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[bobholds]

Please be warned NOT to accept the Bangkok Banks new debit card with UNION PAY on it!!

 

Despite plenty of funds, this card has been declined in Home-Pro, PT gas stations and Global House.  PT was the most embarrassing as I'd already filled up before they refused me!

 

Also, I now have to pay to make Bangkok Bank to Bangkok bank transfers.

 

Who is Union Pay anyway?

 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

[lopburi3]

UnionPay is one of the largest systems in the world now (Chinese) and card works fine if merchant accepts it - just as merchant has to accept any type of card.  It is also true that not as many merchants accept as for Visa or Master Card in Thailand so you need to make sure before you use.  Just as many shops don't accept American Express or Diners Club.  Card requires PIN be entered on card readers and not all merchants know how to process.

 

There has not been any change in bank transfers that I am aware of - but do not use ATM card for that in any case.

 

 

[Gulfsailor]

4 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

UnionPay is one of the largest systems in the world now (Chinese) and card works fine if merchant accepts it - just as merchant has to accept any type of card.  It is also true that not as many merchants accept as for Visa or Master Card in Thailand so you need to make sure before you use.  Just as many shops don't accept American Express or Diners Club.  Card requires PIN be entered on card readers and not all merchants know how to process.

 

There has not been any change in bank transfers that I am aware of - but do not use ATM card for that in any case.

 

 

True about merchant acceptance, but whereas every bank and merchant provider offers a credit card system to the merchant accepting visa and MasterCard, finding one that also accepts UnionPay is trickier. And for mobile payment (MPOS) not one single provider offers it as far as I could find out, and I contacted every bank and provider about just this. Most only visa and MasterCard, and a rare one with added JCB. UnionPay still has a far way to come outside of China. 

[sturdyd]

I went in to update my Bangkok Bank Be1st card to the new chip enabled style. The guy gave me a UnionPay card in its place. I told him I didn't want it. He said they were out of the other cards. so I asked him to give me my old card back and pretend I never came in. Aw, cannot do!

Bobhold's warning came too late for me. I hate going though the new account wringer, but SCB is my next stop.

[joeyg]

I opened an account a few weeks ago.  Initially they were giving me a Visa card then took it back and said I was too old?  At 64?  LOL. Just plan to use it for ATM.  It works for that no problem.

[dbrenn]

Bangkok Bank is legendary for its crappy customer service. They hark back to the days when people grovelled to banking staff. 

[MikeyIdea]

Yes, the new UnionPay cards are still useless in Thailand and they will continue be for a loooong time still. It will take many years before UnionPay has the coverage that VISA has

 

I find SCB to be a much more professional bank than Bangkok Bank. This also depends on where you go of course. Branches in or near office buildings have better knowledge and service than branches in department stores

[seajae]

I took mine back the next day and got a visa card back as that was what I asked for, didnt realize they had slipped this mickey to me till I went to use it, no overseas businesses would accept it including banks, paypal, amazon etc etc. It is a Chinese card and is not real good, couldnt get rid of mine quick enough and agree with the poster, dont get one.

[seajae]

18 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

UnionPay is one of the largest systems in the world now (Chinese) and card works fine if merchant accepts it - just as merchant has to accept any type of card.  It is also true that not as many merchants accept as for Visa or Master Card in Thailand so you need to make sure before you use.  Just as many shops don't accept American Express or Diners Club.  Card requires PIN be entered on card readers and not all merchants know how to process.

 

There has not been any change in bank transfers that I am aware of - but do not use ATM card for that in any case.

 

 

no its not, it has bugger all coverage outside China and their lacky countries close by, no one in the west wants to deal with them at all including many thai businesses. Being Chinese is the problem, no one wants to do business with them or trusts them, it will never be a world wide used card due to the fact it is from China. With all the crap China causes they are pushing sh*t uphill if they expect it to be accepted everywhere, wont happen. 

[lopburi3]

Quote

UnionPay cards can be used in 141 countries and regions around the world, making it the third-largest payment network by value of transactions processed, behind Visa and MasterCard.^[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_UnionPay

 

For 2015 UnionPay accounts for 30% of world wide cards with Visa a distant second at 16% and Master Card only 9%

https://www.nilsonreport.com/publication_chart_and_graphs_archive.php?1=1&year=2016

Edited October 3, 2016 by lopburi3

[sturdyd]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_UnionPay

 

For 2015 UnionPay accounts for 30% of world wide cards with Visa a distant second at 16% and Master Card only 9%

https://www.nilsonreport.com/publication_chart_and_graphs_archive.php?1=1&year=2016

Yeah, I'm sure China has umpteen billions of people with UnionPay, cards. Hah! Thanks to Bangkok Bank I now have one too! But I suspect that the UnionPay card will be useable in a tiny fraction as many places worldwide as my Visa or Mastercard.

[lopburi3]

But are you going to be using it worldwide?  For most of us the card is for use in Thailand as an expanded ATM card - agree and noted in my post that the number of merchants using is small and suspect more just do not know how as this is also a new chip type card with a six digit PIN number that is required for sales.  It offers a bit more security in a country where signatures are almost never checked.

[Gulfsailor]

I contacted UnionPay China, Thailand and international to enquiry how as a merchant  in Thailand I can accept their credit card in a mobile point of sale system, or when this will be possible. Never got a reply from any of them. 

[Deepinthailand]

They work ok in tesco lotus. And withdrawing via ATM. I used mine in Hong Kong and UK no problem.

As for transfers bkk to bkk no cost at all.

[chiang mai]

The problem is the switch over to chip and pin cards and technology, it's not synchronised at all here, some devices accept the new cards, many do not and that will continue for some time.

[pmarlin]

16 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_UnionPay

 

For 2015 UnionPay accounts for 30% of world wide cards with Visa a distant second at 16% and Master Card only 9%

https://www.nilsonreport.com/publication_chart_and_graphs_archive.php?1=1&year=2016

The problem with Wikipedia is the source of the material. I'm sure those facts were provided by the Chinese and Union pay.

[lopburi3]

Actually the original source is the Nilson Report;  as I cited.  

[Pib]

Union Pay had pretty much a monopoly on cards in China and it's 1.3 billion potential customers until mid 2015.    But since 1 Jun 15 Visa/Mastercard/foreign competitors now have access to the China market....but how long it will take for Chinese banks to offer Visa/Mastercard is another story....expect Union Pay will do everything it can to stay on top in China. 

https://letstalkpayments.com/chinas-unionpay-exceeds-visa-in-combined-transaction-volume/

 

Quote

 

China’s UnionPay Exceeds VISA in Combined Transaction Volume

June 26, 2015     By : LTP Team

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The total transaction volume via China’s UnionPay system—the only domestic bank card organization in China—amounted to RMB 11.80 trillion or $1.90 trillion in the first quarter of 2015, according to the latest figures released by China UnionPay (CUP).

VISA, the largest payment company worldwide, revealed that its Q1 transactions added up to $1.75 trillion. This marks the first time China’s UnionPay exceeds VISA in terms of combined transaction volume and becomes the largest bank card settlement organization.

UnionPay cards can be used in 150 countries and regions with acceptance at over 26 million merchants and 1.8 million ATM units globally. With an issuer base of over 5 billion UnionPay cards globally, CUP has issued its cards to 40 foreign countries and regions.

Although UnionPay has now surpassed Visa, the actual challenge is yet to come. China has opened up its market for domestic bank card clearing services since Jun 1 this year; foreign competitors such as VISA and MasterCard will now have direct access to the market where UnionPay had a monopoly.

 

 

[sturdyd]

22 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

But are you going to be using it worldwide?  For most of us the card is for use in Thailand as an expanded ATM card - agree and noted in my post that the number of merchants using is small and suspect more just do not know how as this is also a new chip type card with a six digit PIN number that is required for sales.  It offers a bit more security in a country where signatures are almost never checked.

My point, I suppose, is that I was given a card that is much less useful to me than the one I turned in. I've lived in five countries and four (US) states and while I may never travel again the possibility certainly exists. And if I do I'll be sure to carry a card that I'm confident will work wherever I am. What was the line? "Don't leave home without it."  Good advice! Ha, ha!

[cliveshep]

I have a Bangkok Bank Visa card I got last year when I was 69, I have a Kasikorn Bank Visa card i got this year at 70, so age has not been a barrier. From what I can see, my wife had a SCB account (now changed to Kasikorn) none of the banks offer much in the way of service, if your passboook fills up for example you cannot just pop in to any branch of your bank and get a new one,, you have to go back to your own branch which sucks frankly.

 

But thank you to the OP for the heads up - I won't let them give me Union Bank replacements.

[siam2007]

6 hours ago, cliveshep said:

I have a Bangkok Bank Visa card I got last year when I was 69, I have a Kasikorn Bank Visa card i got this year at 70, so age has not been a barrier. From what I can see, my wife had a SCB account (now changed to Kasikorn) none of the banks offer much in the way of service, if your passboook fills up for example you cannot just pop in to any branch of your bank and get a new one,, you have to go back to your own branch which sucks frankly.

 

But thank you to the OP for the heads up - I won't let them give me Union Bank replacements.

 

 

that really suxxx. The branch were my BKK Bank ATM card is registered is now 150 KM away from me, and early 2017 it will expire. I thought I could get it replaced at any given branch. Or does that only apply to the Bank books?

[lopburi3]

Cards can be obtained at any bank branch.  So use cards and online banking.  No need for new passbook that way.  Believe Bangkok Bank now offers option of statement accounts rather than passbook for those wanting - but you can easily print a statement from internet if you have online access.  

[vaultdweller0013]

Union Pay, Discover, and JCB have signed agreements that allow their cards to be processed through each others networks. So, if a merchant accepts JCB, you could also use a Union Pay card, or you could use a UnionPay card at a merchant in the US that accepts Discover. This also means that Discover has the best acceptance in China and Japan of any US issued card.

 

However, outside of China or Japan, UnionPay/JCB/Discover, are still less commonly accepted than Visa or MC, so generally one would still want the Visa version of the card in Thailand.

[orientalist]

On 10/3/2016 at 7:29 AM, sturdyd said:

I went in to update my Bangkok Bank Be1st card to the new chip enabled style. The guy gave me a UnionPay card in its place. I told him I didn't want it. He said they were out of the other cards. so I asked him to give me my old card back and pretend I never came in. Aw, cannot do!

 

 

"No have" seems to be a frequent ploy at banks. When I forgot the PIN of a rarely-used, 30-year-old Bua Luang ATM card Bangkok Bank insisted I had to change card and tried to push the expensive one on me. After I said, "OK, just cancel the card," they said I could have the cheap one but I'd have to wait a week.

[cliveshep]

On 10/7/2016 at 1:45 PM, siam2007 said:

 

 

that really suxxx. The branch were my BKK Bank ATM card is registered is now 150 KM away from me, and early 2017 it will expire. I thought I could get it replaced at any given branch. Or does that only apply to the Bank books?

I need to correct what I wrote, we went into a Bangkok Bank in a Big C recently and they gave me a new passbook so clearly either I misunderstood or got an unaware banking junior who didn't know how their system works. As my Thai wife relayed the original message I suspect the latter as she speaks excellent English and has papers from the UK to prove it.

[siam2007]

4 hours ago, cliveshep said:

I need to correct what I wrote, we went into a Bangkok Bank in a Big C recently and they gave me a new passbook so clearly either I misunderstood or got an unaware banking junior who didn't know how their system works. As my Thai wife relayed the original message I suspect the latter as she speaks excellent English and has papers from the UK to prove it.

 

To replace an ATM card you defo have to go to the Branch where your account is registered.

Because a few days after my post here, I left my ATM card inside an ATM. I went to a local BKK Bank branch where I was told I do need to go to my home branch wich I then had no choice but to do  :-/

It would have expired in early 2017 anyway, so this trip would have been unavoidable anyway sooner or later