150 baht fee to be charged to foreign ATM cardholders

[hhfarang]

That will depend on your own bank's personal card limit as well of course - I can't withdraw more than 15,000 baht at current exchange rates.

I used to have that same limit when the dollar was down to around 30 baht.

I called my U.S. bank, explained the situation to them (that I get my pension through the ATM and the rate keeps changing) when they had a $500 per day limit and asked them to raise it. To my surprise, they said "What would you like your limit to be". When I said $1200 U.S.D. per day they did it with no questions asked. Maybe you just need to talk to your banker...

[JimmyGreaves]

In the yellow ATM`s (Bank of Ayathoya) you can witdraw 20000 each time.

Not on my UK Nationwide card. Used to be able to withdraw 20,000 but now 15.000 as said, exchange rates.

[hhfarang]

JG,

As I said in my last post, call them and see if they will raise the limits. It sounds like the U.K. banks have about the same default limit per day as the U.S. banks but I was amazed to find that they would raise it just because I asked them to. Maybe your U.K. bank is flexible about the limit and you just don't know (like me) because you never asked and just accepted the default daily limit.

It's worth a try.

[smiles]

The losses mount: my description would go something like this ... after Thai baht spat into my hand at the 7-11 ATM just down the street, I'm out Exchange rate conversion fee + $5 'withdrawal-out-of-country' fee on Canadian end + 150 baht fee on Thai end 'just-because-it's-doable' + probably some smaller fees I can't recall + future ripoffs as the banks attempt to recoup recession-related screwups + 'something' piddling for 7-11

[lomuamart]

Smiles,
Well said. Money makes the world go round - especially if you're getting it from someone else.

[Khundon1975]

That will depend on your own bank's personal card limit as well of course - I can't withdraw more than 15,000 baht at current exchange rates.

Cheers everyone, that's good to know.

Wanderlust

It's strange as we withdrew 50 to 60k on many occasions from Kasikorn bank ATM but only let us have 15k each time but we could do it many times a day with no total amount limit.
The only limit was the 15k each transaction.

[Nereus]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/eco ... s-atm-fees

The Thai Bankers' Association will ask local banks to cut fee charges for foreign cardholders using local ATMs, according to association secretary-general Twatchai Yongkittikul.

He said the TBA would hold talks among its members about current fees.

But he cautioned that any cuts would likely be marginal, as most of the fees represented charges imposed for international network access and simply passed on to end-users.

Since mid-April, foreign cardholders withdrawing funds from local ATMs have been charged 150 baht per transaction.

Dr Twatchai said the fee largely came from new transaction charges imposed by international service providers MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Worldwide to cover interchange network costs.

Local banks, which had previously absorbed the expenses, are now looking to pass on their own operating expenses to customers, arguing that the fees charged in Thailand are in line with expenses charged for cross-border ATM transactions in other countries.

Dr Twatchai acknowledged that a number of foreign tourists and expatriates had complained about the added fees.

At a minimum, he said, local banks should communicate better with customers about the expenses banks incur for processing international transactions.

"Local banks should give more information about fees on the ATM screen, and then customers can make their own choice about whether to continue with the transaction," Dr Twatchai said.

"The TBA will try to raise awareness about the issue. Unfortunately, right now many foreign customers have a negative view of local banks due to the fee issue."

But a MasterCard spokesman denied that the 150-baht ATM access fee imposed by many Thai banks stemmed from any recent fee change or initiative by the company. The spokesman said MasterCard last notified member banks in October 2007 about a 0.2-percentage-point increase in fees effective from January 2008 under cross-border agreements. Since then, no other fee increases have been made related to ATM charges.

[BaaBaa.]

What a lying Twatchai!

[pitsch]

Today I withdraw money with my Swiss bank card from Kasikorn ATM in Lotus Pranburi. There was no fee at all.

Is this the case with all Kasikorn ATM's? Any experience?

[PeteC]

Me too. I withdrew a large amount from BAY in two separate transactions and the screen indicated before the transaction started: Fee: 0. Pete

PS: One card was an ATM from a USA bank, and one was a debit card from the same bank.

[lazerlab]

non charging banks.

[BaaBaa.]

Several people on another forum are confirming that Kasikorn has succumbed to the darkside as of today.

[Mr T]

My bank in the UK is Abbey and yesterday I withdrew 10,000B from the bank of Ayudhya and there was no charge but today got hit for the 150B from the Kasikorn bank, Booo..
Abbey have been shocking since we moved over, I cant tell them enough times I am in Thailand they still block my cards time after time, can be a real pain, if it wasnt for Skype I would have some crazy phone bills.

[lomuamart]

My bank in the UK is Abbey and yesterday I withdrew 10,000B from the bank of Ayudhya and there was no charge but today got hit for the 150B from the Kasikorn bank, Booo..
Abbey have been shocking since we moved over, I cant tell them enough times I am in Thailand they still block my cards time after time, can be a real pain, if it wasnt for Skype I would have some crazy phone bills.

I've had the same problem with Barclays. Nowadays, I make a diary note - normally 3 months ahead - and make sure I call their security centre again. I must admit though that using my wife's mobile and the discounted packages that are available, no call costs more than 100 Baht.
Remember to call early in the morning here as at least the Barclays centre is open 24 hours and at 1am UK time hopefully there's not much of a queue on the line.

[Wanderlust]

They accept reverse charge calls if you have the right number to call, which is for the Barclays Fraud Prevention Unit. If anyone wants it either PM me or I'll dig it out and post it and how to make reverse charge calls on here.