ATM Charges

[Guest lvdkeyes]

You can now add Government Bank to the list of Thai banks that charge 150 baht to use a foreign ATM card. Now the only option for free usage is Aeon Bank. There is an Aeon ATM located on the ground floor at Carrefour in Pattaya (It has been out of order the two times I tried to use it). There is also one outside of Homeworks on Sukhumvit Rd. I got money from there yesterday without the 150 baht charge.

[Guest fountainhall]

Now the only option for free usage is Aeon Bank

 

Whaddaya bet it's only a matter of time?

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I am not a betting man, but if I were, I would have to say not long.

[Guest tdperhs]

Here's a new one. I have an account with Siam Commercial in Pattaya. Yesterday I was in Buriram. I went to the ATM at the Siam Commercial Bank and withdrew 5000 Baht. I was charged 20 baht. I just returned today so I have not had a chance to determine why this happened. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that banks are more expensive than they are worth. How long will it be before they start charging a service fee for depositing money into one's own account?

[Guest OfficeMax]

I could be wrong but my understanding with Siam Commercial is if you withdraw in your "registered area" (If Pattaya account then in Chon Buri area) you are not charged 20 baht but if out of "registered area" there is a 20 B charge.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

That is correct and you will be charged if you deposit money into your account if you are out of your registered area. This happened to my bf after he moved here.

[Gaybutton]

That's right. It's nothing new. Thai banks charge fees for transactions outside of your home service area. I have no idea where the boundaries are, but that's what these banks do. Considering that it is all centralized, I also have no idea why it's done this way, but there it is. Yet another item for my "I Don't Get It" list.

[Guest]

The logic is "We banks can make these illogical charges stick because there is insufficient effective competition in the market place".

 

I don't know if Thailand has an "Office of Fair Trading" or banking regulator to step in where there are concerns. Even if they did step in, I guess they would only tackle the charges for domestic customers.

 

I predict similar charges creeping in to the UK, now 2 of our largest banks are controlled by the government & one of them has a 33% share of retail banking.

[Guest ziv77]

I am wondering how much energy people here waste to discuss ATM. All over the world you must pay these charges when using ATM, so Thailand did not invent that. More, you argue about really small monies, but on the other hand spend 1500 Baht for a fuck without saying a word.

[Gaybutton]

I am wondering how much energy people here waste to discuss ATM. All over the world you must pay these charges when using ATM, so Thailand did not invent that. More, you argue about really small monies, but on the other hand spend 1500 Baht for a fuck without saying a word.

Looking at the writing style, I wonder if the name 'Loeploh' means anything to you.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

150 baht for each withdrawal is not small monies if you withdraw 3-4 times a month, that's $16-20 USD or $190-240 USD per year. You compare it to "a fuck", which is pleasurable (most of the time). You can't compare apples to oranges. BTW, Aeon still does not charge the 150 baht fee.

[Guest fountainhall]

For what it's worth , I do most of my banking at HSBC. Now this may not be the most convenient bank since there is only one branch in the country - here on Rama 4 in Bangkok. But if you have funds in your account here, you can use the HSBC atm card at any Thai atm machine anywhere in the country to withdraw from your account with - as far as I am aware - no fee added.

 

On the other issue of the much higher fees for withdrawing funds directly from your overseas account, this is surely just the start of a trend of more fees for more services in future. Earlier in the thread, tdperhs asked. "How long will it be before they start charging a service fee for depositing money into one's own account?" Not long, would be my answer. In Japan in the late 1990s they had negative interest rates - so they penalised you for saving, all in an effort to kick-start the economy by encouraging spending

[Guest]

I am wondering how much energy people here waste to discuss ATM. All over the world you must pay these charges when using ATM, so Thailand did not invent that. More, you argue about really small monies, but on the other hand spend 1500 Baht for a fuck without saying a word.

I do not pay ATM charges here in the UK. Visitors who use selected UK ATMS will NOT PAY A FEE TO THE BANK WHO OWNS THE MACHINE.

I have travelled to the European mainland & made withdrawals without paying fees, or in come cases paying a fee of less than 50 baht.

A 150 baht fee is equivalent to £3. By any standards, this is very expensive & totally out of all proportion to the costs of providing the ATM.

 

Spending 1500 baht for a sex is a different matter. The costs for that are effectively determined by a competitive market, not some bankers cartel.

 

More importantly, what's the typical maximum cash withdrawal in Thailand? Getting as much out as possible is one way to reduce the impact of fees.

[atri1666]

Same me. Do not pay charges with visacard in complete EU and with EC-Card not in germany. When i withdraw money with my visacard in LOS they (ING-DIBA) started charging 1,25% last year. During my 3 weeks in july in pattaya have had good experience with cash. In LOS i will use ATM in future only in case of emergency.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Maximum ATM withdrawal in Thailand is 20,000 baht, hardly enough to live on for a month. Consequently, 3-4 withdrawals per month are necessary.

[Guest kotter]

Maximum ATM withdrawal in Thailand is 20,000 baht, hardly enough to live on for a month. Consequently, 3-4 withdrawals per month are necessary.

Something else that annoys me....

I went to an ATM in Big C South Pattaya. I think it was called Thanachart Bank. Put in my DEBIT card and tried to withdraw my usual 20000 baht. It kept knocking me back. So called the guy inside the bank and mentioned this and he said it only has 500 baht notes max in it and I would have to do 2x10000. I then said but that would then cost me 3oo baht for the privilege. He just nodded and smiled!! I smiled back and then went to Bangkok Bank around the corner to get the money.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Yes, the ATMs can only dispense 20 bills regardless of the denomination. The slot will only accommodate that many bills.

[Bob]

I then said but that would then cost me 3oo baht for the privilege. He just nodded and smiled!! I smiled back and then went to Bangkok Bank around the corner to get the money.

 

Presuming you come to Thailand regularly, why not just open up a bank account here - and then you can use the bank's ATM machine, at least within the province you opened the account, for free?

 

I do get a chuckle when a bank's ATM machine that is within or right outside of a bank branch runs out of 1000 baht notes. You'd think they'd at least keep those machines adequately stocked (but I'm sure the answer to that is it's somebody else's job to keep the machines filled....).

[Guest]

Paying 150 baht to withdraw 20,000 is not so bad in percentage terms.

 

However, a couple of small withdrawals near the end of the holiday when trying to be left with a small quantity of baht can soon make the costs mount up.

 

I would very much like to open a Thai bank account, but if I arrive on a 30 day stamp & stay in a hotel wouldn't I fail to meet their criteria for visa + proof of address? (presumably)

[Guest mlomker]

I would very much like to open a Thai bank account, but if I arrive on a 30 day stamp & stay in a hotel wouldn't I fail to meet their criteria for visa + proof of address? (presumably)

 

From what I've read you'd need at least a tourist visa. I don't think you'd stand a chance on a landing visa.

[Bob]

I would very much like to open a Thai bank account, but if I arrive on a 30 day stamp & stay in a hotel wouldn't I fail to meet their criteria for visa + proof of address? (presumably)

 

I've opened accounts at Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank with only the 30-day visa (exemption) deal. My guess is you can find a bank or branch of that bank that will let you open one without any problem. My first account was with Bangkok Bank and, while I had an ATM card, they wouldn't let me do the internet banking thing without more than the 30-day visa; as such, I switched to SCB and had no problem at all with the internet banking (which comes in handy for me to transfer funds, without charge, to the bf's linked SCB account with the click of a mouse).

[Guest globalwanderer]

My friend opened an account at K-Bank on a 30 day visa exemption without a problem

[Guest]

I've opened accounts at Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank with only the 30-day visa (exemption) deal. My guess is you can find a bank or branch of that bank that will let you open one without any problem. My first account was with Bangkok Bank and, while I had an ATM card, they wouldn't let me do the internet banking thing without more than the 30-day visa; as such, I switched to SCB and had no problem at all with the internet banking (which comes in handy for me to transfer funds, without charge, to the bf's linked SCB account with the click of a mouse).

 

Thanks for the info. This is slightly different to my previous & admittedly poor understanding of the procedure, so I would be grateful if you could provide some further guidance.

 

1 Which branch of the SCB opened the account? Is this a savings account?

 

2 So if I roll up with just the entry stamp in my passport, no Thai address & no written evidence of that address, can I open an account there & then? (this would not work in the UK, for example).

How quickly can I get the ATM card?

Where do they send post to?

 

3 Does the card work outside Thailand? (Just in case I leave some money in the account & am unable to return to Thailand for unforeseen circumstances)

 

If I am able to roll up with a wad of cash, open an account & get a ATM card almost immediately, then that solves a couple of my problems.

[kokopelli]

My experience was no need for address, although a temporary address, such as a hotel, may be necessary. Passport required and, I believe, cell phone number was requested, but maybe not necessary. ATM card was issued immediately. The account was a savings account. The ATM card did work outside of Thailand in my home country. I do not receive any statements by post and I do not have internet access to my account. This is with Bangkok Bank. Other banks may differ. K Bank is a good choice.

[Guest]

Looks like I shall be opening an account.

 

When I pay in a large sum of cash, do I just hand over the ATM card & the cash & presumably they hand over some form of receipt in return?

 

Or are there some illegible paying in slips to fill in by hand....