After finally finding an ATM machine that would accept my capital one debit card, it disappeared. I had brought this card with me because it has no fees. Capital one has told me they will not replace the card because I am overseas (precisely the reason I wanted this card in the first place!) and they don't send anything overseas.

I still have a capital one credit card and also an HSBC ATM card as a backup. However I got the HSBC card a few years back to use in china because it was easy to find HSBC ATMs there and there were no fees. So far as I know there are no HSBC ATMs in Laos. Reading up on the subject I can only find contradictory information about HSBC ATM fees. Perhaps their fee schedule has changed recently.

For anyone who might know I'm wondering what would be the most economical way to withdraw money at this point: cash advance on my capital one card or using the HSBC card? I am also wondering if it is possible to open up a savings account in Vientiane? I will be in Laos for some time, so if there were some way to open an account here and then electronically fund it from one of my other accounts I could do that.

Thanks in advance for your help.