Krungsri and TMB ATM Issues?

[DirtyDan]

I've never had success with any POS debit card uses but the ATMs were no issue. But now I've been having issues with my chipped Canadian card for 2 weeks... first Krungsri and now Bangkok Bank. Any other ATMs offer 25K+ withdrawals?

This is frustrating. It was easier to use a bank card internationally 20 years ago.

[Pib]

I've never had success with any POS debit card uses but the ATMs were no issue. But now I've been having issues with my chipped Canadian card for 2 weeks... first Krungsri and now Bangkok Bank. Any other ATMs offer 25K+ withdrawals?

This is frustrating. It was easier to use a bank card internationally 20 years ago.

TMB does. And I think people have said CIMB ATMs do also but I don't see many CIMB ATMs.

In recent times I've only used Krungsri and TMB ATMs since they provide a max of Bt30K per withdrawal. But as already identified in this thread my new Schwab "chipped" debit card and Krungsri/TMB ATMs no longer get along (most of the time, once or twice the card has worked in Krungsri/TMB ATMs), but I did get it to work in a KrungThai Bank ATM on the day Krungsri/TMB ATMs kept rejecting the card...KrungThai only provides Bt20K per withdrawal.

I would run out and test it in a variety of other ATMs at various banks but since you don't know if it fully works until you press the final button that spits out the cash I don't want to be enriching Thai bankster with multiple Bt200 fees just for testing purposes. I'll do more testing as I truly need money and I want to pull it from Schwab. But over the coming days I am going to use the card for a POS transaction (which I've never done) and see how that goes.

By the way is your Canadian "chipped" card a recently received one to replace a magnetic strip card?

[dia1]

Needed to make a 30k withdraw today... about 10 minutes ago actually. First time I've tried in a week, so I stopped at Krungsri and went for it... Unable to process. Please contact your bank. The nearest TMB is a little far away, so I tried the Bangkok Bank beside it. 25k dispensed with no issues.

Since I needed another 5k, I will have to do another withdrawal and will try a TMB tomorrow. I expect to to have similar results. If TMB fails, I will try Citibank. I might even throw in a low withdrawl request at TMB just to see if for some reason the amount of the request is the cause of the issues.

Also, I should note that I used my Charles Schwab chipped card, and checked today and noticed that my old Chase Debit card is chipped as well. So it does indeed appear to be an issue with US chips. I suspect that Krungri and TMB has done a system update that is preventing some US chipped cards from working, however BKK, Krungthai, Kasikorn, etc does not have this problem. It is coincidental that the Krungsri and TMB update took place around the same time that I received my Charles Schwab chip as I am 100% certain that my old Chase chipped card worked previously... Withdrew over 100k baht last month from Krungsri on it.

After reading some data on the chipped cards there is a total different methodology in how the ATMS communicate with chipped cards and the info transferred to the banks.

Noticed Expats in other parts of the world experiencing issues with chipped US cards:

http://www.expatperu.com/expatforums/viewtopic.php?t=27906

http://www.scmp.com/news/article/1235719/hsbc-cards-no-longer-work-many-overseas-atms?page=all

Edited November 25, 2015 by dia1

[Pib]

Yeap, sounding more and more like it's an ATM and chipped card compatibility issue at least with the new Schwab chipped card. You got it to work on the Bangkok Bank ATM...I got it to work in a KrungThai ATM.

But to be honest I have got my Schwab chipped card to work "occassionally" on the Krungsri and TMB ATMs, but that was in earlier months...this month's multiple attempts were failures and I tried it 2 times on each ATM. And the TMB ATM was the craziest as after entering my PIN it would go straight away to displaying my balance for a few seconds, then a screen appears saying I have cancelled the transaction (and I hadn't touched nothing) and then it spits my card out. However, the Krungsri ATM lets you go normally through all the screens and right after you press the key accepting the Bt200 fee which would immediately follow with it spitting out your money instead you get the error message to contact your card-issuing bank and it spits out your card.

[DirtyDan]

By the way is your Canadian "chipped" card a recently received one to replace a magnetic strip card?

Negative... same chipped card I've used for last few years. Only thing that's changed is the ability to actually use the ATM.

[Pib]

By the way is your Canadian "chipped" card a recently received one to replace a magnetic strip card?

Negative... same chipped card I've used for last few years. Only thing that's changed is the ability to actually use the ATM.

That's strange you've had a Schwab chipped card for years as I thought Schwab U.S. only started providing chipped cards starting around 6 months ago unless they we're just waiting until my old magnetic card was expiring before swapping it for a chipped card.

Do you have a Schwab Intl or US accounts?

[DirtyDan]

Do not have Schawb at all. that must've got lost in the threads.

[Pib]

Yea, my bad....we had been talking Schwab and Chase cards, then your Canadian bank card go thrown in the mix...I had the Schwab debit card on the brain.

[Pib]

Yea, my bad....we had been talking Schwab and Chase cards, then your Canadian bank card go thrown in the mix...I had the Schwab debit card on the brain.

You issue may be your Canadian card-issuing bank has blocked your card for some reason since I think from your posts you said you have never been able to get a POS transaction to work and now you can't get at ATM transaction to work. Regarding the not being able to the a POS transaction to work, like for a purchase, if your card requires a PIN entry (i.e., Chip and PIN mode only) versus also being about to doe signature only (ie., Chip and Signature mode) when the Thai checkout clerk it may be displaying PIN Entry Required and the clerk being directly no to do PIN entries since the POS machines are usually tied closely to the cashier machine and not accessible by a customer then the clerk is just telling your the transaction is failing. Well, it not really failing if they would allow you to come behind the checkout counter and enter your PIN but they don't want to do that.

I use my my foreign transaction fee U.S. "credit" cards almost daily in Bangkok and have never been asked to enter a PIN for a POS transaction...and my new chipped U.S. credit cards come with Chip & Signature mode and Chip & PIN mode which means it will work either way...seems Thai POS machines are generally setup for Chip & Signature mode, requests that mode of transaction, the card agrees, and then the two complete transaction. But in an ATM transaction a PIN is required...use of the Chip & PIN mode required...no capability for an ATM to offer Chip & Signature mode. And if doing a cash advance with a bank teller then they can do either Chip & Signature or Chip & PIN...but so far all my cash advances via tells have been Chip & Signature....never had a need to use my PIN. And I've stood behind hundreds of people in the checkout line paying with their debit or credit cards here in Thailand and only "one" time in numerous years of doing this did a see a person enter a PIN...I think it was at the Tops grocery store in the Central Store in Pinklao Bangkok. Ah, kinda getting off subject here regarding modes that a credit or debit card or the ATM & POS machine can operate in when it comes to chipped cards.

But if you are now not having any luck with any Thai bank ATM, then it probably time to call your card-issuing bank as they have probably blocked your card...or maybe implemented Thailand as a blocked country because if up to each bank as to which countries they want to block...it's not a Visa or Mastercard decision. Visa/Mastercard just provides recommendations/data to card-issuing banks regarding card fraud by country and then it up to the card-issuing banks to block the countries of their choosing. You can google along the lines of "blocked countries credit debit card" and come up many bank/credit union list of places that certain card-issuing banks/credit union have blocked for their cards. Just for example, the SecurityPlus Credit Union in Maryland Virginia blocks the following countries and even the state of California for their debit card....even the UK is blocked. You'll fine the UK blocked by a lot of US credit unions for some reason.

[Pib]

Used my Schwab debit card at a Krungsri banch today for a Bt30K counter withdrawal (a.k.a., cash advance)...a POS machine is used for a counter withdrawal...no problem.

Did not test the Schwab card again in the Krungsri ATM since you don't know if it fully works until pressing the Bt200 fee acceptance which then spits out your cash.

Actually used my Schwab card along with another no foreign transaction fee card during the same counter withdrawal to withdraw a total of Bt100K in one setting. All went smooth...no fee for the counter withdrawal...no ATM fees to be reimbursed either...and the teller was so pretty....had a few minutes of nice conversation as she professionally processed the withdrawals. Just had the money deposited directly into my Krungsri account. Then I left the branch which is inside the mall I visit several times a week to do a lot of my grocery shopping and bought some groceries and beer. Productive trip...food, beer, and talking to a pretty girl.

Just checked the Visa Gobal exchange rate for today...it's 35.642999 baht/USD. Also checked the the website that shows Thai bank TT Buying Rate used for incoming wire transfers...at this point in time it's an average among Thai banks of 35.64 as shown below. Of course that excluding the wire transfer/receiving fees...crank those end and your effective rate is probably around 0.5 to 1% lower plus you had to wait for your money to show-up in X-hours to probably a few business days. Yeap, the counter withdrawal method using no foreign transaction fee cards works pretty good if you are lucky enough to be able to get some of these cards....varies from country to country how hard or easy it is. Good to go money-wise for another month or so.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So Pib, it seems from our respective experiences on this thus far...

--That Bangkok Bank won't do counter cash advances from debit cards, but will from credit cards. Based on both your and my different BKK Bank branches declining to accept our debit cards for cash advances.

--But, based on your experience, Krungsri is willing to do counter cash advances on both credit AND debit cards. I was going to try Krungsri with a debit card at the start of Dec., but you beat me to it.

As noted elsewhere, various posters over time have reported being able to do counter withdrawals at various Thai bank branches using debit cards, but it's just a matter of trying to sort out which bank company and/branches are willing to accept debit cards. Credit cards don't seem to pose a problem anywhere.

[Pib]

Yea, with the exception of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) which seems to not allow debit card cash advance (a.k.a., counter withdrawal) at any of their branches based on some posts I've seen (but it won't surprise me that someone chimes in saying they use their foreign debit card to do cash advances at their SCB branch no problem) that it boils down to a "branch-by-branch" situation because I've seen several posts from ThaiVisa posters saying their Bangkok Bank branch will do a cash advance on a debit card. But the one Bangkok Bank branch I sometimes use for cash advances will not do it for a debit card but no problem for a credit card...I use a no foreign transaction fee/no cash advance fee credit card that I prepay to avoid any interest charge. Yeap...a person just needs to try a couple of their local branches to see what happens.

[dia1]

It's nice to know that counter withdrawl is an option. I kinda of don't want to rely on that though as the ATM is far more convenient. It's good ammunition though if I decide that I want to approach Krungsri and explain the problems that their ATMs are having.

BTW when you test your card on Krungsri and TMB and the transaction gets cancelled due to the error, you don't get charged the ATM fee, so don't worry about that. I would think that Krungsri and TMB would want to know the issue as they are missing out on free money from ATM transactions.

[Pib]

It's nice to know that counter withdrawl is an option. I kinda of don't want to rely on that though as the ATM is far more convenient. It's good ammunition though if I decide that I want to approach Krungsri and explain the problems that their ATMs are having.

BTW when you test your card on Krungsri and TMB and the transaction gets cancelled due to the error, you don't get charged the ATM fee, so don't worry about that. I would think that Krungsri and TMB would want to know the issue as they are missing out on free money from ATM transactions.

They would probably blame the problem on your card....call you card-issuing bank they would say.

[Langsuan Man]

Two issues addressed by one post (I hope)

Used my Schwab chipped card today, Pattaya, Tesco South, fee 200 THB at Krungsri ( ATM slip shows 30,000 THB , access fee 200 THB ) normal screen showing new fee to accept

Used my Fidelity non chipped card today, Pattaya, Tesco South, fee 180 at TMB ( ATM slip shows 30,180 THB ) normal screen showing 180 THB fee to accept

[dia1]

And update to my test about a week ago.

First Attempt with chipped Charles Schwab at Krungsri 30: Failed... spit card out with no explanation other than call card issuing bank

Second Attempt with chipped charles Schwab at TMB 30k: Failed... displayed "communication error" before spitting card out

Third Attempt with chipped Charles Schwab at CitiBank 30k: Success... No issues went right through.

These were all within an interval of 15 minutes. As my Citibank test worked fine, it again confirms that the problem is only with Krungsri and TMB.

Going to give another shot at Krungsri tomorrow since it's been a week. Since the poster above seemed to be able to use their chipped Schwab at Krungsri now, I am hoping the problem is resolved.

[dia1]

My 30k withdrawal from Krungsri was a success today with my chipped Charles Schwab. No new card and no intervention from me...

I am assuming that this glitch with Krungsri and TMB banks is now over. Will report back again after a TMB test if I have problems.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Third Attempt with chipped Charles Schwab at CitiBank 30k: Success... No issues went right through.

What ATM fee is Citi Thai charging these days? Since you didn't mention it, I'm assuming they're at 200 baht also???

Also, your post above would seem to confirm that it's also possible to withdraw at least 30K from Citi ATMs -- something some folks have reported, but hadn't really been clearly confirmed here before.

Edited December 10, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[dia1]

Citi is either 180 or 200... I can't remember to be honest. But it is definitely not anything more than other banks or I would've noticed.

Yes, you can withdrawl 30k from Citibank. In fact, you might be able to do 40k(long time ago 40k was their limit), but I didn't check because I only needed 30k. Only problem is finding a Citibank ATM as they are few and far between.

[Pib]

Citi is either 180 or 200... I can't remember to be honest. But it is definitely not anything more than other banks or I would've noticed.

Yes, you can withdrawl 30k from Citibank. In fact, you might be able to do 40k(long time ago 40k was their limit), but I didn't check because I only needed 30k. Only problem is finding a Citibank ATM as they are few and far between.

Yea, isn't Citibank only in a few locations in central Bangkok. According to their below link they have 3 Bangkok branches plus two other Bangkok ATM locations. I don't remember ever seeing a Citibank ATM in my running around Thailand...and I do my best to avoid high-rise, traffic jammed, central Bangkok.

http://citibank.banklocationmaps.com/thailand

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yes, only a few in BKK, but very centrally located: CentralWorld, Asoke-Sukhumvit intersection, Silom Road,

Edited December 12, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Pib]

Actually, that's all of Citibank's locations in Thailand, much less Bangkok, according to their website.

[Pib]

Yeap, sounding more and more like it's an ATM and chipped card compatibility issue at least with the new Schwab chipped card. You got it to work on the Bangkok Bank ATM...I got it to work in a KrungThai ATM.

But to be honest I have got my Schwab chipped card to work "occassionally" on the Krungsri and TMB ATMs, but that was in earlier months...this month's multiple attempts were failures and I tried it 2 times on each ATM. And the TMB ATM was the craziest as after entering my PIN it would go straight away to displaying my balance for a few seconds, then a screen appears saying I have cancelled the transaction (and I hadn't touched nothing) and then it spits my card out. However, the Krungsri ATM lets you go normally through all the screens and right after you press the key accepting the Bt200 fee which would immediately follow with it spitting out your money instead you get the error message to contact your card-issuing bank and it spits out your card.

Today I did another withdrawal attempt with my Schwab "chipped" card at the same TMB and Krungsri ATMs I talked about above. Same problem with the TMB ATM...put the Schwab chipped debit card in, enter my PIN, and it immediately displays my balance (an incorrect balance), but does not immediately spit out the card and like it did before...instead it waits a few extra seconds and then spits it out.. Tried twice same results.

I then tried my other U.S. debit card (non-chipped) in the TMB ATM. Same result as the Schwab chipped card.

I then go over to the Krungsri ATM and successfully do Bt30K withdrawals with both cards...absolutely no problem. Last month and the month before this Krungsri ATM just refused to work with the Schwab chipped card but worked with the other debit card (non chipped).

Me thinks this pretty new TMB ATM just does not want to deal with foreign cards anymore....but it use to before...up to about two months ago because I would use both of my debit cards in it since TMB ATM only charges a Bt180 fee vs Bt200 for the Krungsri ATM.

While I don't want to do another withdrawal with the Schwab card this month as I've got enough money already and don't want to enrich the banksters with another Bt180 fee, I will still give it a try in another TMB ATM somewhere just to see if I can get pass the first screen because now after entering my PIN it automatically displays my account balance fee and then spits my card out. If on another TMB ATM in another mall I can get pass that point to where I could select the amount to withdrawal without actually withdrawing that a good sign the problem is just ATM related--that one TMB ATM that I have used a lot for a long time....but maybe now it just don't want to deal with foreign cards. More testing should tell.