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Home » Reader question » Reader question: How can you avoid the costs of debit card payments in Thailand?
Dear readers,
I'm going to Thailand for the second time soon. What struck me last time is that you always have to pay 220 baht when you get money from the ATM. That's about €6,50! So I have to pay to withdraw my own money? What nonsense! And I don't intend to. Anyone have tips on how to get around that? I don't like opening a Thai bank account because then you also have to live in Thailand.
Regards,
French
I think only take cash.
Been taking cash with me for years, for the time I stay in Thailand.
Is the cheapest, but also risky
Hans
You see that wrong, you use a service that a foreign bank offers you to withdraw money from your Dutch account
Actually it is correct.
And there is indeed a difference in service and service.
Amounts are also bizarrely high if you already send money.
And so also with pins in Thailand.
I would almost say scam.
Let's face it, the banks don't earn enough from you.
And suppose they enter € 0,50 per transaction. Still, this is generally a lot.
It wouldn't surprise me that future money will be asked by the banks to keep your savings on it.
No, this person saw it very clearly and many people agree.
And if you stay as an annual traveler or every year for a few months a year, you may also be given an option to have a bank account there, but this is not always easy.
Well fact is, you can do this better than taking a lot of cash with you.
No the banks are like government ofw robbery and in this case robber bank
I would like a specification of every penny that makes the service costs up to this price and if possible also for sending the money to Thailand.
Debit card at Krungsri, in 1 x 30.000 Baht and then pay that € 6,50. Or bring cash and exchange at Superrich or Victory.
30.000 baht = about 900 euros. Abn allows max 300, Ing 500. Are there any Dutch banks outside Europe that allow more than 500?
I have an AbnAmro account and have never had a problem.
ABN you can indicate your limit yourself, I can withdraw 20.000 thb per day and it is indeed true. You use a Thai bank that gives you the opportunity to withdraw it from your Dutch account, so it is also logical that they charge a fee for this
Unfortunately I can't get past 17000 bht either at Krungsi.
We also take cash with us, € 9.999,99 per person is allowed.
More is also allowed, but then you have to declare it when you leave the EU.
For TH I don't know the exact amount
Cash. The best solution, and if you exchange directly at the airport below you will also get the very best rate (unlike the rate when you pint!!). I don't know how long you will go, but if you don't flash your money flashing, the risk is limited in my opinion - after all, you already walk around with a valuable passport.
You can carry up to 10,000 euros in cash (the Netherlands) without having to declare it (Thailand up to 20,000 dollars) to customs. PS: People like large denominations (200-500 euros) in really neat notes without tears or wrinkles .
I would advise against exchanging your euros at the airport. The exchange rate used there is much lower than outside the airport in my experience.
Dear Cees, then you probably exchanged on the ground floor, there are dozens of exchange offices in the basement of the airport, where they give the highest rate.
Here is a site of the most famous and most advantageous exchange offices, including Suvarnabhumi airport.
https://www.thailandexchanges.com/
hello jasper is right downstairs at the airport not upstairs downstairs can still find out which one gives the most upstairs get the most 3 to 4 bath less than prayed gr will
And then you also pay about € 6,50 to eg ING, so that each withdrawal, up to € 500. = costs you about € 13. =. Bringing cash is the best option. You can only open a Thai bank account with a Non Immigrant O visa.
No Will,
On my tourist stamp (30 days), once extended, in Bangkok ad Sukumvihtroad, near Nana station, at Bangkok Bank I opened a rack with a bank card and internet banking!
At my girlfriend's address in Ubon
Transfer enough money to my Dutch account.
Can you pick up thb from me.
Bringing cash money, yes, that seems to me the best solution.
This is possible up to the equivalent of 500.000 baht.
You can even open a bank here with a tourist visa. Don't be put off by all the wild stories. You just have to keep trying. Just try a different branch of the same bank, preferably in an area where expats live and work, and you will succeed.
Good idea if you plan to come to Thailand regularly.
I have been living in Thailand for 2 months now, non imm O visa.
Own a Bangkok bank account with debit card for almost 2 years,
obtained on tourist visa (30 days).
I did have to take an official with me when opening it
stood for me. Got a nice t shirt too.
If you don't go to Thailand regularly, I would just pay cash
take.
Happy Holidays.
In the past I always took cash with me, for three weeks or three months. What risk are you running? Nothing in my opinion. Carry the money on your body on the plane, change destination on arrival (and not at the airport in BKK, much too unfavorable) and put everything in the safe. Done.
And always save some Bahtjes when you leave. Then next time you can at least pay for the bus or taxi to your hotel.
Maryse,
If you go to -1 on Suvarnabhumi, you can exchange at Superrich or one of the others at a very favorable rate. You don't have to change upstairs when you arrive.
Exactly, that's how I always do it. I carry the money on my body, but at the check I have to take the money out again and show it. That is why before I go through the check I temporarily remove the money from my body, put it in my backpack and as soon as I have passed the check I place the 'money bag' with plastic storage compartment on the inside safely on my body. If the exchange rate of the Baht is favorable, exchange the Euros and deposit the equivalent value in a Thai bank into my and/or savings account that I only use for my temporary stay with my family in Thailand. And with the debit card I can then withdraw what I need every day. have.
Instead of cash, you can take travelers checks with you. Due to ATMs and credit cards, they have been somewhat forgotten. But you get a better rate when exchanging at a bank than for cash.
Yes, but be careful with traveler checks that you do not run out of money.
You used to be able to buy the checks at the offices of GWK Travelex, but they have since stopped offering the securities. American Express has completely stopped selling the checks in Europe, says GWK. The travel checks are all but dead, so it is better not to take them with you on a trip these days.
Cashing travelers checks
If you still have travelers checks that are gathering dust at home, you might as well exchange them. American Express says the checks won't lose their validity and can still be used while traveling, but the number of acceptance points is declining significantly. It is increasingly difficult to redeem them when you travel.
In the Netherlands you can still exchange old travelers checks for euros at an office of GWK Travelex (GWKTravelex.nl). For this you must show proof of identity and the original proof of purchase, with the name of the holder and the numbers of the checks. The travelers checks must be signed a second time in the presence of the employee. If you no longer have proof of purchase, you can receive a collection form via email from GWK Travelex customer service and send the checks directly to American Express or Thomas Cook.
Since May 2018, it is no longer possible to exchange travelers checks at the Pott Change office on Damrak in Amsterdam. You can find other locations in the Netherlands at http://www.aetclocator.com.
Last updated on November 9, 2018.
What nonsense you don't have to live in Thailand where there is a will is a way, there are plenty of agencies that can help you with a tourist visa on an account, but then you also have something.
OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT. Mot is able to open a Thai Bank Account for you. Even on a Tourist Visa. 3000 baht service charge plus 500 baht to open the account. Passport and proof of residence required. 2 Passport Photographs. Internet banking is available (additional bank charge may apply) FULL DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE AVAILABLE
https://www.mots-services.com
Just bring cash… open an account and you will receive a debit card. Costs nothing. The same with your phone…buy a SIM card and you will be rid of all your high costs….
Bringing cash is the cheapest. It is allowed up to 10.000 euros per person. I've been doing it for years. I hardly see a risk in it, after all no one knows that you have it with you.
You could open the following two bank accounts. Both work with an app on your mobile phone.
You can withdraw up to € 200 per month with one card and the other (in the Eurozone) five times free of charge.
Revolut charges 6.000% commission for more than € 2 per month. N26 charges 1,7% on all transactions.
In any case, both accounts have more favorable exchange rates than your own bank (where it is not recommended to use a debit card at the weekend because there is then a rate surcharge of 0,5% above the interbank rate on Friday).
Of course you always pin in the local currency and do not be tempted to have the ATM make a conversion into Euro.
Both accounts are basically completely free and if you use my referral links below you will receive the corresponding debit card (Visa or Master) sent to your home free of charge.
Even if you don't think it's any use now, take them both, it's free and better embarrassed than embarrassed I'd say. In all cases, register with a NL (or EU) address.
The registration process can be done entirely online. You make a copy of your passport and selfi for verification, deposit your first 10 Euro and order the card.
N26: https://n26.com/r/garta8415
Here, 5 ATM withdrawals per month are free in the Eurozone, outside of that the commission is 1,7%
Revolution: https://www.revolut.com/nl-NL/referral/gerardoee!G10D21 With the latter, you currently also receive a € 10 bonus if you have completed the ordering process in its entirety and made a first payment (e.g. an order at Lidl or Aldi).
You can read the necessary information about both accounts at the Consumers' Association.
N26 https://www.consumentenbond.nl/betaalrekening/n26-betaalrekening
Revolut https://www.consumentenbond.nl/betaalrekening/revolut
Just an addition.
You can of course also leave the card of such an account with someone so that they can dispose of the amount you put on it yourself. Never again because it is a debit card that you must first charge (you can do this via your own NL bank account),
This way it is a cheap way to transfer money to someone abroad.
Is there anyone who can tell me whether you can also pay airlines with this prepaid credit card (or other prepaid credit cards), I know that it can cause problems with a rental car, among other things.
Last year I flew with Lufthansa, the only reason I did that was so that I could pay with Paypal, and that is handy to be able to make a rebooking online at home behind the computer.
However, in Thailand that is not possible, ie it is only possible with a credit card. and instead of the 130 euro rebook costs, I now had to pay almost double through an office that only charged 200 baht for the service.
Complained to Lufthansa, and they say that it is indeed the case that you cannot pay with Paypal in some countries, and that was that! Yes I found that out too!
Why I had to pay so much extra was because I had done it through a third party (the travel office)
I said then you deprived me of the choice to pay online while advertising this on your website, and then I am now being punished because there is no other way. NO ANSWER!
I just gave up on Lufthansa, life is too short to go on about it any longer.
There is indeed a problem with rental cars (and self-fuelling stations).
I have not yet experienced payment not being accepted by other parties such as airlines. Of course there must be sufficient balance on the card.
Revolut has the option to enable and disable online use in the app. (Free) virtual cards can also be created in that app for one-time use.
last year I paid for a ticket with N26 on the lufthansa site. Transferwise's acceptance rate is lower than that of N26
Buying a ticket and changing a ticket with paypal are not the same thing at Lufthansa.
You can buy with paypal but you can't change with paypal. At least in Thailand you will be saddled with extra costs. NB the ticket must of course have a class (K) to be able to be changed anyway. however, due to the extra costs you almost pay a new ticket, pure scam, because you already have to pay more for a changeable ticket,
For example, I'm afraid it's the same with prepaid credit cards.
I have also heard that especially with Asian airlines with domestic flights etc. no debit / prepaid / credit card is accepted, to what extent this is true is a mystery to me.
It's crazy Which prepaid card is accepted, and which is not????
Who can help me? or has experience with this?
Is there anyone who can tell me whether you can also pay airlines with this prepaid credit card (or other prepaid credit cards), I know that it can cause problems with a rental car, among other things.
Last year I flew with Lufthansa, the only reason I did that was so that I could pay with Paypal, and that is handy to be able to make a rebooking online at home behind the computer.
However, in Thailand that is not possible, ie it is only possible with a credit card. and instead of the 130 euro rebook costs, I now had to pay almost double through an office that only charged 200 baht for the service.
Complained to Lufthansa, and they say that it is indeed the case that you cannot pay with Paypal in some countries, and that was that! Yes I found that out too!
Why I had to pay so much extra was because I had done it through a third party (the travel office)
I said then you deprived me of the choice to pay online while advertising this on your website, and then I am now being punished because there is no other way. NO ANSWER!
I just gave up with Lufthansa, life is too short to go through with that.
That is the commission you pay to the bank in Thailand for performing the transaction.
This is a fixed amount per PIN transaction. You will therefore save money if you withdraw large amounts from the machine. You always pay commission if you withdraw money in a country outside the Eurozone. Also on Bonaire, for example, while it is a Dutch municipality.
You also pay commission to your own bank in the Netherlands.
By the way, you also pay commission when you change banknotes. Please note the rate + commission that the exchange office charges. It may be that there is hardly any difference between the machine and an exchange office. Superrich calls itself the cheapest. They are in quite a few cities in Thailand.
If you exchange banknotes you do not pay a commission, you just have to see which bank has the best exchange rate on that day. And indeed if you go down at the airport where the trains leave, they give the best exchange rate.
I have an account with Kasikorn in Bangkok and a debit card, albeit in the name of my girlfriend (whom I trust completely).
I take enough euros with me and deposit it into the Thai account on the day of arrival.
Paying with debit card at hotels, resorts no problem.
Withdrawing outside BKK with a debit card also costs money, even depositing money costs money.
Letting an intermediary open your bank account for Thb 3000 (€ 80) is the worst advice I read here.
As previously written, you can easily do it yourself within an hour.
Exchange your euros at the cheapest office (not the first one you see at the airport at the baggage carousel) and deposit them into your Thai bank account.
You can also transfer money from your Dutch bank to your Thai bank account.
Transferwise is then the cheapest option.
Incidentally, withdrawing money in Thailand is not free, usually 20 baht at your own bank and 30 baht at the ATM of another bank.
I think pins at your own bank are free… right? Especially at my bank, Kasikorn
If you have an account with Kasikorn in Bangkok and you want to withdraw cash in, for example, Chiang Mai (also Kasikorn), you also pay 20 baht.
Been through it several times.
Withdrawing with a Thai card is usually free if you withdraw within the city of your initial office. outside, for example in another province, it does indeed cost between 15 and 30 THB.
Yes is indeed free is also with me as you describe 20 thb per transaction and is only (usually) if you pint outside your city or district
In my opinion, only guest use debit cards or debit cards outside the province where the bank account was opened is not free.
If you do not have a Thai bank account, it is best to bring cash and exchange it at Superrich in Chiang Mai or Bangkok, sometimes better than transferring money via Transferwise to your Thai account. Exchange rates are less favorable in the provinces.
In addition, it is also useful to take a free prepaid credit card from N26 or Transferwise. I wouldn't take Revolut because the exchange rate surcharge for Thai baht is less favorable. Payment with a prepaid card is accepted for hotel bookings, Big C, Tesco and gas station, even for small amounts. An advantage of Transferwise is that you can immediately top up your balance with Ideal.
Dear reader
With KNAB bank card you can withdraw 30.000 at the Krungsi Bank (yellow bank machine)
If you set recording per day to 1500 in settings .
Sincerely, Peter Yai
I read here that people bring € 9,999,99 per person, I want to warn that the amount is € 9,970, one should also take into account that other currencies are also counted in the total amount, incidentally, this is for a single person as husband and wife, the total amount together is also € 9.970, so not € 19940
Peter, how did you get that number? The tax authorities arrive with 10.000 euros or more and not with 9.970. All liquid assets do count, including those few forgotten notes in your back pocket. Furthermore, this does not apply to all countries, but it does apply to Thailand, among others, and it applies to imports and exports.
This is their site:
https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/prive/douane/wat_mag_niet_zomaar_in_uitvoeren/10000_of_meer/10000_of_meer_meenemen
That's not right I think.
Each person is looked at individually.
Each person may individually export/enter an amount of 9.999,99 Euro (where do you actually get that 9.970?) without declaration. With a declaration of course more.
A couple may therefore export/import EUR 19.999,98, as long as each carries half of that amount. If, for example, the man carries the full amount (19.999,98 Euro), he must declare this because he carries more than the 9.999,99 Euro. It doesn't matter then that he says half belongs to his wife.
https://financien.belgium.be/nl/douane_accijnzen/particulieren/reizen/vervoer-van-liquide-middelen-cash#q5
Who must report?
Every natural person who leaves or enters the European Union with 10.000 euros in cash or more is subject to the declaration obligation. This is also the case if you have money from or for someone else or for a legal entity (for example, the company for which you work). Even if you are traveling in a group or with children, the rule is applied individually.
What counts as cash?
banknotes and coins (foreign currencies are converted to euros)
– traveler's checks and other checks to bearer
– letters of credit and cash receipts
– All the above instruments are added up to determine whether the limit of EUR 10.000 has been reached.
Dear,
TransferWise Master Debit Card.
Yes, it is indeed a bit much if you go to Thailand for the 2nd time and already know everything about opening bank accounts.
Pinning in Thailand is free if you pin in the same village where you opened the account and at the same bank where you opened the account, otherwise you pay 20 THB
Is not true. This differs per bank and type of account. I do not pay anything for using my Krungsri debit card throughout Thailand. With my Bangkokbank debit card I only pay for free where I opened the account.
revolut.com is the solution I think
Dear French,
What you say there that you cannot open an account is pure nonsense. If you open an account, it would be best to go to Kasikorn bank. You do not have to live in Thailand for this.
Yours faithfully,
Lung John
Just bring cash, exchange at exchange offices (see which pays back the most)
use a hotel safe and only keep the amount you need for the day…
I've done it for 26 years with no problems….
I read that some blockers take cash and some not so little.
I think it's stupid to walk around with cash and go on a trip and even put it in a safe somewhere.
Here in Thailand you regularly read in the news that another farang has lost a lot of money due to theft or burglary, whether at their own house or apartment or in a hotel.
Even in my house here I always have little cash and I live here for sure.
Jan Beute.
Dear Jan, You are of course right that the risk of loss or theft with cash amounts always remains.
Also with a hotel safe, many forget that very many Hotels already indicate a Limit for possible liability before use.
These Limits are often included in the hotel folder, which can be found somewhere in the hotel room with other information.
Thinking in the event of theft that any amount that the guest indicates will also be reimbursed by a hotel or their possible insurance is of course a myth.
Someone who, as the questioner indicates, does not have any debit card costs and also does not want to have a Thai bank account, although this also carries a risk, only remains to carry the cash on his body.
Learn more about TransferWise borderless account debit card !
If someone does not want to open a Thai bank account because he/she does not live in Thailand, bringing cash is always the best option to avoid the debit card costs.
The only drawback is that you are of course even more expensive in the event of loss or theft, but this risk of course also remains with money that has already been withdrawn.
The best thing is that you also have a credit card with you for an unforeseen emergency.
Most home banks have a Limit to prevent fraud outside the EU, so it is best for you to pass by your home bank before the journey for a possible Limit increase.
If you forget to apply for this limit increase personally, it may happen that at some point you have too little money to join.
In the case of large amounts that you intend to take with you divided with a possible partner, the amounts must also be clearly separated in your personal hand luggage.
If an unregistered amount of more than 10.000 euros is found in one of the passengers' personal hand luggage, only this person is in violation.
The myth that many think,that one can say later that the amount is actually for two people
was intended, unfortunately no longer applies.
Someone who thinks that this does not apply to a legal spouse will be taught differently by every Customs everywhere.
The rules for export from one country and import into another country may differ.
Read here what the Dutch customs say about this: https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/nl/bagage/content/geld-meenemen-op-reis
Here's an extensive blog on that subject:
https://financieel.infonu.nl/geld/125428-cash-geld-op-zak-hoeveel-contanten-mag-je-meenemen-op-reis.html
I regularly take quite a lot of cash with me up to or sometimes over 30.000 euros. Simply indicate upon arrival and you will receive proof that you have entered the amount, this is useful if you want to export money from Thailand again.
Ready within 10 minutes and usually very friendly immigration.
Exchange at the airport at Superrich and at home in the safe.
Never had any problems.
Regards Antony
Dear Antony, Apart from the fact that you also have to declare an amount of 10.000 Euros or more when you leave, it is not at all difficult to import and export money.
Imports into Thailand are even up to USD 20.000 undeclared.
In the past I have regularly carried out large amounts of money, which I did not deposit in a safe, but directly into the bank for security reasons.
A home safe is technically not the safest place for burglary insurance, because almost every insurance prescribes a certain Limit for which they are responsible in the event of theft.
Moreover, owning a safe is an invitation to the criminal world who now know for sure that there is something to get.
Even if the safe is safe from burglary and fire, it does not provide any security if the criminals then usually resort to violence in which you can also become personally involved.
But of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion about the so-called security of a safe.
Last year I was taken out of line at Schiphol immediately before boarding by a customs officer with a Malinois Shepherd Dog. The dog jumped on me and pressed its nose to my chest where a pocket was hanging under my shirt. A well trained money sniffer dog. It was a bit of a shock. Fortunately, I am not easily afraid of dogs.
I was invited to put all my money on the table in a shielded room.
The bag contained 9.900 euros, in my wallet 75 euros.
The customs officer counted just under 9.975 euros, but found that the bank note that was still in the money bag stated an amount of 20.000 euros. I got questions about that.
I stated that my wife and I had withdrawn 20.000 cash from the bank. That we had already spent about 50 euros. That the remainder was divided equally between me and my wife and that she was already on the plane in the meantime.
Truly the truth and nothing but the truth … after which I was allowed to hurry to the plane.
Read a whole mountain of stories about carrying cash. If you have a visa account in the Netherlands, and you deposit enough money into it, what you think you need, you can get it out of the wall in Thailand, with your visa card, for free. Make sure you put enough on your Visa account, otherwise you pay extra. At Lotus or Big C you can also pay for your groceries with your visa card, which will then be debited in the Netherlands at the middle exchange rate.
Dear Jan ,
Please qualify:
what about the pin costs at the ATM?
and the exchange rate of the currency ?
limited amount?
curious about your experiences.
Best friends,
Have to laugh at all the comments sometimes.
With any non-Thai bank card you always pay 220 baht when you collect it at the ATM.
And you get a very bad exchange rate.
Regards.Gino.