Need urgently help with the Bangkok bank card

[Samacha]

Hello forum community, 

I am a thai citizen that just returned from Germany after 27 years (I am 28 years old), so you could say I been living in Europe for most ofy life haha.  I DO NOT speak thai lol ( you don't believe me?), my dad is a aussie, so you could say we only spoke english, German at home. So now back to my case. This week I open a bank account with my mom at the bangkok bank, it's suppose to be the biggest bank in the country right? Went their and put 500 bath into the account no trouble etc. They gave me a union pay dibit card, I thought everything was fine. We'll now I wanted to buy things online via ebay or ali express, guess what made my jaws nearly drop?  Yeah I can't use this crappy union pay card at all, I can't even link it wit my paypal account.... and the worst case I can't make any orders with amazon eighter. Omg all my favourite  online shops I can't buy a thing.

 

All shops require a visa card. So what should I do?  I was planning to go to the bank today afternoon and request for a visa card or cancel my account.

 

My question is IF I cancel my account do I get the deposit back? 

 

And also if they don't give me a visa card (for what reason), which bank should I use? 

 

Yeah a thai that doesn't speak thai has problems living in this country haha. But I just start learning the language, so bear with me lol. 

 

Thank you for any kind of response or advice 

 

 

 

[lopburi3]

Every bank has Visa debit cards - but be aware many are ATM/Merchant only and even if usable online special activation may be required.  As a Thai you may have received a credit card however.

 

Bangkok Bank has Visa cards - but they do not want to provide unless forced - as they have financial ties to that Union Card system.  Insist on it.  They will probably have to order with a week delay and try to get you to forget it that way.  If no help and refuse to close account (they hate to close accounts at all banks) just take card to ATM and withdraw what is in the account.  These cards do work fine in ATM and offer added security from cloning.  

Edited August 9, 2017 by lopburi3

[Crossy]

+1 on what L3 says, there are a number of forum threads on the subject of Bangkok Bank and Visa debit cards.

 

[MJCM]

I can not confirm what L3 said as we tried it today as my wife forgot her pin code and they refused to give her another "Visa" branded card, even when we "threatened" to close the account (which has a substantial amount (well over 500k) they didn't budge, said this is the only one they issue [emoji36] So she had to settle for that (Union Pay branded card. Tried to pay stuff with it a Tops, and guess what, refused (and yes it is active and allowed to pay for at merchants (we checked)) and had to use another Banks account to pay for stuff.

 

I only hope that my Visa BBL ATM will last and last [emoji6]

 

[ben2talk]

+1 on what L3 says, there are a number of forum threads on the subject of Bangkok Bank and Visa debit cards.
 

After my experiences with a few 'banks' I'm left with Kasikorn being the closest thing to a 'real' bank. Cards work well for everything - PayPal, Lazada etc and nice K Plus app which they think you'll use and get charged for.

Sometimes cash is just easier.


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[Mrjlh]

I'm confused as to what you are calling a "union pay branded card" .  I have a BB Be1st card and it has the "VISA" logo on it.  I can use it every where no trouble.  Even other bank ATMs . On the internet you need to get a "special code" which you need to enter during the purchase. First you have to ask for this card other wise you get just an ATM card. Secondly it's not a credit card. It's only as good as the funds in the bank.  As the OP is Thai and hopefully uses his Thai ID he should be able to get a "credit card". Again it will be tied to his ability to pay the balance such as having a job or income. Your credit limit is dependent on that. But it isn't very large. That's been my experience after 10 years here.

[MJCM]

The Visa BBL card (you have currently) is phased (or being phased) out, so if you go into a BBL branch they will not give you a VISA branded card anymore but one that has NO VISA logo on it, but a UNION PAY logo.

 

As Crossy already said, there are a couple of threads about this already, as I am on a mobile device I can't post any links.

[lopburi3]

The visa smart card version is openly offered on their current website so believe it is available if you are willing to wait for it.

 

[MJCM]

The visa smart card version is openly offered on their current website so believe it is available if you are willing to wait for it.

 

That's the one we wanted but in the branch we were told ONLY Union Pay, we could have waited for weeks, but not available according to them.

Will take that picture with me and will show in another branch when we go.

[Crossy]

I don't go in the branch often, but last week there was a large free-standing display next to the ATMs.

 

Advertising ...

 

... the Visa Be1st card.

 

[MJCM]

When you go in next time and it's still there, can you shoot a picture ?

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, MJCM said:

When you go in next time and it's still there, can you shoot a picture ?

Wilco, but my luck means it will have gone

 

[longball53098]

I just received my new Be1st Smart chip card from BBL here in Ban Chang. I went in a week or so ago to request a new ATM/Debit card to replace my damaged one. When I asked for the Visa type card and not the Union Pay card she quickly replied a week wait for the new Visa card. I said no problem.

The discussion was over with no refusals or anything. I paid 100 baht for the new card.

 

Picked up the card yesterday with the Visa logo on the front. Have not tried the card yet at a point of sale or on line but I feel it will work fine.

[Samacha]

So I fixed everything/:) did what you Gus advised. Bangkok bank offered a visa in 7 days. And I open also a Kasikorn account which I got immiadtly


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[MJCM]

A friend send me this picture, was taken this morning in Bangkok Bank

 

Unfortunately NO Visa Card Promotion in sight. He could not ask any staff members as it was very busy and he was in a bit of a hurry.

[4evermaat]

On 8/15/2017 at 10:21 PM, lopburi3 said:

The visa smart card version is openly offered on their current website so believe it is available if you are willing to wait for it.

 

On 8/15/2017 at 10:35 PM, MJCM said:

 

That's the one we wanted but in the branch we were told ONLY Union Pay, we could have waited for weeks, but not available according to them.

Will take that picture with me and will show in another branch when we go.

 

 

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/Be1stVisaDebitCard/Pages/Be1stRabbit.aspx

or the plain version:

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

 

I remember getting a replacement card a few months ago.  At first, the guy wanted to do the union pay version.  I insisted on the Visa debit card.  Then another woman working there said there was a Visa card.

 

Have you tried a different branch?