is this an urban myth in Thailand

[zoza]

yesterday while attending a friends birthday celebrations I got into conversation with another guest, and somehow the subject of

the Thai ATM charge came up, and again I was told that if you go into a Thai bank with your ATM and passport you can withdraw

funds with no ATM or any fee......now as I have tried this move both upcountry and in Pattaya central festival and been informed both

times that a charge of 4% is levied on these transactions which is greater than the 220 baht current fee on most of my withdrawals

and so it is pointless but again they tell me they pay no fees at all in Nackon Nowhere.....is it just an Urban Myth...or do I need to find

Nackon Nowhere..... I know the rules are often different from branch to branch but I cannot see them giving punters a free ride?

[sanemax]

If you get money from over the counter with a foreign ATM card, there is no ATM fee .

   Why dont you do that and then look if there were any other fees ?

[Pib]

No fees charged using a foreign debt/credit card inside the bank.  I've been doing it every month or two for couple of years now at a Krungsri branch and a Bangkok Bank branch.  Now, it varies from branch to branch as to whether they will do the counter withdrawal versus just pointing you to their ATM.  Additionally, some will not do it for a debit card but will for a credit card.  All depends on the branch.  But generally branches will do a counter withdrawal, which they may call a cash advance, for a foreign card....no fees charged by the branch.

 

But keep in mind if your home country bank that issued your card applies any foreign transaction (1 to 3% is common for many cards), that fee is still applied.  Blame that on your card-issuing bank; not the Thai bank.  

 

All always accomplish a withdrawal or purchase in the local currency e.g., Thai baht); do not allow your home country currency to be used as that is a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)  transaction as the exchange rate given is that bank's "lower" exchange rate by around 3%...it's great profit for them at your expense. 

[PoorSucker]

Pib is correct.

Your bank will issue a credit card withdraw fee between 2-5%

 

Choose your ATM wisely.

Citibank: Maximum withdrawal limit 50’000 THB

Krungsri Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

Thai Military Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

CIMB Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

Bangkok Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 25’000 THB

[sanemax]

21 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Your bank will issue a credit card withdraw fee between 2-5%

Although that fee is unavoidable and you would still have to pay that if you used an ATM machine .Withdrawing over the counter you would still have to pay your bank charges, you just wouldnt have to pay the ATM fee as well

[zoza]

my bank does not charge any fees anywhere (clarity credit card)

but I have taken the same card to the Kasikorn bank in Central Festival Pattaya =4% fee for cash withdrawal over the counter in Thai Baht.

and in the Kasikorn branch in the mall in Udon Thani town center asked for a counter withdrawal showed my passport and they wanted 4% transaction fee which is near double

the 220 baht fee on 15k depending on the rate.

and thanks for the heads up Pib but I fell foul of the DCC a few years ago as the sun was full

on the ATM I was using and I just hit yes......so you learn as you go on...I will just have to try some other branches of other banks.

3 hours ago, Pib said:

No fees charged using a foreign debt/credit card inside the bank.  I've been doing it every month or two for couple of years now at a Krungsri branch and a Bangkok Bank branch.  Now, it varies from branch to branch as to whether they will do the counter withdrawal versus just pointing you to their ATM.  Additionally, some will not do it for a debit card but will for a credit card.  All depends on the branch.  But generally branches will do a counter withdrawal, which they may call a cash advance, for a foreign card....no fees charged by the branch.

 

But keep in mind if your home country bank that issued your card applies any foreign transaction (1 to 3% is common for many cards), that fee is still applied.  Blame that on your card-issuing bank; not the Thai bank.  

 

All always accomplish a withdrawal or purchase in the local currency e.g., Thai baht); do not allow your home country currency to be used as that is a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)  transaction as the exchange rate given is that bank's "lower" exchange rate by around 3%...it's great profit for them at your expense. 

 

[Chivas]

19 years a customer with scb and they simply will not do a counter withdrawal period. No question of 4% they simply wont do it. ATM only sir stated politely

[JamJar]

52 minutes ago, Chivas said:

19 years a customer with scb and they simply will not do a counter withdrawal period. No question of 4% they simply wont do it. ATM only sir stated politely

They are just about the worst anyway.

Credit or debit?

 

No problem with credit at the bank I use. But I never publish which bank, as a long queue of customers might discourage the practice.

Edited May 22, 2017 by JamJar

[JamJar]

2 hours ago, zoza said:

my bank does not charge any fees anywhere (clarity credit card)

but I have taken the same card to the Kasikorn bank in Central Festival Pattaya =4% fee for cash withdrawal over the counter in Thai Baht.

and in the Kasikorn branch in the mall in Udon Thani town center asked for a counter withdrawal showed my passport and they wanted 4% transaction fee which is near double

the 220 baht fee on 15k depending on the rate.

and thanks for the heads up Pib but I fell foul of the DCC a few years ago as the sun was full

on the ATM I was using and I just hit yes......so you learn as you go on...I will just have to try some other branches of other banks.

 

 

So you've been to one bank that said no. Hardly a comprehensive sample. Perhaps try another bank? 

[Pib]

3 hours ago, Chivas said:

19 years a customer with scb and they simply will not do a counter withdrawal period. No question of 4% they simply wont do it. ATM only sir stated politely

Back in a mid 2015 ThaiVisa thread a memo posted a Thai language memo from HQ SCB to its branches supposedly stopping over the counter withdrawals for foreign cards.  I search/google somewhat for that memo/post but can't find it now.

 

However, on the SCB's exchange rate web page it does show their exchange rate for doing a cash advance (counter withdrawal) using a foreign card...the rate is approx 3% lower than the TT  Buying Rate used for incoming international transfers and the TT rate also  happens to be very close to the Visa/Mastercard exchange rate as a rule of thumb.  

 

Basically SCB is saying I'll do a cash advance/counter withdrawal for a foreign credit card but it will be at "my" lower rate (basically a DCC transaction)....take it or leave it.    Don't know about debit cards.

 

SCB Daily Exchange Rates....see notes at bottom of page

 

http://www.scb.co.th/scb_api/index.jsp

 

[Pib]

5 hours ago, zoza said:

my bank does not charge any fees anywhere (clarity credit card)

but I have taken the same card to the Kasikorn bank in Central Festival Pattaya =4% fee for cash withdrawal over the counter in Thai Baht.

and in the Kasikorn branch in the mall in Udon Thani town center asked for a counter withdrawal showed my passport and they wanted 4% transaction fee which is near double

the 220 baht fee on 15k depending on the rate.

and thanks for the heads up Pib but I fell foul of the DCC a few years ago as the sun was full

on the ATM I was using and I just hit yes......so you learn as you go on...I will just have to try some other branches of other banks.

 

I  remember a ThaiVisa poster once saying the K-bank branch he went to would do a counter withdrawal but would only do it using a DCC transaction (that is, their lower exchange rate...probably around 3% lower) and also wanted to charge the ATM fee.  

 

Question: was the 4% fee your K-bank branch stated a flat 4% fee or did it just happen to work out to be approx 4% maybe like I mentioned above where they would really use their DCC rate and also apply the ATM fee which works out to around 4%?

[zoza]

13 hours ago, Pib said:

I  remember a ThaiVisa poster once saying the K-bank branch he went to would do a counter withdrawal but would only do it using a DCC transaction (that is, their lower exchange rate...probably around 3% lower) and also wanted to charge the ATM fee.  

 

Question: was the 4% fee your K-bank branch stated a flat 4% fee or did it just happen to work out to be approx 4% maybe like I mentioned above where they would really use their DCC rate and also apply the ATM fee which works out to around 4%?

sorry I did not hang about to find out but as I have an Kasikorn bank account I opened there and use this branch on a regular basis for cash transfers from the UK I took it as a warning, it could well of been the DCC rate plus ATM fee.

I just took it to mean this is the norm? but people keep telling me their banks do counter

withdrawals  with no fee and they get the correct exchange rate?

 

[sanemax]

14 minutes ago, zoza said:

sorry I did not hang about to find out but as I have an Kasikorn bank account I opened there and use this branch on a regular basis for cash transfers from the UK I took it as a warning, it could well of been the DCC rate plus ATM fee.

There is no charge for local ATM cards (at you own bank )

You would not have been paying an ATM fee , if you used a Kasikorn bank card

[zoza]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

There is no charge for local ATM cards (at you own bank )

You would not have been paying an ATM fee , if you used a Kasikorn bank card

the thread is about foreign ATM cards and the 220 baht fee, and I do know that if I use my

Kasikorn  debit card at my local branch there is no fee.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, zoza said:

the thread is about foreign ATM cards and the 220 baht fee, and I do know that if I use my

Kasikorn  debit card at my local branch there is no fee.

OK, its better if you just reply to your own posts then, ask a question and answer it as well .

   No need for me to get involved

[Laza 45]

You have to shop around.. Krungsri have been good for me.. no charge for withdrawal over the counter.. Bangkok Bank were good but stopped doing it for me.. 'machine broken'... sure...      

[slippery snake]

I was withdrawing money from ATM's with a added charge of 220 B, and my New Zealand bank charged me $5 for every overseas transaction.  so every withdraw cost me about $14 NZ..  bloody expensive... 

Now I have banked money at the Kasikorn bank and have a money card with them,  when I withdraw from the Kasikorn bank with  the Kasikorn card there are NO charges,,  why didn't I do that years ago ???  I must have spent a small fortune with drawing money every few days over nearly 3 years... 

[Bonefish]

5 hours ago, zoza said:

the thread is about foreign ATM cards and the 220 baht fee, and I do know that if I use my

Kasikorn  debit card at my local branch there is no fee.

There is no mention in your thread opening that is specifically about foreign ATM cards, it just says ATM cards. 

[jippytum]

I have used a UK debit card for Lloyds UK and withdrawn unlimited funds at the foreign desk of both Bangkok and SCB branches showing only passport  for decades.There is no charge for the transaction in either country .You also are given the exchange rate at the time as you are changing your foreign currency of choice  into Thai Baht in cash or deposit direct to your account.

[louse1953]

On 22/05/2017 at 10:39 AM, PoorSucker said:

Pib is correct.

Your bank will issue a credit card withdraw fee between 2-5%

 

Choose your ATM wisely.

Citibank: Maximum withdrawal limit 50’000 THB

Krungsri Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

Thai Military Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

CIMB Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 30’000 THB

Bangkok Bank: Maximum withdrawal limit 25’000 THB

I know for sure you can take 25k out twice,if your quick at Bangkok Bank,even though you have a daily limit of 25k on it.Just ask the atm skim scam guy who ripped me.I asked the the bank,what's the use of 25k limit,no reply.

[khunken]

26 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

I know for sure you can take 25k out twice,if your quick at Bangkok Bank,even though you have a daily limit of 25k on it.Just ask the atm skim scam guy who ripped me.I asked the the bank,what's the use of 25k limit,no reply.

Bangkok Bank's electronic daily withdrawal limit is B50,000. The amount posted by PoorSucker is the ATM transaction limit so, yes, you can do two per day. Info easily found via Google.

[lensta]

My bank charges 100 Baht for an over the counter transaction with a foreign card, As far as I know there is no limit for over the counter transactions like there is on the ATM's

[JamJar]

2 hours ago, jippytum said:

I have used a UK debit card for Lloyds UK and withdrawn unlimited funds at the foreign desk of both Bangkok and SCB branches showing only passport  for decades.There is no charge for the transaction in either country .You also are given the exchange rate at the time as you are changing your foreign currency of choice  into Thai Baht in cash or deposit direct to your account.

 

Absolute nonsense. 

 

Lloyds:

 

NON-STERLING TRANSACTION FEE 2.99% + £1 per purchase

CASH WITHDRAWAL FEE (NON-STERLING FEE WILL ALSO BE CHARGED)  1.5% min. £2 max £4.50

 

So you cannot avoid the 2.99% foreign exchange fee. Likely you won't see that on your statement.

As to whether you also get charged the cash withdrawal fee, it depends on how the cash advance is classified.

 

But your assertion that there is no charge for the transaction is wholly misplaced.

 

The next time you do this, post the exact figures involved, together with the dates and we will tell you how much has been charged in hidden (or not so hidden) fees.

 

Lloyds is one of the worst debits cards for foreign travel.

Look here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges

Edited May 23, 2017 by JamJar

[KBsinter]

Took 5,000bht out  with UK debit card just looked 117gbp taken out and that was inside 

my Krungsri bank where I have a currency account,and I thought they liked me .........lol

[BernieOnTour]

8 hours ago, sanemax said:

There is no charge for local ATM cards (at you own bank )

You would not have been paying an ATM fee , if you used a Kasikorn bank card

Unfortunately, that is only half of the full truth:

The No Fees for ATM are only applied in the same city. Should you use it in another city, you have to pay a fee -however far lower than the ATM fees for foreign CCs-.

[Enoon]

 

With much trepidation I have used the counter method twice in Thailand, once at Kasikorn in Soi Bukhao and once at Krungsri in Korat City.

 

On both occasions I was charged the usual fee that my UK bank levies on all overseas Debit Card transactions (in this case the cash withdrawal variety).

 

On neither occasion did the Thai bank charge me a fee (as would have happened if I had used the ATM).

 

Overseas transaction fees vary with different UK banks and their cards, some are zero but most are not.

 

No doubt Thai Banks will catch on and start to charge for the method.

 

It sounds as if some have already.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2017 by Enoon

[bazza73]

I would only use my Australian debit cards here for emergencies. I have a Kasikorn debit card, also for emergencies.

Card skimming is apparently quite common here. I use a bank savings book and make cash withdrawals. That's effectively scam-proof. And it costs nothing.

[sanemax]

3 hours ago, BernieOnTour said:

Unfortunately, that is only half of the full truth:

The No Fees for ATM are only applied in the same city. Should you use it in another city, you have to pay a fee -however far lower than the ATM fees for foreign CCs-.

Although when I said "your own bank". I did mean it in the sense of the branch where you opened your account

[LammyTS1]

On 22 May 2017 at 4:23 PM, Chivas said:

19 years a customer with scb and they simply will not do a counter withdrawal period. No question of 4% they simply wont do it. ATM only sir stated politely

I did a counter withdrawal at SCB last month. They charged me 300 baht without notifying me. I complained and got the 300 baht back from the branch. 

[LammyTS1]

I've been using my UK clarity credit card weekly for the past 6 months and always get free counter withdrawals with no limit at all banks and exchange booths. 

 

I once withdrew 75,000 baht from Bangkok bank to buy a bike. I usually withdraw 40,000 at a time.

 

No Thai bank fees and no foreign transaction fees. I also get the MasterCard exchange rate which is better than Thai banks and exchange booths. 

 

The only time I was charged was at SCB. 300 baht but I complained and got the cash back in my hand(after a lot of debate).