Using a UK debit card to withdraw cash in Thailand.

[phetphet]

I have a UK debit card that I never use for withdrawing money. However it is due to expire soon, and I have been sent a letter in the UK from the bank telling me that I need to withdraw some cash, or make a store purchase in order to receive a new card on expiry.

 

Do UK bank debit cards work in Thai ATM's? 

 

TIA

 

[wobblyjohn]

Yes but you get charged a £5 fee and get the UK exchange rate 

[clivebaxter]

Yes but the fee is about 200 baht and your UK bank probably charges as well, I stopped doing that years ago

[phetphet]

Thanks. I will only do it once. Just to make sure they send a new card when the old one expires.

[4MyEgo]

21 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Thanks. I will only do it once. Just to make sure they send a new card when the old one expires.

 

I hope you told them you were travelling overseas because they might not allow the transaction to go ahead.

 

 

[Eindhoven]

33 minutes ago, wobblyjohn said:

Yes but you get charged a £5 fee and get the UK exchange rate 

 

What's the "UK exchange rate"? ????

[Eindhoven]

29 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Thanks. I will only do it once. Just to make sure they send a new card when the old one expires.

 

If there is an AEON ATM or better still Bank of China ATM nearby, use that.

[Johnny Mac]

48 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

If there is an AEON ATM or better still Bank of China ATM nearby, use that.

 

Why do you suggest this?

[Eindhoven]

14 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

 

Why do you suggest this?

 

AEON has a lower ATM charge than the other banks; Bank of China has none(unless changed in the interim).

[Johnny Mac]

54 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

AEON has a lower ATM charge than the other banks; Bank of China has none(unless changed in the interim).

 

Ok thanks.

 

 

[phetphet]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I hope you told them you were travelling overseas because they might not allow the transaction to go ahead.

 

 

That's what I am worried about. I think I will call them and explain that I am stuck in Thailand due to Covid, so will be making a withdrawal from here.

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

Yes but you get charged a £5 fee and get the UK exchange rate 

Depends on the bank, my crypto. Com card has no fee. 

[Eindhoven]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Depends on the bank, my crypto. Com card has no fee. 

 

It does at the ATM. Unavoidable unless you can withdraw at the counter. In most cases they prefer a CC for over the counter withdrawals.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, phetphet said:

That's what I am worried about. I think I will call them and explain that I am stuck in Thailand due to Covid, so will be making a withdrawal from here.

 

Good one, see if you can find a number for them from overseas where they pay the call, otherwise you could be hanging on for a while, i.e. unless you call them the minute the open with all your information available for them to confirm who you are.

 

Good luck

[phetphet]

11 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Good one, see if you can find a number for them from overseas where they pay the call, otherwise you could be hanging on for a while, i.e. unless you call them the minute the open with all your information available for them to confirm who you are.

 

Good luck

I will have a look on the back of the card. Normally there are contact numbers there.

[Andre0720]

2 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I will have a look on the back of the card. Normally there are contact numbers there.

Nah. Just make the withdrawal from here, goes through some third party such as Cirrus Int.

If your home bank raises security issues for a first withdrawal from Thailand, let them get in touch with you. If...

[4MyEgo]

6 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I will have a look on the back of the card. Normally there are contact numbers there.

 

If that fails, try Google

[dabhand]

If you have a Wise account an option might be to use your debit card to fund a transfer to your Thai bank account.

Or arrange for funds to be transferred, by debit card, to another UK bank account or UK credit card.

 

Both, if possible, would avoid the Thai / Forex charge and would show use of your debit card for renewal purposes.

[Aomelia]

I have a credit Union and Charles Scwabb never pay USA though 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Aomelia

[brotherother]

2 hours ago, dabhand said:

If you have a Wise account an option might be to use your debit card to fund a transfer to your Thai bank account.

Or arrange for funds to be transferred, by debit card, to another UK bank account or UK credit card.

 

Both, if possible, would avoid the Thai / Forex charge and would show use of your debit card for renewal purposes.

 

Or, failing that, try making a cheap online purchase? (eBay, etc)

[The Fat Controller]

Make sure you DO NOT accept the ATM currency rate into GBP, take a few seconds to actually read the screen and reject it.

 

The transaction should then be processed at the Visa or Mastercard rate which is much more favourable.

 

Dynamic Currency Conversion never works in your favour.

 

 

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, phetphet said:

That's what I am worried about. I think I will call them and explain that I am stuck in Thailand due to Covid, so will be making a withdrawal from here.

 

Why don't you use it to buy some products at the supermarket?

 

You have then used the card as per their instructions and you aren't getting withdrawal fee charges of 220 baht. neither. 

 

I did it yesterday at Tesco Lotus. Just 500 or 1000 baht will do the job.

[petertucker48]

Don't use your UK debit card here in Thailand very bad exchange rate plus charges.

Recommend "Transfer Wise" giving them your UK debit card number.

1:Very good rate

2:Very fast

3:NO extra charges

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, phetphet said:

Do UK bank debit cards work in Thai ATM's? 

Yes they do but I only use my for 'Wise' money transfer.

[chilly07]

Some in fact most banks will not send a debit card to Thailand so you  will have to  get a friend  or relative to post it to you  via Post Office EMS registered service. Do not use a courier like DHL as if it arrives at all it will have been opened with a view to  extorting monies from you  for 'customs clearance '

Best to  use Wise using your  debit card  to transfer funds from  UK to Thailand 

Edited May 14, 2021 by chilly07

[Scouse123]

18 minutes ago, petertucker48 said:

Don't use your UK debit card here in Thailand very bad exchange rate plus charges.

Recommend "Transfer Wise" giving them your UK debit card number.

1:Very good rate

2:Very fast

3:NO extra charges

 

That wasn't the question. He has to use the debit card in a transaction once before expiry to get it renewed and a new one sent out.

[Chongalulu]

If you have online banking most have a facility for spending/travelling  abroad notification (no phone call needed), or if not use the secure message facility. Usually you can specify a period of up to 90 days -then just keep renewing it.

Once you have your new card,for any online purchases you don’t physically need it ,just the details including expiry date and 3 digit CVC code on the back - so you could get it sent to U.K. address to a trusted person 

[Scouse123]

Go to Tesco and spend 500 baht on it, if it doesn't work, contact the bank. Tell them you are stuck in Thailand due to Covid19 and quarantine restrictions.

 

In speaking to the bank, you should first download a cheap app for overseas calls such as Yolla or similar ( loads on the market) where you are paying peanuts for international calls. I use it whenever I am calling overseas such as Qatar air or business or financial institution.

[Susco]

3 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

If you have online banking most have a facility for spending/travelling  abroad notification (no phone call needed), or if not use the secure message facility. Usually you can specify a period of up to 90 days -then just keep renewing it.

Once you have your new card,for any online purchases you don’t physically need it ,just the details including expiry date and 3 digit CVC code on the back - so you could get it sent to U.K. address to a trusted person 

 

Not always true.

 

My renewed CC is in my home country, but I have the previous one here with me.

 

When I make a online purchase I enter the details from the new one, but at the end it asks me to insert the card into a Digipass, and press some codes.

 

The Digipass detects this is not the new card, and cancels the transaction

[Scouse123]

22 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

Some in fact most banks will not send a debit card to Thailand so you  will have to  get a friend  or relative to post it to you  via Post Office EMS registered service. Do not use a courier like DHL as if it arrives at all it will have been opened with a view to  extorting monies from you  for 'customs clearance '

Best to  use Wise using your  debit card  to transfer funds from  UK to Thailand 

 

I renewed my debit card from Barclays, last year and it went to my UK address.

 

My son sent it track and trace system, using the Post Office. He put it inside a birthday card to Thailand It was here in six days.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Scouse123