Thai ATM'S

[ken001]

Is there any way to circumvent the 180bt rip off to use a u/k debit card to withdraw cash in Thailand. It really grates me to pay this fee. Its like forcing tourist to pay £3.50 every time or risk carrying cash. I know many who come on holiday and bring £1000's in cash, running the risk of loosing it or being robbed. I can see why though, paying 180 bt here plus there own banks charges. it all add's up. It just appears another way to fleece tourists.

[lovelomsak]

I found out on another thread that they donot only charge 180 baht fee, but was informed by another member that the rate we get is usualy lower by at least 1 baht. So they charge you 180 baht to give you money at a reduced rate. You are just here on a holiday some of us use ATM's regularly and live here costs us thousands of dollars a year.in fee and rate discount.

Donot bring travellers cheques either. They charge 150 baht a cheque to cash plus the 30 baht tax. I cashed some last year cost me 9,000 baht for 20,000 dollars. Bring cash change at Super Rich.

Edited August 25, 2015 by lovelomsak

[stoneyboy]

I found out on another thread that they donot only charge 180 baht fee, but was informed by another member that the rate we get is usualy lower by at least 1 baht. So they charge you 180 baht to give you money at a reduced rate. You are just here on a holiday some of us use ATM's regularly and live here costs us thousands of dollars a year.in fee and rate discount.

So why don't you make international transfers to a Thai bank and pay a one off fee.

I transfer from Barclays UK to Bangkok Bank and can send up to 25,000 GBP a time,it costs £25.

To put that into retrospective I can send in one go Thai Baht 1 million 400 thousand odd and pay Thai Baht 1400.

If I use my ATM card instead after 10 uses of any of the Thai ATM machines I will have spent the same 1400 baht in fees and only gained access to around 130,000 Thai Baht.

No forgetting that the exchange rate is usually better through international transfer.

Ok I forgot the 20 baht fee often applied to using Bangkok Bank debit card at other machines,but I usually go in the bank or use Bangkok Bank ATM machines.

Edited August 25, 2015 by stoneyboy

[HooHaa]

get a thai bank account, you may need to try a few times due to individual branch policies but its pretty damn simple.

[MaeJoMTB]

I found out on another thread that they donot only charge 180 baht fee, but was informed by another member that the rate we get is usualy lower by at least 1 baht. So they charge you 180 baht to give you money at a reduced rate. You are just here on a holiday some of us use ATM's regularly and live here costs us thousands of dollars a year.in fee and rate discount.

So why don't you make international transfers to a Thai bank and pay a one off fee.

I transfer from Barclays UK to Bangkok Bank and can send up to 25,000 GBP a time,it costs £25.

To put that into retrospective I can send in one go Thai Baht 1 million 400 thousand odd and pay Thai Baht 1400.

If I use my ATM card instead after 10 uses of any of the Thai ATM machines I will have spent the same 1400 baht in fees and only gained access to around 130,000 Thai Baht.

No forgetting that the exchange rate is usually better through international transfer.

I transfer through the UK company HiFx, costs me 1bht of the XE rate, but I get to choose the moment of exchange.

And nobody in the UK can see where the money is going as it's a UK transaction on my debit card.

OK, so notes you can get a lot closer to the XE rates, but who wants to walk around with 1,000s gbp on them?

[lovelomsak]

I quess i should try an international transfer again. Did it one time in Pitsanulok. My bank sent it for free but once it got to Thailand was held up in Bandkok for a week and I was charged to have it sent to my branch and account. If memory serves me right it was $20,000 canadian and the charged me 1,500 baht so is better yes but need to wait . Will check with Krung Thai tommorrow how to do. Last time was Kasikorn.

[swampdonkey]

Why do you think the Thai banks should give you money for free.

They are not forcing you to use their atm's.

Thai banks do not have free banking the same as the UK.

Withdraw 20k a time or open a bank account

[lovelomsak]

Why do you think the Thai banks should give you money for free.

They are not forcing you to use their atm's.

Thai banks do not have free banking the same as the UK.

Withdraw 20k a time or open a bank account

If you are talking to me I always draw 25,000 and have the same account for over 8 years.

[thequietman]

https://transferwise.com/?utm_source=invite&utm_medium=url&utm_content=&utm_campaign=3for50

[stoneyboy]

I quess i should try an international transfer again. Did it one time in Pitsanulok. My bank sent it for free but once it got to Thailand was held up in Bandkok for a week and I was charged to have it sent to my branch and account. If memory serves me right it was $20,000 canadian and the charged me 1,500 baht so is better yes but need to wait . Will check with Krung Thai tommorrow how to do. Last time was Kasikorn.

International transfer from Barclays UK to Bangkok Bank Lom Sak Branch has as recently as last week taken 6 hours. Edited August 25, 2015 by stoneyboy

[Lissos]

Thailand was until about a year ago it seems, one of those places left in the world now where travellers cheques were easy and a good deal to change. The small fee per cheque meant it was much better than the ATM fleecing of more recent years with higher 'per' withdrawal fees (if) you had cheques in larger denominations I mean, and I used this approach during visits to Thailand since the late 90s (with card and cash as plan B/C of course). If I remember correctly, last time I changed them in Thailand two years ago it was still only something like B18-B25 per cheque. I came back this year to see it was something like B150 'per' cheque, an astronomical rip off even with high denomination cheques. Before confirming that the b***tards has closed down this way to circumvent the ATM fee, I hoped it was just that area of Bangkok I was in so I tried elsewhere. Not so. Everywhere was now asking this, from small money changers to banks. If you want me to pay on each withdrawal then raise the withdrawal limit. Simple. I too take out the maximum each time. It just isn't enough for what they charge per withdrawal. Apologists will say - "don't like it? don't visit. Or, shut up". Well it is certainly going that way anyway. My visits to Thailand are shorter and shorter now. Living there is not something I would consider.

[CharlieH]

Options:

1:Get a Halifax "clarity" card and its use is all free.

2. Use another service like Hi-Fx

3. Go inside the bank with your passport and make a larger withdrawal, but less often.

4. Open a Thai Bank account.

If you are living here for longer periods and not just on holiday, the last option seems the most logical.

[Pib]

You can try doing a counter withdrawal using your debit card....no Bt180 fee is charged. It's going to vary from branch to branch if they will allow a counter withdrawal with your debit card versus just pointing you to the ATM. Quite a few posts on ThaiVisa where people have successfully done counter withdrawals with their debit card....all depends on the branch.

For me, I use my "credit" card which is a no foreign transaction fee and no cash advance fee card to do counter withdrawals (going on 18 months now...ever since approx Feb 14 when AEON ATMs started charging a fee like Thai bank ATMs)....and I do a prepayment/same day payment to avoid any cash advance interest charge. Not many credit cards like the one I have.

I use my credit card vs my debit cards simply because I can get more per day/transaction with my credit card than my debit cards and the one Bangkok Bank branch I tried a counter withdrawal at with my "debit" card would not do it...they just pointed me to their ATM...but at that same branch I have used my no-fee credit card to do quite a few counter withdrawals. I also use a Krungsri branch to do counter withdrawals with my credit card. No Bt180 fee at either branch.

Yeap, a counter withdrawal will bypass that Bt180, but it depends on the branch if they will do a counter withdrawal...and it can also depend on whether you are using a debit or credit card. At the small branch outlets they probably won't do any counter withdrawals and may refer you to a larger/full service branch simply because that small mall branch is not a "full service" branch....that's what happened at another Bangkok Bank branch (small one) in a mall very close to me....that little branch wouldn't do it (for debit or credit card), but said I could at a full service Bangkok Bank branch which I do periodically use for periodic counter withdrawals...but now I most use a Krungsri branch due to faster service and prettier service reps (better scenery).

[SoiBiker]

Citibank ATMs used to be free of charge - although I haven't used one for some time, so I don't know if this is still the case.

[Pib]

Citibank ATMs used to be free of charge - although I haven't used one for some time, so I don't know if this is still the case.

It's not anymore except maybe for a few cards issued in some countries by select banks....I've seen a few Oz folks saying their Oz-bank issued card didn't draw the fee in Citibank ATMs....but then plenty of other folks from other countries saying the Citibank ATMs charged them Bt180 fee.

[thrilled]

I have A Schwab account.All ATM fees I get reimbursed.

[TeaMonkey]

Citibank ATMs used to be free of charge - although I haven't used one for some time, so I don't know if this is still the case.

I've been using prepaid cards from the UK (FairFX / Caxton FX) with Citibank ATM's and have not been charged a fee. They only have ATM's in Bangkok though.

[t8769]

Isn't it true that Aeon bank ATMs charge no fee for withdrawal?

[4evermaat]

Isn't it true that Aeon bank ATMs charge no fee for withdrawal?

that ended over 1 year ago. Now it's 150 baht per withdraw for all foreign atm cards. And only 20k max per withdraw.

Completely free banking is difficult these days. There's cheap....but not free.

[Pib]

Isn't it true that Aeon bank ATMs charge no fee for withdrawal?

that ended over 1 year ago. Now it's 150 baht per withdraw for all foreign atm cards. And only 20k max per withdraw.

Completely free banking is difficult these days. There's cheap....but not free.

Yeap, ended during the Jan-Mar 14 time frame...below is a quote for the AEON website regarding their Bt150 ATM fee for foreign cards and Bt20 fee for local cards. And as 4evermaat also said, Bt20K max withdrawal per transaction.

[lovelomsak]

The fees to me are no problem I accept that but the reduced rate of exchange I feel is abusive. The banks donot even give cash rate never mind TT rate. I would be happy with cash rate but no not even that.

Edited August 26, 2015 by lovelomsak

[Pib]

The fees to me are no problem I acceppt that but the redueced rate of exchange I feel is abusive. The baks donot even give cash rate never mind TT rate. I would be happy with cash rate but no not even that.

ATMs provide the Visa/Mastercard/Union Pay (i.e., card network) exchange rate which is usually plus or minus a little bit of the Thai bank TT Buying Rate used for incoming wire transfers. Sometimes the TT rate is a little better; some times the card network rate is a little better.

This of course assumes you do "not" accept an ATM's possible offer to use the local bank rate which is a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) and will be approx 3 to 4% lower than the card network rate. Never accept a DCC transaction....decline that offer and continue on to get the card network rate. DCC bad for the customer; DCC good for the merchant/bank.

And don't forget your "card-issuing" bank may apply a foreign transaction fee which effectively lowers the exchange...don't blame that on the local ATM; that's purely your card-issuing bank's fee.

Just an example of Thai bank TT Buying Rate and Visa exchange rate at this millisecond int time.

Thai bank TT Buying Rate (average of most banks): 35.49 baht per USD

Visa Rate: 35.44 baht per USD.

[1BADDAT]

To the OP:

I think you are making a lot of unfair assumptions about Thailand. If anything I am happier with the banking system here than in US. For me with a Thai bank account I can withdrawal money for no fee at all most of the time. If I use my US Debit card here, this is what I am charged by Thailand and by USA. My USA bank charges me more than 3X as much as the Thai bank.

[TheAppletons]

The fees to me are no problem I acceppt that but the redueced rate of exchange I feel is abusive. The baks donot even give cash rate never mind TT rate. I would be happy with cash rate but no not even that.

ATMs provide the Visa/Mastercard/Union Pay (i.e., card network) exchange rate which is usually plus or minus a little bit of the Thai bank TT Buying Rate used for incoming wire transfers. Sometimes the TT rate is a little better; some times the card network rate is a little better.

This of course assumes you do "not" accept an ATM's possible offer to use the local bank rate which is a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) and will be approx 3 to 4% lower than the card network rate. Never accept a DCC transaction....decline that offer and continue on to get the card network rate. DCC bad for the customer; DCC good for the merchant/bank.

And don't forget your "card-issuing" bank may apply a foreign transaction fee which effectively lowers the exchange...don't blame that on the local ATM; that's purely your card-issuing bank's fee.

Just an example of Thai bank TT Buying Rate and Visa exchange rate at this millisecond int time.

Thai bank TT Buying Rate (average of most banks): 35.49 baht per USD

Visa Rate: 35.44 baht per USD.

He's confused from another thread that discussed DCC.

[ehs818]

When I moved to Thailand from the USA in 2002 I did a lot of research on bank fees, ATM fees, etc. I chose Citibank as they had no international fees for ATM's. They were also partnered with TFB, now Kasikorn. Fees are now 180 baht per transaction on the Thai side, plus some other fee on the Citibank side. AND you get a reduced exchange rate. It's cheaper to do an electronic transfer ($35 for Citibank, $10 for Kasikorn). But always bring back CASH whenever I go over there. That's the cheapest way, although carrying cash is crazy here. Wish I could find a new bank that does what Citibank USED to do, cheaply. But I'm all set up with credit cards, online banking, account transfers, etc. Difficult to change at this point.

[asdecas]

Citibank ATMs are still fee-free for certain cards on certain networks issued in certain countries. Nobody seems to have worked out which will work and which will not work fee-free, except by trial and error.

Like the OP, I'm from the UK and use a Halifax Clarity Mastercard CC, which has no overseas transaction fee, gives the wholesale Mastercard rate prevailing at the time the conversion is done (typically next day or two after withdrawal), and at Citi attracts no 180 Baht local fee.

As an example, a recent 5k Baht withdrawal cost £90.13, giving a rate of 55.47 Baht to the £.

[HooHaa]

i still dont understand why all the discussion. a thai bank account and tt your money in.

[nudger]

I am about to try www.revolut.com

Looks great to me

[dotpoom]

Anything that discourages people from using their credit card at the Checkout in Bic C is fine by me.....sorrrrrry.

[Antiparovian]

Halifax Clarity Credit Card at Bangkok Bank ( withdraw 25,000 for 180) gets on average 0.30 Baht (over the past 2 years) less than the XE mid-market rate. I have not found of nor heard of a cheaper way of transferring cash. Obviously don't take the offered exchange rate.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Antiparovian