Debit Card and Big C.

[NoshowJones]

Does Big C accept Bangkok Band Be1st debit card, first time I tried it, no problem, second time, the girl at the till waved her hand and said "no no".

Home Pro accepts it every time. So, is it a case of Big C being like Immigration offices and banks etc, making up their own rules? Anyone any thoughts?

[RaggaTwin]

As an aside, I used my UK chip and pin credit card in a Thai computer shop yesterday which sent them in to total meltdown.

 

I initially hadn't a clue what the problem was.  The girl was on the phone to someone for at least ten minutes while leafing through the card terminal's instruction book and I was a little concerned that she might lock my card.  Another sales assistant joined the fray but to no avail.

 

Eventually she came back to the counter and I hadn't a clue what she was talking about so fetched my wife to translate.  It transpires that she was none too familiar with the requirement for a PIN number, though was glad that she didn't guess and start bashing in random numbers.  So off I went behind the counter and entered my PIN number and voila. 

 

That was twenty minutes of my life that I'll never get back.  On the positive side, my new computer shop sales assistant friend is now fully versed in chip and pin.

[ubonjoe]

Are you sure you were not in the cash only checkout lane. I cannot recall if big C has them but Tesco certainly does.

[tutsiwarrior]

at the main suphan tesco/lotus I bought some medication in the in-house chemist and paid with my K - bank debit card...then we got to the main check out with our purchases which were over thb30k and when I tried to pay with the same card the girl got the manager who then said mai dai after fumbling with the card machine...I showed her my chemist purchase made earlier with the same card and she said mai dai again...seems like me, my wife and our crew looked suspicious, darked skinned, not hiso, etc...

 

I ended up paying with a UK credit card which was accepted...some folks should be down the market selling kweiteo rather than handling transactions that require some responsibility...

 

in north vietnam out in the provinces it got cold and I needed to buy a sweater...I looked in at a clothes shop and the shop girl came running and waving her arms: 'no! no! no!' probably the only english word she knew...I woulda been POed if it wasn't so hilarious...

 

 

[thaisabai]

never had this problem, weather I pay with my US debit card or my Thai Bangkok bank card.

using it quite frequently in Big C.

it could be as Ubonjoe says, you were in the "cash only" line and the cashier didn't speak English to explain to you.

 

.....................with our purchases which were over thb30k and when I tried to pay .................

are you sure it was 30,000 and not 3,000 ? if it was 30,000 there is a good possibility that you have a daily limit on your card!

[RaggaTwin]

11 minutes ago, thaisabai said:

if it was 30,000 there is a good possibility that you have a daily limit on your card!

 

Indeed, that's a heck of a lot of shopping.  A small flotilla of shopping trolleys as well, I would imagine.

[Searat7]

I used my Bangkok Bank debit card at Big C this morning. No problem.

[Jumbo chilli]

Normally you cannot use any form of card at the fast checkout(less than 10 items..etc) lane, wonder if this was the case?

[gchurch259]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you sure you were not in the cash only checkout lane. I cannot recall if big C has them but Tesco certainly does.

 

Yes Big C has some cash only. But, no English Signs at some stores.

[RaggaTwin]

18 minutes ago, gchurch259 said:

 

Yes Big C has some cash only. But, no English Signs at some stores.

 

A card terminal is also a good indicator as to whether they accept cards.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you sure you were not in the cash only checkout lane. I cannot recall if big C has them but Tesco certainly does.

That is a possibility Joe, it was a basket only lane, but any notices they may have would be in Thai.

[NoshowJones]

48 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I used my Bangkok Bank debit card at Big C this morning. No problem.

I think UbonJoe got it right.

[yardrunner]

2 hours ago, tutsiwarrior said:

at the main suphan tesco/lotus I bought some medication in the in-house chemist and paid with my K - bank debit card...then we got to the main check out with our purchases which were over thb30k and when I tried to pay with the same card the girl got the manager who then said mai dai after fumbling with the card machine...I showed her my chemist purchase made earlier with the same card and she said mai dai again...seems like me, my wife and our crew looked suspicious, darked skinned, not hiso, etc...

 

I ended up paying with a UK credit card which was accepted...some folks should be down the market selling kweiteo rather than handling transactions that require some responsibility...

 

in north vietnam out in the provinces it got cold and I needed to buy a sweater...I looked in at a clothes shop and the shop girl came running and waving her arms: 'no! no! no!' probably the only english word she knew...I woulda been POed if it wasn't so hilarious...

 

perhaps the 30000 is the clue, i have a BKK bank debit card and wanted to pay a bill at Hpmepro  and was just told no with no explanation, next day went in to the bank to finf out what was wrong, was told you have an automatic limit of 5000 Baht on your card, do ou want to change it, the other thing, many quite large shops are cash only

 

[Bangkok Barry]

 

I use a UK bank Visa card. As far as I understand it, you are supposed to be offered the choice of being charged in Baht or Sterling. But Big C (in Kalasin) said cannot. No problem at Villa in Udon, who actually asked which I wanted. They are more used to us aliens with our strange ways shopping in their stores, I suppose.

[tutsiwarrior]

44 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

 

 

nah...no limit to the debit card...I've made larger purchases with no problem at the same tescos using the same card and had transferred extra money to K bank for that purpose...the woman just had a problem...

 

and yeah...there were a flotilla of trolleys...I was home on leave from work and it was new school year term time with all the associated expenses for a buncha school aged kids...

 

 

Edited November 19, 2016 by tutsiwarrior

[RaggaTwin]

1 minute ago, tutsiwarrior said:

 

nah...no limit to the debit card...I've made larger purchases with no problem at the same tescos and had transferred extra money to K bank for that purpose...the woman just had a problem...

 

and yeah...there were a flotilla of trolleys...I was home on leave from work and it was new school year term time with all the associated expenses for a buncha school aged kids...

 

You haven't answered the question.  You had a flotilla of trolleys but are you definitely sure you weren't in the ten items or less queue?

[cooked]

I have occasionally been told that they won't accept a card for sums under ‎฿1000.-

[tutsiwarrior]

2 minutes ago, RaggaTwin said:

 

You haven't answered the question.  You had a flotilla of trolleys but are you definitely sure you weren't in the ten items or less queue?

 

that was never the question...you made no mention of this in your reply and I am scrupulous regarding the right queue as I get POed when folks ignore the 10 item limit/cash only sign...

 

 

[kkerry]

50 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I use a UK bank Visa card. As far as I understand it, you are supposed to be offered the choice of being charged in Baht or Sterling. But Big C (in Kalasin) said cannot. No problem at Villa in Udon, who actually asked which I wanted. They are more used to us aliens with our strange ways shopping in their stores, I suppose.

 

Make sure you always take the baht option.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, cooked said:

I have occasionally been told that they won't accept a card for sums under ‎฿1000.-

 

I use my debit card all the time at Big C's for total bills under 1000b.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One possible issue for the OP, since he mentioned trying to use a BKK Bank debit card, is that they unlike most other Thai banks have two flavors of their debit card:

--one with the chip

--the other with the traditional mag strip.

 

There are some places that have terminals that have not yet been upgraded to work with the chipped cards, and/or the staff don't know how to properly handle them. But I don't know if Big C is one of those.

[RaggaTwin]

5 minutes ago, kkerry said:

 

Make sure you always take the baht option.

 

... and get yourself a fee free credit card.  I'm onboard the Halifax Clarity Card and don't leave home without it, as Seve Ballesteros would say.

[tifino]

6 hours ago, RaggaTwin said:

As an aside, I used my UK chip and pin credit card in a Thai computer shop yesterday which sent them in to total meltdown.

 

I initially hadn't a clue what the problem was.  The girl was on the phone to someone for at least ten minutes while leafing through the card terminal's instruction book and I was a little concerned that she might lock my card.  Another sales assistant joined the fray but to no avail.

 

Eventually she came back to the counter and I hadn't a clue what she was talking about so fetched my wife to translate.  It transpires that she was none too familiar with the requirement for a PIN number, though was glad that she didn't guess and start bashing in random numbers.  So off I went behind the counter and entered my PIN number and voila. 

 

That was twenty minutes of my life that I'll never get back.  On the positive side, my new computer shop sales assistant friend is now fully versed in chip and pin.

 

when does the 3rd world expect to get on to the  PayWave wagon?

 

[Bangkok Barry]

55 minutes ago, kkerry said:

 

Make sure you always take the baht option.

 

I've read many times to do the opposite, to avoid Visa adding a foreign transaction fee.

[4evermaat]

The minimum purchase in big c/tesco is 200 baht.

It is a good idea to checkdailt purchase limit in those situations. Can check via phone banking automated prompts or maybe internet banking.

[kkerry]

1 minute ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've read many times to do the opposite, to avoid Visa adding a foreign transaction fee.

 

You still pay a foreign exchange fee either way, but pay in your own currency and you are worse off. Google Dynamic Currency Conversion :)

 

Next time you are paying for something try splitting it into two equal amounts. Use your overseas currency for one charge and baht for the other. Later, take a look at your statement and compare the end result.

 

If you buy anything online from Amazon you can do a similar comparison. Amazon will offer to charge you in the currency of your card at the checkout. Make a note of the cost, decline the offer and get charged in the local currency e.g. USD for Amazon USA. I did this and when I checked my statement the difference on a $60 USD purchase was nearly 50 cents in my favor. Not a lot I know but better in my pocket than theirs, and if you make a lot of purchases especially larger ones, it will add up over time. Private hospitals in Thailand will sometimes offer you this option, and with hospital fees being what they are, it can be an expensive mistake despite logic suggesting you would be better off paying in your home currency.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, kkerry said:

 

You still pay a foreign exchange fee either way, but pay in your own currency and you are worse off. Google Dynamic Currency Conversion :)

 

Next time you are paying for something try splitting it into two equal amounts. Use your overseas currency for one charge and baht for the other. Later, take a look at your statement and compare the end result.

 

If you buy anything online from Amazon you can do a similar comparison. Amazon will offer to charge you in the currency of your card at the checkout. Make a note of the cost, decline the offer and get charged in the local currency e.g. USD for Amazon USA. I did this and when I checked my statement the difference on a $60 USD purchase was nearly 50 cents in my favor. Not a lot I know but better in my pocket than theirs, and if you make a lot of purchases especially larger ones, it will add up over time. Private hospitals in Thailand will sometimes offer you this option, and with hospital fees being what they are, it can be an expensive mistake despite logic suggesting you would be better off paying in your home currency.

 

Thanks. I live and learn. And it appears that Big C are indeed acting outside the law by not offering the service.

[recom273]

If you got as far as paying, you can't use a BKK bank card issued in BKK in the provinces .. Or always never used to be able to.

 

Also, I went to Decathalon in Bangkok the other week and they didn't have the machine that accepted my k-bank chip and pin card. They spent 10 minutes deciding how to tell me.

 

its crazy to compare to the west where shops probably prefer the cashless transaction due to the speed whereas here in most cases it just sparks a big lengthy procedure that causes delay and confusion.

[lee b]

I have the exact same card and bank as you. I have never had a problem at Big C. Its also an old card.

[The manic]

Often at the Nana Hotel they don't bother with a pin number on chip and pin card.  Dunno why.   But it makes no difference to me and the payment goes through as normal.  I once queried why they didn't need to check my signature or use my pin number but just got a shrug and an enigmatic smile for a reply. Back in the UK in summer I used the 'touch and go' system with my new debit card - despite some misgivings really got into the swing of it. Really useful in pubs - on buses - supermarkets etc.  Really good in busy pubs because it says on queuing time - really fast. Actually - come to think of it - I just bought a new phone at Central Festival Samsung and I dont remember being asked for my Pin number or anything.like a card swiper!