Thai bank charges on use of NZ debit card

[Robby nz]

I have friends coming here who plan to bring NZ debit cards and I was wondering if anyone knows what the Thai charges would be on using these cards in either ATM's or over the counter.

[Pib]

Assuming they are a Visa/Mastercard debit card Bt180 at a Thai bank ATM (AEON ATM Bt150); zero over the counter. If AmEx debit card Bangkok Bank ATMs only charge Bt50 for AmEx cards...don't know about other Thai banks/AEON as to if they charge Bt50 or the now pretty much standard ripoff fee (too high IMO) of Bt180 at Thai bank ATMs.

And don't forget, the "card-issuing" bank may apply a foreign transaction fee (3% is common) whether it's a ATM or counter withdrawal or purchase...don't blame that on the Thai bank; blame that on the NZ card-issuing bank.

And if the ATM or merchant offers a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) transaction or whatever warm & fuzzy name the ATM/merchant may give it such as Home Rate, Bank Rate, etc., Just say NO!!! and then continue on with a regular transaction to get the Visa/Mastercard/AmEx exchange rate as a DCC transaction will give you around a 3 to 4% lower exchange rate. Always accomplish the transaction (ATM withdrawal or purchase) in the local currency, not your home country currency. When doing a purchase tell the clerk to charge Thai baht...and if the receipt for signature prints out showing baht and your home country currency then that's a DCC transaction....refuse to sign....tell them to cancel the transaction and re-accomplish in Thai baht...the receipt for signature will only show Thai baht...it only takes about 1 to 2 minutes to accomplish the cancellation/recharge no matter what the clerk may say....I've had to do that about a half dozen times over the last few years. And you may run into a few merchants which simply won't accomplish the transaction unless it's a DCC transaction---up to you if you want to do business with such a greedy merchant...personally, I don't. DCC bad, very bad for the customer; DCC good, very good for the merchant/local bank.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Pib

[JDGRUEN]

Standard ATM withdraw transaction fees for most banks in Thailand is 180 Baht...

some few only charge 150 Baht per withdraw transaction ...

This does not include that the Home bank may charge an International transaction

fee... Banks in one's home country may also charge a ATM transaction fee.

This is a subject that causes many long and drawn out Topic Threads...

[xylophone]

Used my ASB debit card here and the charge was 180 baht plus charges from the NZ end of 1% for "offshore service margins".

Ok to use in an emergency but in general try to keep my current acct in Bangkok Bank topped up with Telegraphic Transfers.........bringing cash would be more cost effective.

[Robby nz]

Thank you all for that I have passed your replies on.

Robby