ATM Status Update

[davidwilsoon]

I will be traveling to Thailand (Pattaya) in November. It has been one year since I have been in Thailand.

So are they still charging 150 baht to get money out of the ATM (this came after I left in Dec 2008).

Last year (Nov) an ATM that would give me 15,000 baht with no problem all of sudden would only give me 5,000 baht at a time. So anyone else having problems getting 15,000 to 20,000 out of ATMs at one time. Anybody using Travelers Cheques?

Thanks
David

I was in Thailand earlier this year, and I could use UOB, GSB and AEON without the 150 bht charge. From what I hear it is now only AEON who do not charge you the 150 bht.
I always take out 10000 bht and have never had any problems. Maybe there is a limit on your card. The limit is on your card and not on the ATM, or maybe I am wrong?
Have a great trip :-)

[TrongpaiExpat]

Go to AEON website and somewhere there's a ATM location list. I have the Bangkok list, there are 96 locations, Lots in the Big C's. I don't have a Pattaya list but check the Gay Thailand board, someone posted where they knew of a few AEON ATM's in Pattaya.

Call me old-fashioned but I'd rather just pay the 150 baht than die of heatstroke or get run over wandering about trying to find a "free" ATM.

Last month I was able to withdraw 10-15000 Baht at a time from any ATM I used - no restriction - in BKK/Phuket/Pattaya. The only hitch was at the row of ATMs on Suriwong Road near Soi Twilight where all of the ATMs kept telling me my transaction had "timed out" when it hadn't. However this must have been a systems fault as it was fine the next day.

:hello1:

Call me old-fashioned but I'd rather just pay the 150 baht than die of heatstroke or get run over wandering about trying to find a "free" ATM.

Last month I was able to withdraw 10-15000 Baht at a time from any ATM I used - no restriction - in BKK/Phuket/Pattaya. The only hitch was at the row of ATMs on Suriwong Road near Soi Twilight where all of the ATMs kept telling me my transaction had "timed out" when it hadn't. However this must have been a systems fault as it was fine the next day.

:hello1:

Me too, but if I know there is a free fee ATM around the corner or on my way I would use that. :hello1:

Regarding Travellers Cheques, I have normally taken some of these on visits to Thailand, as an alternative in case I get any problem with my debit or credit cards. They are easy to change in banks or exchange kiosks, only very occasionally have I been refused. The rate and charges work out to be very much the same as with a card.

Me too, but if I know there is a free fee ATM around the corner or on my way I would use that. :hello1:

Agreed!

:laughing3:

[gra46]

IM in Phuket now all i use is ATM"s and all are charginging the 150 fee ,im not sure about Aeon as they are in Phuket town a little far from Patong to save 150 baht ...i also take 20,000 baht at a time so 1 less beer every 5 days lol

[HawaiiBoy]

Options are important. The American Express Travelers checks get a better exchange rate than cash...but there is a small charge per check. For that reason I only bring the $500 denominations and thus come out nicely ahead. My bank sells me AmEx checks with no transaction charge. They don't normally stock the $500 denominations, so I let them know a week ahead of time when I will need them so they can stock upm. The checks are also available at most American Express offices and can be charged on your American Express card with no transaction fee.

In addition I have a Thai bank account with a debit card. I can cash the AmEx checks and deposit them into the Thai bank account. Then no fee at the ATM. I also have my USA bank debit card along in case I need to access that account, though there is now the 150 baht charge per transaction.

150bht charge everywhere in CM, the big problem is no matter what bank or ATM I go to I'm restricted to 5000bht. I don't have this problem in Pattaya or Bangkok. It's weird but manageable. The only problem is at month end when rent, scooter rental and bills are due I've been getting my sister to wire funds to me so I don't have to do 5 or 6 transactions at ATM's. It's a pain in the ass.

150bht charge everywhere in CM, the big problem is no matter what bank or ATM I go to I'm restricted to 5000bht. I don't have this problem in Pattaya or Bangkok. It's weird but manageable. The only problem is at month end when rent, scooter rental and bills are due I've been getting my sister to wire funds to me so I don't have to do 5 or 6 transactions at ATM's. It's a pain in the ass.

I know there is some AEON ATM'sin Chiang Mai, the problems is that you will normaly not see them in the street, they are usual inside shops and shoppingmalls,

Aeon Chaingmi 3 rd Fl. Central Airport
Carrefour Cheangmai 1st Carrefour Changmai
Aeon Spot Lotus Hangdong 1 st Fl Lotus Hangdong - - -
Lotus Kumtieng 1st Fl Lotus Kamtheing - - -
Lotus Kamtieng (2) 1st Fl Lotus Kamtheing - - -
Lotus Hang dong (2) 1 st Fl Lotus Hangdong - - -
AS Airport Chiengmai 3rd Fl Aeon Spot Central Airport Cheingmai - - -
AS Central Airport Chiangmai (2) 3rd Fl. Central Airport Cheingmai - - -
Big C Hangdong 1 st Zone Main

I used the UOB ATM in Pattaya 2nd Road today, I was charged the 150 B fee.

A 150 baht fee on a 10000 withdrawal has just put your living costs up by 1.5%.

If there is a free ATM around the corner, much better to use it. I'm not suggesting you trek across half Thailand, but on the other hand a little exercise is quite healthy.

Also 10,000 goes quite quickly when on holiday, so it makes sense to withdraw more than that to me. Especially if your hotel has a room safe & is one of the hotels with a good reputation (ie widely used by forum members, none of whom report any thefts).
20,000 +?

What's the maximum withdrawal from Thai ATMS?

Siam Commercial Bank has reduced their ATM fee to 15 baht:

http://www.scb.co.th/img/th/rate/fees-atm-en.pdf

[DCbob]

I am back in Washington, DC now. But when I was there in October I had no trouble withdrawing 15,000 bht.
I always asked for 14,900, that way I would get change for one of the 1,000 notes. Same way for 9,900 instead of 10,000.

Bank of Ayudhya
Pattaya Tai (South Pattaya Road) just east of Friendship. Fee Free, and I was told that it will stay that way at this location because it is on Company property. But their other ATMs charge the fee.

I had no problem using traveler's checks. I get them for free due to the type of checking account that I have, but throwing them on the AmEx card also sounds like a good idea.


Siam Commercial Bank has reduced their ATM fee to 15 baht:

That is very good news for my next trip! I cashed some traveler's checks there since my friend recommended it (guess he use to pick up Moneygrams there. lol).

[TrongpaiExpat]

Siam Commercial Bank has reduced their ATM fee to 15 baht:

http://www.scb.co.th/img/th/rate/fees-atm-en.pdf

That does not apply to forien (non Thai) ATM's. It's a bad Thai to English translation.

AEON ATM's near farang area are often out of cash now that they are the only ones not charging the 150B forien transaction fee.

I have a a Bangkok Bank ATM, opened the account in Bangkok but in Pattaya I get a 30B fee for withdrawals and only in Pattaya. The rest of Thailand, no fee, for Bangkok Banks, strange.

[ChrisUK]

Bank of Ayudhya
Pattaya Tai (South Pattaya Road) just east of Friendship. Fee Free, and I was told that it will stay that way at this location because it is on Company property. But their other ATMs charge the fee.
I tried this bank on Pattaya Tai with my Nationwide Visa Debit card this afternoon and it indicated that only 15Bt would be charged as a fee. This was purely academic for me as the next step cancelled the transaction, referring me to my UK bank. This also happened to a friend at the Ayudhya ATM near Dongtan beach yesterday.
Both of us have been having regular rejections of our cards at a variety of banks' ATMs throughout the last two weeks. There is nothing wrong with either the cards or the way we use them, just inconsistent, confusing incorrect reasons displayed on screen. It seems to be happening far more than on previous trips to Thailand.
Is anyone else experiencing the same disruption to a previously good service?

[doug7363]

Yes - had similar problems and my bf did too last month - sometimes it was Ok - other times refused to dish out the dosh

[ceejay]

I tried this bank on Pattaya Tai with my Nationwide Visa Debit card this afternoon and it indicated that only 15Bt would be charged as a fee. This was purely academic for me as the next step cancelled the transaction, referring me to my UK bank. This also happened to a friend at the Ayudhya ATM near Dongtan beach yesterday.
Both of us have been having regular rejections of our cards at a variety of banks' ATMs throughout the last two weeks. There is nothing wrong with either the cards or the way we use them, just inconsistent, confusing incorrect reasons displayed on screen. It seems to be happening far more than on previous trips to Thailand.
Is anyone else experiencing the same disruption to a previously good service?
Had it happen once last year in Bangkok. I actually phoned my bank in the UK and was told this happens if the transaction "times out", ie the authorisation from your home bank does not get back to the ATM fast enough. What is a bit of a nuisance is, if you are using a credit card, the authorisation will be offset against your credit limit for 24 hours (may vary from issuer to issuer) until the authorisation has expired without funds being withdrawn.

[PeterUK]

I tried this bank on Pattaya Tai with my Nationwide Visa Debit card this afternoon and it indicated that only 15Bt would be charged as a fee. This was purely academic for me as the next step cancelled the transaction, referring me to my UK bank. This also happened to a friend at the Ayudhya ATM near Dongtan beach yesterday.


I also use a Nationwide Visa Debit card. After years of problem-free use I have often been refused money at ATMs this year and have had to phone the Nationwide to sort the matter out. Finally I was told that the problem was that I was taking out 15,000B at a time, which at present currency rates comes close to the 300 pound daily maximum, and the computer was flagging this as a problem because Thailand's fraud rating has increased this year. For the last two or three months I have been withdrawing 10,000B at a time and this seems to have been keeping their computer happy.

close to the 300 pound daily maximum, and the computer was flagging this as a problem because Thailand's fraud rating has increased this year.

Consider yourself fortunate. My US bank has a daily limit near $200 and they refuse to increase it. I wouldn't even bother making a withdrawal in Thailand (150 baht fee from Thailand + another $2-3 from my bank) for 6k baht? Crazy.

[globalwanderer]

Bank of Ayudhya
Pattaya Tai (South Pattaya Road) just east of Friendship. Fee Free, and I was told that it will stay that way at this location because it is on Company property. But their other ATMs charge the fee.
I tried this bank on Pattaya Tai with my Nationwide Visa Debit card this afternoon and it indicated that only 15Bt would be charged as a fee. This was purely academic for me as the next step cancelled the transaction, referring me to my UK bank. This also happened to a friend at the Ayudhya ATM near Dongtan beach yesterday.
Both of us have been having regular rejections of our cards at a variety of banks' ATMs throughout the last two weeks. There is nothing wrong with either the cards or the way we use them, just inconsistent, confusing incorrect reasons displayed on screen. It seems to be happening far more than on previous trips to Thailand.
Is anyone else experiencing the same disruption to a previously good service?

I've not had problems recently, but in the past I have.

last time I called my UK bank when I had a roblem they told me the card was OK, but there were issues with the international network. Also remember that some banks impose an additional limit of maximum in 3 days or a week in addition to the weekly limit. And finally... until the 150 Baht fee was introduced certain banks ATM's would never give me a cash advance on my UK cards

[wg10777]

Arrived yesterday in Bangkok, took the ATM from TMB, was charged with Baht 150. I then went with my bf to his home close to Ratchaburi.
Today we went to Bank of Ayuthaya Ban Pong to take some more money out and i was charged with only Baht 15.

I took more money out and was charged less than yesterday. Hard to understand, but that's the way it is.