ATM surcharges on cards issued by non-Thailand banks (THB150-220 per transaction)
Feb 25, 2013, 10:37 am
#229
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Feb 25, 2013, 8:41 pm
#231
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boston, MA
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Do yourself a HUGE favor and sign up for a Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account. You get a checking account and a brokerage account upon sign up. No worries about the brokerage account, you'll never have to use it.
I have been with Schwab since 2007 and I can't even imagine how much money I've saved with their Worldwide ATM fee reimbursements and it's UNLIMITED btw.
Another perk is that there are no foreign transaction fees either. No affiliation w/ Schwab here, just a really satisfied customer.
I have been with Schwab since 2007 and I can't even imagine how much money I've saved with their Worldwide ATM fee reimbursements and it's UNLIMITED btw.
Another perk is that there are no foreign transaction fees either. No affiliation w/ Schwab here, just a really satisfied customer.
Feb 25, 2013, 8:44 pm
#232
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Do yourself a HUGE favor and sign up for a Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account. You get a checking account and a brokerage account upon sign up. No worries about the brokerage account, you'll never have to use it.
I have been with Schwab since 2007 and I can't even imagine how much money I've saved with their Worldwide ATM fee reimbursements and it's UNLIMITED btw.
Another perk is that there are no foreign transaction fees either. No affiliation w/ Schwab here, just a really satisfied customer.
I have been with Schwab since 2007 and I can't even imagine how much money I've saved with their Worldwide ATM fee reimbursements and it's UNLIMITED btw.
Another perk is that there are no foreign transaction fees either. No affiliation w/ Schwab here, just a really satisfied customer.
Mar 18, 2013, 4:38 pm
#233
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
So is it better to carry US $$$ and exchange or to use an ATM that will hit me with a US and Thai fee? If we are talking ~$10-$20 over the course of 3+ days, I'll just use an ATM for the convenience. Is there a "better" ATM at BBK to use in this case?
Cheers
Cheers
Mar 18, 2013, 6:47 pm
#234
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At around $150, the baht or so per dollar lost by the worse rates at the airport make it worth it to just use the ATM.
eta: depending on when you get in, it's sometimes worth just using the ATM because of lines at the exchange. In general, though, one of the exchanges (1 inside customs, 2 in the arrivals hall, IIRC) will have no or a negligible line and they had the same rate at all of them last time I was there.
Last edited by nkedel; Mar 18, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Mar 19, 2013, 11:10 pm
#235
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Thanks - plus I found enough baht from my last trip to at least get me to the hotel 
No Citibank for me but I'll look for Aeon elsewhere[list of Aeon's HERE] - any of these near the Hilton? Possibly across the river?
Thanks a lot
Cheers -
No Citibank for me but I'll look for Aeon elsewhere[list of Aeon's HERE] - any of these near the Hilton? Possibly across the river?
Thanks a lot
Cheers -
There's no fee-free ATM (Aeon, or for Citi cardholders, Citi) at BKK airport; if you need cash at the airport, either be prepared for the 150 baht fee, or to use an exchange booth. I'd use an exchange booth for an amount that small, or up to a C-note (which will get a marginally better rate than 5 $20 notes, although the difference will be on the order of 50 baht.)
At around $150, the baht or so per dollar lost by the worse rates at the airport make it worth it to just use the ATM.
eta: depending on when you get in, it's sometimes worth just using the ATM because of lines at the exchange. In general, though, one of the exchanges (1 inside customs, 2 in the arrivals hall, IIRC) will have no or a negligible line and they had the same rate at all of them last time I was there.
At around $150, the baht or so per dollar lost by the worse rates at the airport make it worth it to just use the ATM.
eta: depending on when you get in, it's sometimes worth just using the ATM because of lines at the exchange. In general, though, one of the exchanges (1 inside customs, 2 in the arrivals hall, IIRC) will have no or a negligible line and they had the same rate at all of them last time I was there.
Mar 20, 2013, 2:40 am
#236
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I have a bank account in Thailand and have few wires sent over a year, as I probably spend there couple of months per year on multiple trips/transits.
Mar 24, 2013, 11:11 pm
#237
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I can attest personally as of my February 2013 trip that Citibank was charging the B150 fee, on par with the Thai banks. 
I knew it wasn't a great idea to count on them being the white knight, though I believe their limits are higher, so you can work it that way.
I had used the Asoke branch quite a bit...Near there, there's an AEON ATM in terminal 21 inside the branch, which is located on one of the lower floors (ground, I think) amid branches of other banks. Aeon helped me a good bit on this last trip, though I'm sure the bank cartel is trying to get them to go over to the dark side as well.
If you have a credit card that doesn't charge a pile of fees for cash advances, doing one of those at Bangkok Bank is another way to get around fees, at least for Visa.
I knew it wasn't a great idea to count on them being the white knight, though I believe their limits are higher, so you can work it that way.
I had used the Asoke branch quite a bit...Near there, there's an AEON ATM in terminal 21 inside the branch, which is located on one of the lower floors (ground, I think) amid branches of other banks. Aeon helped me a good bit on this last trip, though I'm sure the bank cartel is trying to get them to go over to the dark side as well.
If you have a credit card that doesn't charge a pile of fees for cash advances, doing one of those at Bangkok Bank is another way to get around fees, at least for Visa.
Apr 16, 2013, 7:49 am
#238
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 3
update:
HSBC is gone.
Citibank (Asoke) is now charging 150 baht too, on top of a bad exchange rate (at least 1% below Super Rich). They do warn you. For reference, the exact same transaction at the same ATM machine about 1 week prior cost $7 less (I'm not sure whether the extra $2 purely reflects fluctuation in the fair exchange rate, or whether Citibank also increased their buy/sell spread).
Aeon might be the lone standout, now (though I didn't try it because they don't take my ATM card).
Other than Aeon users, cash is king.
HSBC is gone.
Citibank (Asoke) is now charging 150 baht too, on top of a bad exchange rate (at least 1% below Super Rich). They do warn you. For reference, the exact same transaction at the same ATM machine about 1 week prior cost $7 less (I'm not sure whether the extra $2 purely reflects fluctuation in the fair exchange rate, or whether Citibank also increased their buy/sell spread).
Aeon might be the lone standout, now (though I didn't try it because they don't take my ATM card).
Other than Aeon users, cash is king.
Apr 16, 2013, 4:35 pm
#239
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Macau, Hong Kong, Shanghai
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