Always exciting at the Thai ATM
Debiting at a Thai ATM is always an adventure. It is not like in the Netherlands and Belgium, where everything is boring and predictable: you insert your card, press a few buttons and then the piece of plastic and then the banknotes come out.
The system side
No, then Thailand, nice and exciting every time. You push the card into the ATM and give a payment order. Then the device workflow splits. There are four options.
- The money comes out and then the card.
- The money comes out, but the card is swallowed.
- The money does not come out, but the card is spit out.
- The money does not come out and the card is swallowed.
The best scenario is of course A, as we are used to in the Low Countries. A little less attractive is C, but it is not to get desperate. After all, this ATM apparently does not accept the card, but is polite enough to slide it back so that you can try again at another ATM a hundred meters away.
B and D are more annoying, but B then has the relative advantage that you can usually last a few days with the money that has come out of the ATM. Especially if you have a Thai bank card, there is still time to apply for a new one. D is the most disappointing, because then you don't have a card and possibly hardly any money left.
The human side
As any modern manager can tell you, everything has a system side and a people side. The PIN experience on the human side also has four variations.
- The alert pinner. He does not leave until the card and money have come out of the machine.
- The dull pinner version 1. He leaves with the money, but forgets the card.
- The dull pinner version 2. He leaves with the card, but forgets the money.
- The total of the world being pinner. He forgets both the money and the card.
A difference between B and C is that B can actually only occur in Thailand and C in the Netherlands and Belgium. Reason: in Thailand the machine first spits out the money, then the card. In the Netherlands and Belgium it is exactly the other way around. That can be confusing and it often goes wrong.
Personal outpouring
In the Netherlands, C (human side) has happened to me. I had quite a lot on my mind and walked away with a card, but no money. Two hundred meters away I suddenly had an incongruous idea: I had forgotten to take out the money. I ran back to the ATM and luckily I found a friendly bum there who handed me the money, a few hundred euros anyway.
In Thailand I never had C and D (both human side). Almost a few times, when at the last moment I suddenly thought: hey, I mustn't forget my card. But recently scenario D (system side) happened to me. No money, card came back half way and then was stuck. I tugged a little harder, but the device counteracted by swallowing the plastic gem completely.
The morbid bahtpoeper in the picture
The morbid bahtpoeper in the picture
This blue ATM is located on the Jomtien Beach Road in front of a Seven Eleven, right next to Wombat and the well-known Tulip House. It is wise not to use a debit card here, all the more so because upon inquiry there were more often problems with unsolicited swallowing of cards.
Service from the various banks
There was a phone number on the ATM. Of course, only Thai is spoken on the other end of the line, so I asked my stepdaughter to call the office. “Can we get the card back?” “No, you can't, because of this and that.” "Oh, maybe..." "No, that's not possible either, have a new one made at your bank, you've lost that card forever."
Fortunately, as an expat, I have an account plus card at the Bangkok Bank. A day later I had a new card, free of charge (!). Well after a lot of stamps and signatures and I had to take a picture again, but I was happy that I could take it with me immediately and safety first of course.
Unnecessary pause while pinning
What also doesn't help on the human side is the pause between pushing the money and spitting the card back. In the meantime, you will be asked whether or not you want a proof of acceptance. To combat climate change and sea level rise, you are given the opportunity to leave this unnecessary note for what it is. Everything is fine with me and I don't need that piece of paper. And so does that last question. After all, it could also be asked after everything has been returned.
The best seems to me: money and card, in any order, in rapid succession. And if possible, a clearly audible 'PING' between the two actions. Because I'm a bit of a dull pinner sometimes.
Tip: preferably pin at an ATM of your own bank (which I did not do myself), if you have a Thai bank of course. And preferably in or near the building of that bank. There is a good chance that you will simply get your card back.
The title and content give the impression that ATMs in Thailand would be problematic to use.
In my 15 years of experience, that is absolutely not the case.
Card (card) swallowed has never happened to me in Thailand. This applies to bank cards from European banks and Thai banks.
It happened a few times that no money came out of the machine, because the money supply in the machine was used up. This is very occasionally the case during longer holiday periods, around the New Year, Song Crane, etc ...
In my experience, ATMs, including in Thailand, almost always do what they are supposed to do.
A bit of an exciting story but for me like Mark, also over 15 years, it has never been a problem and always hassle free. No then my new ING card, it wasn't that great. Every time I got the message Transaction canceled contact your bank!!!! Get a new card now but with Maestro on it and hope it works.
Limit too low? Or the pass is not set to 'world'.
Then the Thai will not receive an agreement and the transfer will indeed be aborted.
Best regards,
The first time the pass was indeed not set to “world”. It's strange because I've had the old pass on the world for a long time. So put on world and tried again 4x but always the same text. Spoke to ING and after checking they could only conclude that everything was in order, but they said: well, it may happen that the card is not accepted by the bank / ATM, which is why we will send you a new one. No, the limit is not too low.
Mark,
we were sitting in the sofa and a couple asked us for help.
Their card had been swallowed.
They had already spoken to the branch manager of the bank, but this did not yield a good result.
They would fly back in 2 days, had used up their stash of money and would withdraw money for 2 days.
The ATM was next to the bangkok bank in a shopping center in Bangkok.
The bank told us that they could not open the machine and that the card was shredded by default.
I later understood that a card is also shredded in the Netherlands.
That a card is shredded by the ATM is nonsense, I once forgot my card in Thailand and after the necessary discussions only got it back after 3 days, those 3 days are not abnormal because it was an ATM that was not at a bank and the machine is not refilled daily and at the same time the swallowed cards are taken out by the courier and taken to the main branch. However, never admit that it was your mistake, but always put the mistake at the machine, otherwise you will not get it back anyway. In Belgium, your card is not shredded either, so I assume that does not happen in the Netherlands either. The best advice is indeed to withdraw money from a bank branch during the Bank's opening hours, then you will receive your card back immediately.
This is not always the case I forgot my bank card at my bank's atm and they couldn't return it immediately because they can't get in and have to wait for the courier to come with money to top up I had my card back after 4 days (bangkok bank loei ) but no problem, had them back
Herman,
Maybe not nonsense.
see here the answer of ABN Amro.
https://www.abnamro.nl › en › private › payment › debit card › debit card-ingested.html
recently swallowed – debit card – ABN AMRO
No. You do not have to stay at the machine, the pass will not come back. This falls into a special container in the ATM. Debit cards found will be destroyed for security reasons. So it cannot be abused. Unfortunately, it is not possible to get your old pass back.
I don't know if Thailand uses a different system.
Had something similar about 15 years ago in Bangkok, the machine took my Dutch pass. Then I briefly spoke to the bank clerk there and told him that I was going to report the theft of my bank card because the card was confiscated by the bank (machine) even though they had no reason or right to do so. Well, he didn't look happy, he probably thought he was a troublesome foreigner, and the next day I was allowed to pick up my pass again because they had neatly removed it from the machine.
Had it once at the Siam Commercial Bank on Jomtien (more than 25 years ago) only swallowed on Friday, bank just closed, waiting for mom, put it back in on Monday, swallowed again, went in and was then well helped. also concerned a bank card from the SCB) I have the best experience with pins at Krungsri, also the app and everything around it is fantastic. You do have to sign a huge amount of papers with the application, but the service is always great.
I always go to an ATM at a bank (my bank) and a security guard helps me there.
Then it will certainly go well
never happened to me either. Well (twice) in GREECE.= Europe. HG.
I've also never had any problems with Thai ATMs, they are just expensive for foreigners.
Never had any problems with the ATM until now. Unless I had set a limit that was too low. Long live internet banking.
I almost always pin with a Revolut card. If it is ever swallowed, I still have my regular cards available.
I don't know in Thailand, but in some countries you can also do all kinds of transactions with the ATM. I once stood waiting behind a female person, who took ample time for it, as a result of which my patience ran out completely. But because of all that dawdling, the device swallowed the card at a certain point. The lady in front of me was in all states because of that, but I was enjoying myself.
What a person can not enjoy….
A striking thing is that the ATMs in Thailand always show the balance on Thai accounts after the transaction has ended. That is something I have never seen in the Netherlands.
That can sometimes be difficult if someone (also possible or perhaps family) is standing next to / behind you.
Never had any problems myself.
In addition to debit cards, they also have many other options that you do not have in NL / EU.
And don't feel any less secure while using this service.
Have an account at the Bangkok bank.
And with the app on my phone I can withdraw money at an ATM without needing the debit card.
Handy, you can't forget that either.
What I do find strange (but yes, it is Thailand) is that my account was opened in Pattaya.
For example, if I go to ATM in Buriram at an ATM of the Bangkok bank, I pay 15 baht in costs.
Solved as a frugal Dutchman by transferring baht to my girlfriend's account with the telephone (free of charge), she can immediately withdraw money from her bank (Krung Thai) in the village.
In due course, open an account in Buriram to close it in Pattaya.
Indeed, if you have an account with BKK bank in Bangkok, for example, and you use a debit card in Korat at a branch of BKK bank, you will pay costs. as soon as you are outside the province where you have your account at a bank branch, you will pay per transaction, imagine that you have an account in the Netherlands with bank X in Leeuwarden and you go to a branch of the same bank X in Maastricht and you then have to pay costs because you are in another province, then things will explode in the Netherlands, in Thailand it is very normal and let's not give the Dutch banks an idea now
Fortunately, I have never had an ATM swallow my card
This was also the case in NL years ago, I had a Rabo account in Rotterdam, but if I wanted to withdraw money in Groningen, extra costs were charged.
I also regularly use the ATM in Bangkok. Never any problems and with a Thai bank account no costs except for guest use and what a pleasure that there is an ATM on almost every street corner and otherwise in the shopping malls. They can learn something from this in the Netherlands, where you will find few machines and regularly malfunction (Geldmaat)
Guest use does indeed cost money, but so does the use of an ATM of your own bank outside the region where you opened your account.
So I opened a new bank account when I moved from Bangkok to Udonthani. (my wife too)
This ingestion is especially annoying for tourists who live in another country and do not have a local bank account. I once experienced it myself in Hungary that my card was swallowed and I also did not receive any money. Inside the bank in question, she also refused to give me the debit card back, so I was able to borrow money from a travel companion with great difficulty to finish my holiday. That is why I am very disappointed that you can no longer buy Traveler checks anywhere in the Netherlands, which were insured in the event of loss and were simply delivered to your hotel when a loss was reported, so it was much more reliable than the debit card, but unfortunately no Dutch bank that want to sell them
Yes, that was a lot less when they came up with the wonderful idea to abolish traveler checks, there was nothing better than this at the time. They do have a kind of pass with the authority, but whether that is a success. Also costs extra money .
Oh well, always a problem that money. Don't lose it one way or the other. The fact remains that in Thailand the money comes first. Comes out of the ATM (???) and then the pass comes back. This is European usage.
This caused a lot of problems on my first Thai trip. Now I use WISE and can exchange my credit at a good rate and pay with the wisecard in Thailand. No exchange tricks from banks and no withdrawal costs at the ATMs.
Pardon
But also with Wise, recording costs up to 220THB per recording. Even if there is Thai baht on the debit card.
In addition, from 250 euros in withdrawals, a rate of 2,2% per withdrawal applies.
That is why only large amounts can be withdrawn with Wise. 20000B if possible.
Best regards,
FrankyR, I think Jan Tuerlings does not take cash, but pays with his Wise card.
Then you have no recording costs.
When I need THB in cash, I use Wise to transfer money cheaply to my girlfriend's Thai account, and she withdraws cheaply from the ATM.
Favorable exchange rate and not too many further costs.
I have had problems with a Thai ATM twice.
Both times my (Dutch) bank card came back, but no money was provided. And then it turned out that the amount had been debited from my bank account. The first time there was even a transaction receipt that made it seem as if I had received the amount.
Fortunately, both times eventually received the money back from the (Dutch) bank, but that takes at least 3 months.
I don't know if that is still the case, but a long time ago I used my Dutch debit card in Thailand, but the money did not come out of the machine because it was empty. He reported that nicely.
However, the amount was debited from my account. Two months later I got it refunded to my Dutch bank account. Perhaps ATMs now check whether they have the money before they create a transaction.
It is also always exciting whether or not you have to pay a fee for a cash withdrawal here with your Thai ATM card, if you use a machine from a different bank to withdraw money than the one from your debit card. 10, 20 baht or even more. It is not indicated in advance whether you agree with this.
correct, we are always looking for a BKK bank ATM, even if I am in our own region and I would withdraw money from Siam Commercial bank or Krungthai bank then I have to pay costs, again something that is not in the Netherlands, imagine that you in Utrecht with your ING only withdraw money from Rabo and you have to pay costs, even then the tent will explode, let's not help the Dutch bank with an idea
Since September 2021, Rabobank has charged withdrawal costs when you withdraw money differently than at a Geldmaat or Rabobank machine.
And ABN AMRO also charges costs (€5 per withdrawal + 0,5% of the debit card amount) if you have debited more than €12.000 in a period of one year.
That seems like a lot, but if you were to withdraw € 250 weekly, you would already be above it.
The tent did not explode, but criminals regularly detonate ATMs.
Debiting 250 euros per week at the ATM is a lot, I personally don't pin it in a year.
You don't really need cash anywhere in the Netherlands.
It is therefore not surprising that banks find that customers for whom they still have to maintain this facility also ask those customers to pay for it.
I clearly disagree with you on that, but that's not the discussion. I myself try to pay as much as possible in cash, in the Netherlands, but certainly in Thailand. An earlier response from you shows that you are price-conscious with regard to withdrawing money from a Thai ATM. In the Netherlands, however, you do not use an ATM, of course completely your own decision, and you do not care that banks are asking more and more money for it. Everyone has their own opinion but I think it's mine.
I would also rather not use an ATM in Thailand, but in Thailand you still need cash in many places, simply because something else is not accepted.
In the Netherlands, cash is no longer needed, even collections and market vendors can be paid with a debit card, possibly contactless.
With friends and acquaintances you can pay quickly and free of charge with a payment request or tikkie or whatever it's called.
Maintaining the ATM machines in the Netherlands also costs the banks money, and fewer and fewer customers use them, so it is logical that those customers will pay more and more.
I also think mine of the large Dutch banks, and that is not exactly positive, but I think it is logical that they want to see ATM use paid, it has to be paid for from somewhere.
I live in a market near Khon Kaen.
There I see that almost every seller has a laminated card with the bank's QR code in it.
So at our market and probably at many markets in Thailand you can pay with your phone in the banking app.
Indeed Jos, on the market of Khon Kaen, at coffee shops, street stalls with food and so on. QR codes everywhere and pay the bill digitally. Very handy if you have a Thai bank account. Several friends (BKK, KKC) said they had practically not used cash for a few years.
Saw an interview yesterday with Mrs. Lefevre of the European Bank, who thinks it is normal that European countries will ban cash payments larger than 1000 euros. You risk a fine or imprisonment.
China is cited as a good example, with control, the social card, and with facial recognition on the street.
Things are going in the wrong direction: control, control, control. And that with your own money. I pay in cash as much as possible. Maybe not always convenient, but very safe.
Never any problems with the ATM cash dispenser.
However, when obtaining a new debit card from the bank. This time no Maestro or Visa, but V-pay.
It doesn't work everywhere at cash registers. Just exchange at the bank.
Another (minor) annoyance is the division of banks into 'branch'. (region)
You can withdraw money anywhere in the EU without withdrawal fees. But here a few kilometers away can already cost money… small change, but still.
Quote: Because sometimes I am a bit of a dull pinner.
If you are, then almost all the problems you describe here in the article are not the machine's fault, but your own.
I have been using ATM here for 20 years with my Thai debit card and from my Thai account. Never encountered any problem. Even with most ATM's, when it 'spits out' your card there is usually an audible beep. But yes, some people just have problems with EVERYTHING.
Not everyone is as great as you, Lung addie.
I experience that more and more every day here and I also see it in the file questions I receive.
So every day you experience more and more that you are so wonderful, Lung Addie?
Because you write that literally.
Just use cardless ATM then you can't forget your card and you don't have any costs if you pin outside the province where you have your account. This is only for your thai bill.
Have absolutely no problems with the Thai ATMs, except that occasionally 100 notes cannot be issued outside the city. The only time my card was swallowed was eleven years ago when I simply forgot to take it out of the slot.
I have been using a Thai and a Dutch debit card in Thailand for more than 20 years, never had any problems, except that no money came out, but then I just got my card back.
In the vast majority of cases, of course, it goes just fine. Especially at ATMs of well-known banks such as Bangkok Bank, SCB, TMB et cetera. My warning is just not to just withdraw from 'fuzzy' machines, like that blue thing (photo) on the Jomtien Beach Road. And no, it was really not my fault - contrary to what a few know-it-alls claim here - that the card was swallowed just like that.
So rather walk a hundred meters further to a reliable ATM. That's the gist of my article, although I've rambled around it for fun.
The warning for “fuzzy” vending machines actually applies to the whole world.
In many countries, ATMs that are not from a well-known bank only deliver their money with extreme costs. I have also been “swindled” by such an ATM in Berlin, a fee of 5 euros was charged, while a normal ATM from a German bank just does that without costs.
With us in Belgium if your card has been swallowed, you will receive a message from the bank that your card is in the bank in Thailand.
I do have problems at many ATMs with my Rabobank card with maestro, a world pass and Asia activated. the pass has a red blue dot near the maestro.
Now many vending machines have the red yellow dot and you cannot use a pin here. In Patong there were only a few machines that I have seen, with 1 at the Krung bank, which was closed the other day in the scaffolding, and 1 in Jungcilon shopping center and here there are 14 machines in the basement, but all with a yellow red dot.
Checked this with Rabobank, and there are no other cards with the yellow red dot, only a credit card from Rabobank.
Personally, I have been coming to Thailand for more than 32 years and have lived there since 2011, the last two years of which for health reasons in the Netherlands. When I traveled back and forth from NL to TH and back, I always took enough cash with me. Approx. 3.000 guilders per month. If I planned to stay in TH for 3 months, I would take over 9.000 guilders with me. I always exchanged at the exchange offices for a sloppy 1.000 guilders at a relatively favorable rate. So no hassle with bank cards or I know what.
Later when I moved to TH I took out a number of accounts with different Thai Banks with cards. And generally just personally took money from my account at the counter of the relevant bank. Very occasionally, when the banks were closed and I had forgotten to get money in time, I sometimes used my ATM card. By the way, never had any problems with an ATM.
I don't understand very well why people want to pin with a NL card at an ATM in TH. That, in my opinion, is asking for trouble. And when you're on vacation, you don't want any trouble at all, so why take any risk. Just bring enough cash with you.
Dear,
I did that before too. But since 2021 or something like that I can't order notes of 100 euros from my bank (ing).
Because of terrorism blah blah and so on. 1000 euros in notes of 50 euros is a lot more difficult.
Let alone 3000 euros in cash.
Best regards,
Hallo,
Yes, I understand what you mean. Especially if you want to take something close to EUR 10.000. But there is a solution for that. I myself am a casino visitor. What I do is buy chips worth EUR 10.000 upon entry and pay with my credit card. Then spend a few hours in the casino (eat, play, drink and chat). Because I bet small, the risk of losing a lot is negligible. Before I leave the casino I exchange the chips for cash and that is optional. So you can get yourself paid with notes of EUR 500. Twenty EUR 500 notes can hardly be called a 'pack'. So problem solved. And six notes of EUR 500 is no problem at all.
Fr., Gr.,
SiamTon
Although 500 euro banknotes are legal tender, they have not been put into circulation since September 2019. It seems to me strong that in 2023 you will be paid in these notes at Holland Casino when exchanging chips. Buying chips with your credit card will cost you 4% of the value, i.e. € 400 with a withdrawal of 10.000 euros in chips. Incidentally, you will have to declare this at Schiphol for amounts from 10.000 euros.
Last June I was back in Thailand for the first time after more than 2 years of corona misery. Checked into a hotel in the Sukhumvit area, and then looked for a good massage. After a good massage with some extras, I settled with the lady in question. I had forgotten that I had also paid a deposit in the hotel. The lady quietly walked 300 meters to the ATM of the Kasikornbank, but when the flaps came out, it was I also forgot to take out my pass. Fortunately, the massage lady had seen this and pointed it out to me. All's well that ends well.