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[SimpleChap]

Are there any banks in Thailand that offer ATM cards free of charge?

[allane]

In 21 yrs. here, I have dealt with most of the banks at some point. In my early days here, ATM cards were handed out for virtually free; an initial payment of 100 - 200 baht, and no annual charge. I still have, and use, some of those cards.

I realize that this no consolation to newcomers.

I think most banks would still have a bare bones ATM card available, but recent reports on this forum seem to indicate that many of them attempt to conceal this option from foreigners, in favour of offering an ATM which includes a debit card. 

There is probably not much you can do about this, unless you know a Thai person who is a customer of the same bank and willing to accompany you. If it is someone who works for your employer, so much the better. Even that is no assurance. You still may be told that the bare bones option, if there is one, is only available to Thai's.

I should add that my bare bones ATM cards are for domestic use only.  I think this is often used by bank staff as their reasoning for foisting a more expensive version on foreigners. "He is a foreigner; he surely must want the internationally accepted version, even if it is more expensive. And, he can certainly afford it."

[Briggsy]

I pay 200 Baht a year for a bare bones from SCB.

[Langsuan Man]

Free is in the eye of the beholder

 

Most " bare bones "  ATM cards are free but you pay 200 + to maintain your account, which provides you with the ATM card 

[Pib]

The great, great majority of Thai banks (maybe all) charge around Bt200 per year for their basic debit card...and of course they have a variety of other debit cards that can get much pricier which normally come with insurance and other benefits.    Now I have a Krungsri Mee Tae Dai savings account that comes with a no annual fee debit card, HOWEVER, BUT, you must take their Bt19/mo SMS service to get the card fee of annual charge.  19 x 12 equals Bt228/yr.   Bangkok Bank charges Bt200-300 per year for their basic debit card and KrungThai Bank charges Bt180 for their basic card.  

 

Just some examples of how they tend to get  your one way or another for around Bt200/yr for the privilege of using a basic debit card.   Maybe there are some banks that do provide a basic debit card free of annual fees, but be sure you are not really paying in a different way by having to accept another fee-based service like the Krungsri Bank example I gave....and maybe you might get a no fee card if you have a premium account (i.e., LOTS of money with them) where they they get their fees in an indirect way.

 

I know if you are use to banking like in the U.S., debit cards do not have an annual fee....but that's in Kansas....we are now in Thailand.

 

 

[lopburi3]

16 minutes ago, Pib said:

I know if you are use to banking like in the U.S., debit cards do not have an annual fee....but that's in Kansas....we are now in Thailand.

 

But see how many fees you incur when you use said card.  The USA is every bit as fee crazy as Thailand in my view (although they do not have the outdated out of region fees they make up for it with other bank ATM fees).  Sometimes it is nice not to be in Kansas.  Although some good sweet corn and beef steaks would be nice here.

Edited November 18, 2016 by lopburi3

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

But see how many fees you incur when you use said card.  The USA is every bit as fee crazy as Thailand in my view (although they do not have the outdated out of region fees they make up for it with other bank ATM fees).  Sometimes it is nice not to be in Kansas.  Although some good sweet corn and beef steaks would be nice here.

If you are talking the typical foreign transaction fee of around 2 to3%, well, Thai bank debit cards typically charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee.   However, you can get U.S. debit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee and also reimburse ATM fees (I have two such debit cards), however, I do not know of any Thai debit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee or reimburse foreign transaction fees.

[lopburi3]

I am talking domestic usage - not the international fees - free ATM cards of this thread indicates this country usage only so such fees should not be a factor - just as most uses in USA would be using there free cards internationally (many people don't travel beyond the next state).

[Pib]

Use a U.S. debit card in a bank's "in-network" ATM across the country and there is almost always no fee; now use it in a out-of-network ATM and there will be an ATM User Fee.  

 

However, in Thailand almost all Thai banks charge an ATM Inter-region User Fee of around Bt15 to 20 when using the debit card when out of the province/region the account was issued in....even in the same bank's ATM.   Now in some cases there is some leeway of this inter-region fee for up to 4 ATM withdrawals per month if the banks participate in the Bank of Thailand program to minimize ATM fees.   And from now till 4 Jan 17 there are not suppose to be any ATM inter-region withdrawal fees due to the ongoing mourning period. 

 

[KittenKong]

I get a free ATM card from CIMB.

 

Supposedly my TMB debit card can be used in ATMs anywhere in Thailand with no charge but I've never tried it.

[SimpleChap]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

The great, great majority of Thai banks (maybe all) charge around Bt200 per year for their basic debit card...and of course they have a variety of other debit cards that can get much pricier which normally come with insurance and other benefits.    Now I have a Krungsri Mee Tae Dai savings account that comes with a no annual fee debit card, HOWEVER, BUT, you must take their Bt19/mo SMS service to get the card fee of annual charge.  19 x 12 equals Bt228/yr.   Bangkok Bank charges Bt200-300 per year for their basic debit card and KrungThai Bank charges Bt180 for their basic card.  

 

Just some examples of how they tend to get  your one way or another for around Bt200/yr for the privilege of using a basic debit card.   Maybe there are some banks that do provide a basic debit card free of annual fees, but be sure you are not really paying in a different way by having to accept another fee-based service like the Krungsri Bank example I gave....and maybe you might get a no fee card if you have a premium account (i.e., LOTS of money with them) where they they get their fees in an indirect way.

 

I know if you are use to banking like in the U.S., debit cards do not have an annual fee....but that's in Kansas....we are now in Thailand.

 

 

At least they are all cheaper than Kasikorn which charge 350 Baht for a basic ATM. I'm a kasikorn customer for more than 20 years so I thought they could do better. Will have a look at bay where I have an account and tmb

[Pib]

1 hour ago, SimpleChap said:

At least they are all cheaper than Kasikorn which charge 350 Baht for a basic ATM. I'm a kasikorn customer for more than 20 years so I thought they could do better. Will have a look at bay where I have an account and tmb

Their basic debit card is Bt200/year; you got one of their pricier cards.

http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/Personal/Debit/Pages/KDebit.aspx

 

Sounds like you got their K-My Play Debit card at Bt350/yr

http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/Personal/Debit/Pages/KMyPlay.aspx

 

[SimpleChap]

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

Their basic debit card is Bt200/year; you got one of their pricier cards.

http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/Personal/Debit/Pages/KDebit.aspx

 

Sounds like you got their K-My Play Debit card at Bt350/yr

http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/Personal/Debit/Pages/KMyPlay.aspx

 

Don't know because your links are empty pages on a mobile phone but I once asked if I could pay at big c check out and the answer was negative

[Pib]

2 minutes ago, SimpleChap said:

Don't know because your links are empty pages on a mobile phone but I once asked if I could pay at big c check out and the answer was negative

At the bottom of the pages it shows the annual prices....view on a computer when you get the chance.

 

To be honest with you kinda hard to believe Big C said no to your debit card....they accept debit cards....I've used my Bangkok Bank debit card there before.  And the K-bank webstates for your debit card:

 

• Quote

  Use it instead of cash to pay for goods or services in the same way as a credit card, with the maximum limit of 200,000 Baht per day, at any time, at more than 30 million stores across the world that accept the VISA card.

   

• Now there are online stores and some brick-and-mortar places that will not accept a debit card, but that applies to a debit card issued by any bank.  For example just yesterday the wife and I ate at a Santa Fe restaurant here in Bangkok....handed her my farang/US credit card to pay like I done before and she asked if a "credit" card...I said yes....she processed it no problem.   While she was processing the transaction I thought to myself she probably wanted to make sure it was not a "debit" card and at the same time I saw their payment sign that said Cash And Credit Cards Only; Debit Cards Not Accepted.    Just something about debit cards that cause "some" merchants like "some" airlines and rent -a-card companies and a good amount of online stores not to accept them from "any bank."
•  

 

 

 

 

[SimpleChap]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

At the bottom of the pages it shows the annual prices....view on a computer when you get the chance.

 

To be honest with you kinda hard to believe Big C said no to your debit card....they accept debit cards....I've used my Bangkok Bank debit card there before.  And the K-bank webstates for your debit card:

 

•  

• Now there are online stores and some brick-and-mortar places that will not accept a debit card, but that applies to a debit card issued by any bank.  For example just yesterday the wife and I ate at a Santa Fe restaurant here in Bangkok....handed her my farang/US credit card to pay like I done before and she asked if a "credit" card...I said yes....she processed it no problem.   While she was processing the transaction I thought to myself she probably wanted to make sure it was not a "debit" card and at the same time I saw their payment sign that said Cash And Credit Cards Only; Debit Cards Not Accepted.    Just something about debit cards that cause "some" merchants like "some" airlines and rent -a-card companies and a good amount of online stores not to accept them from "any bank."
•  

 

 

 

 

I think the thing is that my card which was issued 5 year ago and expired just recently wasn't a debit card.

[Pib]

Yea, an ATM card can't be used to buy something; only withdraw from an ATM.  Need  a debit card to withdraw from an ATM "and" buy stuff.  And of course if a card is expired it won't work.

[SimpleChap]

22 hours ago, Pib said:

Yea, an ATM card can't be used to buy something; only withdraw from an ATM.  Need  a debit card to withdraw from an ATM "and" buy stuff.  And of course if a card is expired it won't work.

I guess that was sarcasm,if not, I had an ATM card which was not a debit card for which they want 350 Baht a year. I asked big c about this a few years before the expiry date.Hence the fact that now it is expired I'm looking for a cheaper option since I don't need the debit function and I use the card probably 5 time a year all together to withdraw money.

[RaggaTwin]

I have a Bangkok Bank Be1st Smart/Debit card at 200 baht per year.  Not sure whether it's a smart or debit card as I only use my account to transfer funds to LOS for our holidays and only when the exchange rate is most favourable and subsequently withdraw from the local ATM. 

 

I also use my Bangkok Bank internet banking facility to pay for domestic AirAsia flights to keep the charges down to just over 40 baht, otherwise the credit card charges would come in at more than the cost of the flight.

 

It's extremely handy and works for me.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, RaggaTwin said:

I have a Bangkok Bank Be1st Smart/Debit card at 200 baht per year.  Not sure whether it's a smart or debit card as I only use my account to transfer funds to LOS for our holidays and only when the exchange rate is most favourable and subsequently withdraw from the local ATM. 

 

I also use my Bangkok Bank internet banking facility to pay for domestic AirAsia flights to keep the charges down to just over 40 baht, otherwise the credit card charges would come in at more than the cost of the flight.

 

It's extremely handy and works for me.

The Be1st Smart Debit card is just a chipped debit card like any other chipped card.   Bangkok Bank was the first major Thai bank to start and complete transition from the old style magnetic strip only cards to chipped cards.....they also had their ATMs upgraded to accept chipped cards years before other Thai banks.  Only this year has other Thai banks pretty much caught up (or close to catching up) due to prodding from the Bank of Thailand.

[RaggaTwin]

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

The Be1st Smart Debit card is just a chipped debit card like any other chipped card.   Bangkok Bank was the first major Thai bank to start and complete transition from the old style magnetic strip only cards to chipped cards.....they also had their ATMs upgraded to accept chipped cards years before other Thai banks.  Only this year has other Thai banks pretty much caught up (or close to catching up) due to prodding from the Bank of Thailand.

 

So, it's a debit card to boot?  Thanks.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, RaggaTwin said:

 

So, it's a debit card to boot?  Thanks.

Be1st Smart Debit Card info:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/Be1stVisaDebitCard/Be1stSmart/Pages/Default.aspx

 

[4evermaat]

I get a free ATM card from CIMB.
 
Supposedly my TMB debit card can be used in ATMs anywhere in Thailand with no charge but I've never tried it.

If you are talking the typical foreign transaction fee of around 2 to3%, well, Thai bank debit cards typically charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee.   However, you can get U.S. debit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee and also reimburse ATM fees (I have two such debit cards), however, I do not know of any Thai debit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee or reimburse foreign transaction fees.

TMB is the only one that claimed to not charge any fee for any other atm used... Within or outside thailand. Never tested outside thailand though.

[Pib]

Their website says "within Thailand"; expect outside of Thailand fees still apply with the typical Thai bank card 2.5% foreign transaction fee plus whatever ATM Use Fee that outside Thailand ATM may apply.   And a down side to TMB accounts is the lower interest rates compared to other Thai banks that they pay on transnational/standard savings accounts which come with the debit cards....like 0% to 0.125%.  Where other Thai banks pay around 0.5%.   The lower interest rates paid on accounts allows them to charge lower ATM fees.  

 

• Debit TMB Mayall Free Chip is no fee to cash and balance inquiries at any ATM of any bank ATM Pool sign an unlimited number of times throughout Thailand.  

Edited November 19, 2016 by Pib

[KittenKong]

13 hours ago, Pib said:

And a down side to TMB accounts is the lower interest rates compared to other Thai banks that they pay on transnational/standard savings accounts which come with the debit cards....like 0% to 0.125%.  Where other Thai banks pay around 0.5%.   The lower interest rates paid on accounts allows them to charge lower ATM fees.  

 

I only ever have a minimal amount of cash in an account with ATM access so the interest rate is not important. That way I limit the potential loss in case of fraud or theft. All my large deposits are in accounts that have no ATM card associated with them.

 

I also use my TMB account for my electricity direct debit and for internet transfers (other bills), as there is no fee for these either. Whilst there is an annual fee for the TMB debit card I feel that the possibility of making fee-free withdrawals anywhere in Thailand largely outweighs this.

[Gary A]

On a trip to the US, I did try, just for curiosity using my Siam Commercial Bank card in an ATM. I got the message to contact my issuing bank. It wouldn't work. I use the Thai bank ATM card in Thailand and a US bank ATM card in the US.