on the backside of a regular credit card).

Now under the first 4 digit block of the Be 1st Card's number is in smaller print another 4 digit number, in my case equal to the first 4 digits of the cards number...

I used the last 3 digits as the cvv number and behold, it got accepted!

They deduct 1.95 US$ from your card, and then ask you the expanded use number, which should appear on your monthly credit card statement. A statement you certainly do not receive in Thailand on a visa electron card... Bummer...

Two days later when updating my passbook there appeared indeed a withdrawal of 72.65 Baht. Which roughly equals the 1.95 US$ Paypal said it was going to deduct...

So now paypal got their 2 bucks, now I just have to get hold of that expanded use number.

Took my GF to my Bkk Bank branch after explaining what I was after and why (not easy ).

The clercks at the counter certainly had no clue either, and anyway have no way themselves to access the details of the use of your card.

They did put my GF in touch with BuaLuang (which manages Bkk Bank Be 1st cards) on their telephone, after which the BuaLuang staff asked my GF to punch in the complete card number, followed by the PIN number.

They then confirmed the 1.95 US$ charge by Paypal, and also gave my GF the 4 digit expanded use number...

Straight home, logged onto my paypal account and put in this number which was duly accepted by paypal's system...

Now my account status is indicated as verified, with no limits on transfers...

So I guess I'm now probably the first person in Thailand to succesfully use a Thai issued Visa Electron card for an on-line payment to an American Company

If indeed on September 14th actual moneytransfers between Thai banks and paypal get possible, I guess a lot of people are going to get pretty relieved.

Even with the drawbacks of paypal, discussed endlessly on boards everywhere, it still is a hugely convenient way to make and receive payments....

I hope this lengthy post somehow can be of use to other fellow ThaiVisa members...

Cheers,

Monty

Hi, how did you enter the billing address of your visa electron card? I tried but it doesn't work. In the Bank system, my Visa Electron address is written in Thai Characters. Paypal website doesn't accept Thai. So how did you get past that step? Help please!

[monty]

I'm lucky to have one of these Thai adresses with just numbers and a moo

Goes something like this in English

123/456 moo 123

20260 Pattaya

Chonburi

Thailand

[Oleg_Rus]

I'm lucky to have one of these Thai adresses with just numbers and a moo

=Monty= You're just lucky. I tried Be1st VISA Electron and was phucked up by msg "You're transaction was denied by issuing Bank" when I tried to pass through ver. proccess. I called to BBank and lady told be that "No way any debit card can be used for internet", If i want I should apply for Credit Card. When I told her about CVV 3 digit number and the point that if it says "VISA" it is VISA, she just b/s/ me.

Pls, can you specify, how exactly you did it ?

SiamComm Bank customer support said the Thailand of Bank issued this order for Debit VISA cards.

[bkkmadness]

Oleg, I set up a Paypal account with the Be1st card too, I just followed Monty's instructions and everything went fine.

BTW, Thanks Monty!

[dave111223]

Too bad you can't add a Thai bank account to a US account...

I have 455 Verified Rep. on my account, dont want to switch it for a dodgy looking TH account with 0 Rep.

[Florin]

Oleg, I set up a Paypal account with the Be1st card too, I just followed Monty's instructions and everything went fine.

BTW, Thanks Monty!

I understand the adding and the verification went fine, but did you actually try to make a transaction??

Seriously, I don't see the point of this topic unless someone can prove this actually WORKS FOR PAYING THRU PAYPAL. Having a card added there looks nice, but has no value whatsoever if it DOES NOT WORK.

[bkkmadness]

Florin, I have sent and received money with it with no problems. I have withdrawn the money to my Thai bank account with no problems. I set it up exactly in the same way Monty described.

To get the verification code that paypal leaves with your bank account call 1333, the operator knew exactly what code I needed before I even mentioned paypal so I gather they have been getting a lot of calls about this recently.

Very easy to do.

[Florin]

Hmm...I experienced the same issue that Oleg_Rus describes at any payment attempt except for the initial verification (which did indeed work)

I called BBL and got the number, so it was verified, but that's where the fun stopped - trying to, for ex., pay for things on eBay got me nowhere.

KBank's web-card works just fine, but I can't for the life of me figure the BBL thing out...what kind of amounts did you try it out with? Maybe they have some kind of minimum, I tried paying for 12-15$ items...

[monty]

Florin,

I have exactly the same problem. I can't use my be1st card to put funds onto the paypal account (although the 1.95 US$ verification went just fine!)

However, I had somebody owing me money, for which I sent him a paypal money request, which he payed with his creditcard and this got straight into my paypal account.

I have now the choice of leaving the funds there, to use it later when paying for stuff on-line, or I can withdraw the funds to my Bkk Bank account.

So as it stands, it's a perfect way for people selling things to receive payments from anywhere in the world and then getting the money into their Thai bank account. Before this it was close to impossible/impractible/expensive...

It's close to useless to pay for stuff since it doesn't seem possible to get funds in without a real credit card

My friend got a new be1st card just a couple of days ago, and it sports a real cvv number under the place where you sign your card. Maybe can use that one....

[Phil Conners]

Slightly off topic perhaps, but have you noticed it cost about 500 baht more per 1,000 USD transferred to transfer with PayPal directly to a Thai bank, than to transfer to a US bank and then withdraw with an ATM card here.

PayPal use a really crappy exchange rate to send money to Thailand

Edited November 28, 2006 by Phil Conners

[monty]

Indeed,

Only not too many non Americans can easily get hold of an American bank account with ATM card

[Phil Conners]

Easy, you just need to know how

[bazmlb]

After reading Mouse's post about paypal going to work with Thai bank accounts from September 14th onwards, I decided to register a seperate paypal account specificly for use in Thailand.

Went through all the fields giving all requested info and registered succesfully.

Then they ask to register a creditcard with them so they can verify your account, to lift the 100 US$ limit.

I got this brilliant idea to try my regular Be 1st Bangkok Bank Visa Electron Card.

Entered the 16 digit card number, card holder's name and address and then got baffled by the request for the 3 digit cvv code (normally found on the backside of a regular credit card).

Now under the first 4 digit block of the Be 1st Card's number is in smaller print another 4 digit number, in my case equal to the first 4 digits of the cards number...

I used the last 3 digits as the cvv number and behold, it got accepted!

They deduct 1.95 US$ from your card, and then ask you the expanded use number, which should appear on your monthly credit card statement. A statement you certainly do not receive in Thailand on a visa electron card... Bummer...

Two days later when updating my passbook there appeared indeed a withdrawal of 72.65 Baht. Which roughly equals the 1.95 US$ Paypal said it was going to deduct...

So now paypal got their 2 bucks, now I just have to get hold of that expanded use number.

Took my GF to my Bkk Bank branch after explaining what I was after and why (not easy ).

The clercks at the counter certainly had no clue either, and anyway have no way themselves to access the details of the use of your card.

They did put my GF in touch with BuaLuang (which manages Bkk Bank Be 1st cards) on their telephone, after which the BuaLuang staff asked my GF to punch in the complete card number, followed by the PIN number.

They then confirmed the 1.95 US$ charge by Paypal, and also gave my GF the 4 digit expanded use number...

Straight home, logged onto my paypal account and put in this number which was duly accepted by paypal's system...

Now my account status is indicated as verified, with no limits on transfers...

So I guess I'm now probably the first person in Thailand to succesfully use a Thai issued Visa Electron card for an on-line payment to an American Company

If indeed on September 14th actual moneytransfers between Thai banks and paypal get possible, I guess a lot of people are going to get pretty relieved.

Even with the drawbacks of paypal, discussed endlessly on boards everywhere, it still is a hugely convenient way to make and receive payments....

I hope this lengthy post somehow can be of use to other fellow ThaiVisa members...

Cheers,

Monty

Tried with my K-bank visa electron and it got rejected might go and get a bkk bank card and give it a try)

[smartecosse]

old post i know but..................

how do you get past the fact that the bank records for your address will be in Thai and it wont verify them in english nor recognise them in thai?

any help appreciated

[timonase]

Hello all,

for me B1st Bangkok Bank worked fine as well. Have never tried to transfer money from bank account to paypal, but received payments and withdrew them with no problem. Now, the problem is, if you are doing business and get paid via paypal, you are challenged with their fee, plus an unbelievably unfair exchange rate upon withdrawing the funds to your Thai Bank account.

something like 43.5 to the euro and 64 to the Sterling and so on.

So if your doing business a good 14% percent of your margin are gone ( fees and exchange rate)

I went back to my german paypal account, where i can withdraw the funds with no exchange loss and take the money out here with no fees and get a decent exchange rate.

So for sellers, it was a nice dream but the costs are very high.

regards

Timo

[smartecosse]

how did you get past the entering the address part??

it wont accept it in english and it wont accept thai

maybe i should just get the bank if they can to change the address in their system over to english