dddave Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 A Kasikorn ATM is handiest to my apartment. Whenever I withdraw Baht using my US based debit card, before completing the transaction, it asks do I want to convert to Thai Baht or Dollars. I think this has something to do with conversion rates but I don't have a clue which option is better to select. Anybody know what I'm asking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Crossy Posted February 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 19, 2021 NEVER accept the conversion (you will still get the cash) the exchange rate is far better. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upnotover Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 Search Dynamic Currency Conversion for the details but as said, never accept the conversion to your home currency, always pay in THB. Applies equally in shops and hotels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagfinnur Traustason Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 You just don´t do things like that. Here you are paying for the convenience of going to the closest ATM. That will just make you lose money everytime. Either in bad exchange rates or the standard fee of using a foreign card. What you do is getting a Thai bank acocunt that works online, as I suppose your foreign bank does as well. Then you make Transferwise transactions with good exchange rates and low cost to your Thai account and take out the money free in any Thai ATM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psimbo Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Crossy said: NEVER accept the conversion (you will still get the cash) the exchange rate is far better. How will he still get the cash- the ATMs only have baht. He will pay the US debit card company's rip-off exchange rate. 1 hour ago, dddave said: A Kasikorn ATM is handiest to my apartment. Whenever I withdraw Baht using my US based debit card, before completing the transaction, it asks do I want to convert to Thai Baht or Dollars. I think this has something to do with conversion rates but I don't have a clue which option is better to select. Anybody know what I'm asking about? I don't understand why an ATM would offer the option- are you sure you are reading it properly as it doesn't make sense. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upnotover Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 16 minutes ago, Psimbo said: He will pay the US debit card company's rip-off exchange rate. Which will be better than the locally offered DCC rate. 17 minutes ago, Psimbo said: I don't understand why an ATM would offer the option You would if you were a bank. They make more money if you accept their conversion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lungbing Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 46 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said: You just don´t do things like that. Here you are paying for the convenience of going to the closest ATM. That will just make you lose money everytime. Either in bad exchange rates or the standard fee of using a foreign card. What you do is getting a Thai bank acocunt that works online, as I suppose your foreign bank does as well. Then you make Transferwise transactions with good exchange rates and low cost to your Thai account and take out the money free in any Thai ATM. Not quite free at any ATM. I am from Khon Kaen and last weekend I was in Nong Khai. It cost me 15 baht to withdraw cash. It was a Kasikorn ATM and my account is Kasikorn, but I was out of my province. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagfinnur Traustason Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 9 minutes ago, lungbing said: Not quite free at any ATM. I am from Khon Kaen and last weekend I was in Nong Khai. It cost me 15 baht to withdraw cash. It was a Kasikorn ATM and my account is Kasikorn, but I was out of my province. You should take that with your bank. That was taken away 1 year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salerno Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said: You just don´t do things like that. Here you are paying for the convenience of going to the closest ATM. That will just make you lose money everytime. Either in bad exchange rates or the standard fee of using a foreign card. Depends on your home country and what options you have. A couple of options for example that negate the need for a Thai bank account for daily life (obviously one may be required depending on visa status, property purchase etc.); Americans have Charlie Schwab, Aussies have ING - both options no forex fees, no home charges, overseas ATM fees reimbursed and excellent exchange rates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salerno Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Psimbo said: He will pay the US debit card company's rip-off exchange rate. The exchange rate isn't a rip-off (assuming he doesn't accept the Thai bank rate), in fact it's as good or better than you could get elsewhere on any given day. It's the various fees he could get hit with. 2 hours ago, Psimbo said: I don't understand why an ATM would offer the option- are you sure you are reading it properly as it doesn't make sense. Various banks have been offering it for years, making a killing on the unwary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverlomsak Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said: take out the money free in any Thai ATM. depends on the bank your ATM card is from and the bank whose ATM you are using. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagfinnur Traustason Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 19 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said: depends on the bank your ATM card is from and the bank whose ATM you are using. Yes, you are right, but in the OP case it should still be free.https://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-banks/thailands-top-banks-to-waive-off-digital-transaction-fees-idINL3N1RB2VI?edition-redirect=in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverlomsak Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 4 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said: Yes, you are right, but in the OP case it should still be free.https://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-banks/thailands-top-banks-to-waive-off-digital-transaction-fees-idINL3N1RB2VI?edition-redirect=in I'll believe it when I see it, how often have you read should happen in Thailand and it doesn't. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagfinnur Traustason Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 7 hours ago, foreverlomsak said: I'll believe it when I see it, how often have you read should happen in Thailand and it doesn't. I happened 2018! You believe what you want. I have Kasikorn, Krung Thai and Bangkok Bank and can take out as described in article with no cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaisail Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 7 hours ago, Salerno said: Depends on your home country and what options you have. A couple of options for example that negate the need for a Thai bank account for daily life (obviously one may be required depending on visa status, property purchase etc.); Americans have Charlie Schwab, Aussies have ING - both options no forex fees, no home charges, overseas ATM fees reimbursed and excellent exchange rates. Charles Schwab will reimburse the ATM charge only for Americans who have the Schwab One Brokerage accounts based on a US resident billing address. I have so far not been offered a conversion rate more favorable than the rate offered by Schwab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Anyone who starts a thread like this hasn't planned properly. Step 1) get a US/UK etc card which doesn't charge for ATM withdrawals and provides Visa or mastercard rate no commission. Step 2) open a Thai bank account 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dddave Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 On 2/20/2021 at 7:30 AM, scubascuba3 said: Anyone who starts a thread like this hasn't planned properly. And why do you presume that I, as the OP, had not planned properly? Perhaps if you read the original post again you might understand that I was not asking about ATM fees, but about a specific option asked by a Kasikorn ATM about how the currency conversion would be calculated. That is a question completely apart from transaction fees. I actually have two US accounts that waive international transaction fees. I also have a Thai bank account so my planning was just fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 On 2/20/2021 at 7:30 AM, scubascuba3 said: Anyone who starts a thread like this hasn't planned properly. Step 1) get a US/UK etc card which doesn't charge for ATM withdrawals and provides Visa or mastercard rate no commission. Step 2) open a Thai bank account Have you ever tried to get a UK/US credit card whilst living in Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 9 hours ago, billd766 said: Have you ever tried to get a UK/US credit card whilst living in Thailand? That's the point, should have applied for 1+ cards before coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 9 hours ago, dddave said: And why do you presume that I, as the OP, had not planned properly? Perhaps if you read the original post again you might understand that I was not asking about ATM fees, but about a specific option asked by a Kasikorn ATM about how the currency conversion would be calculated. That is a question completely apart from transaction fees. I actually have two US accounts that waive international transaction fees. I also have a Thai bank account so my planning was just fine. Because it's obvious, if you have a Thai bank account those questions on the ATM don't come up, only if you have a foreign card and the fact you ask the question is you don't know enough about exchange rates yet. What rate do you get on your US accounts? any commission added? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said: That's the point, should have applied for 1+ cards before coming It is a bit late now as I left the UK in 1999. I did have an offshore account but I closed that as I had already left and they were trying to charge me more than 70 GBP just to keep the account let alone all the monthly fees and charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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