Which bank atm has the largest withdrawal amount

[Langsuan Man]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

[Pib]

Plus, even for folks like Pib and myself who only use U.S. bank cards that reimburse foreign ATM fees, our sense of thrift means we don't want to be incurring unnecessary bank fees, even if someone else (like our home country banks) are footing the bill.

Amen brother! Especially when I feel the bank fee is too high and the Bt150 - 180 Thai bank foriegn card ATM fee fits firmly in the too high category in my book even when my home country bank is footing the bill. Just the principal of the thing.

[jpinx]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

My last TMB withdrawal was also around Oct 30 or 31... So, I haven't attempted anything since then into November.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

I believe he was referring to debit cards associated with checking accounts. Usually, those debit cards are either VISA or MasterCard logo cards, regardless of the issuing bank.

[55Jay]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

Look at your cards. Do you see a Visa or Mastercard logo? That's what they mean by brand.

[jpinx]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

Look at your cards. Do you see a Visa or Mastercard logo? That's what they mean by brand.

It's not only the "brand" that matters, but the type of card. Debit cards only work with the cash you have sitting in the bank, Credit cards work within the credit limit you have contracted with the card issuing company. Fees are not always the same for both types of card, even from the same "brand"

[55Jay]

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

Look at your cards. Do you see a Visa or Mastercard logo? That's what they mean by brand.

It's not only the "brand" that matters, but the type of card. Debit cards only work with the cash you have sitting in the bank, Credit cards work within the credit limit you have contracted with the card issuing company. Fees are not always the same for both types of card, even from the same "brand"

Wow!

[martin81]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

What is a "Visa branded ATM cards" ? Is that a credit card? debit card? store card?

I have several VISA cards. Some debit and some credit. So it could be either.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Well, I'm sorry to report, it is indeed BAD NEWS.

This afternoon, when I was out and around, I did a tour of the four Thai bank ATMs that are known to dispense 30,000 baht per withdrawal -- TMB, Ayudhya, CIMB and CitiBank, instead of the lesser amounts available through other Thai banks.

And I regret to report, indeed, ALL of them are now charging the 180 baht fee per withdrawal for VISA logo cards (and presumably are continuing to charge the same 180 baht fee against MasterCards). Tested each of them today with one of my U.S. VISA-logo debit cards, and got the 180 baht fee notice from each.

So, AFAIK, there is no longer any ATM option I'm aware of for pulling both 30,000 baht and paying (or getting charged) only the prior 150 baht fee for VISA cards that ATMs such as those at TMB had offered at least through the end of last month.

All the more reason to (for those who earn their money outside Thailand and need to move it here):

a] only do foreign card ATM withdrawals with cards that fully reimburse the Thai bank ATM fees and charge no foreign currency fee.

b] do bank counter withdrawals with your passport using your debit card or no-cash advance fee credit card that don't charge foreign currency fees -- for the debit cards, if you can find a bank branch that will do them; for the credit cards, if you can find the rare credit card that doesn't charge a cash advance fee.

c] for Americans, consider the AMEX Bluebird prepaid card -- if you can get by within their ATM withdrawal limits of $750 per day and $2000 per month, and are willing in Thailand to only use BKK Bank ATMs and pay BKK Bank's 50 baht per ATM withdrawal fee for AMEX cards, and Bluebird's own $2.50 out-of-network ATM fee -- which together still come out almost $1.50 less than the regular Thai banks' 180 baht ATM fee (which is about $5.50 per, due to the improving U.S.-THB exchange rate).

d] also for Americans, re-consider BKK Bank's New York to Thailand ACH transfer system, which has lower fees than most traditional wire transfers, and can be financially competitive with no-fee ATM card withdrawals, especially if you're transferring larger amounts per transfer.

[Pib]

The Thai Bankers Association strikes again. I expect they closely evaluated the Bt150 fee some banks were charging and the Bt180 fee other banks were charging. And wanting to eliminate the confusion (and the lower fee) the banksters unanimously decided the Bt180 fee was better. Plus it brings greater happiness to the banksters. Returning the happiness is a big thing right now in Thailand.

[55Jay]

Well, that leaves counter w/d or Pib's fast escape in a Fortuner, burn rubber back home to the computer before the credit card cash advance interest hits.

It's like a bloody 007 James Bond movie. Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on this, but me and JingThing are about to give up and move to Florida! The stress!!!!

[Pib]

Well, that leaves counter w/d or Pib's fast escape in a Fortuner, burn rubber back home to the computer before the credit card cash advance interest hits.

It's like a bloody 007 James Bond movie. Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on this, but me and JingThing are about to give up and move to Florida! The stress!!!!

Don't move to Florida...I use to live there...too many old folks. But hey, no state income tax.

[55Jay]

Well, that leaves counter w/d or Pib's fast escape in a Fortuner, burn rubber back home to the computer before the credit card cash advance interest hits.

It's like a bloody 007 James Bond movie. Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on this, but me and JingThing are about to give up and move to Florida! The stress!!!!

Don't move to Florida...I use to live there...too many old folks. But hey, no state income tax.

As if Thailand is not the SE Asian annex of God's waiting room. LOL.

Weather's about the same but at least there's decent fishing.

[jpinx]

Well, that leaves counter w/d or Pib's fast escape in a Fortuner, burn rubber back home to the computer before the credit card cash advance interest hits.

It's like a bloody 007 James Bond movie. Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on this, but me and JingThing are about to give up and move to Florida! The stress!!!!

FWIW - I do that in reverse -- Overfill the credit card account a day before going to the ATM. Guaranteed no cash interest charges

[Pib]

FWIW - I do that in reverse -- Overfill the credit card account a day before going to the ATM. Guaranteed no cash interest charges

I could make an advance payment also, but prefer to wait until after I make the counter withdrawal just in case for some reason the counter withdrawal is refused, the branch is closed, I just don't make it to the branch as planned because the Fortuner runs out of diesel, etc. That way I don't have a big credit on my account.

But actually I guess I've been doing advance payments all along because after I make the counter withdrawal usually around mid day I will log-on onto my credit card card account before I go to bed that night and make the payment because the actual counter withdrawal transaction takes several "business" days to appear/post to my account. The credit card cash advance withdrawal posting is not real time or near real time like a debit card transaction. So, what ends up happening is I do have a credit on my account for several business days. In fact the counter withdrawal I did last Friday is still not posted as of this morning when I checked. However, when it does post several business days later, say 2 to 3 business days later, it always has a posting date of the day I did the actual withdrawal except one time when it was the next business day.

[jpinx]

FWIW - I do that in reverse -- Overfill the credit card account a day before going to the ATM. Guaranteed no cash interest charges

I could make an advance payment also, but prefer to wait until after I make the counter withdrawal just in case for some reason the counter withdrawal is refused, the branch is closed, I just don't make it to the branch as planned because the Fortuner runs out of diesel, etc. That way I don't have a big credit on my account.

But actually I guess I've been doing advance payments all along because after I make the counter withdrawal usually around mid day I will log-on onto my credit card card account before I go to bed that night and make the payment because the actual counter withdrawal transaction takes several "business" days to appear/post to my account. The credit card cash advance withdrawal posting is not real time or near real time like a debit card transaction. So, what ends up happening is I do have a credit on my account for several business days. In fact the counter withdrawal I did last Friday is still not posted as of this morning when I checked. However, when it does post several business days later, say 2 to 3 business days later, it always has a posting date of the day I did the actual withdrawal except one time when it was the next business day.

Different banks, different results. I can usually see the ATM pull within 12 hours.

[Pib]

If you are doing the credit card cash advance from an "ATM" I can see it posting a lot faster/same day, but with a "counter withdrawal" I'm doing a signature receipt transaction...no PIN involved like with an ATM...just like using your credit card in Big C, Tesco Lotus, etc.

But you are right, different banks, different results, varying speeds on how fast their systems post debit and credit card transactions even if the ATM/merchant processes all the settlement requirements triple-ASAP. I see that with my various credit and debit card accounts with various banks/companies.

[Strangebrew]

Well after you throw the hung body out of the window if you S&W 500 can withdraw all you can carry without any fees. Just bring Sharky with you to translate.

[Pib]

Bangkok Bank will allow Thb40k/day. Only niggle is there is a max withdrawal limit of 25K per pull. So withdraw 25K and immediately follow with a 15K withdrawal. Otherwise go into any branch and withdraw as much as you need over the counter, but have your passport.

The point is, most people don't want to be doing repeat or multiple pulls from a Thai bank ATM using a foreign bank card.

With a 180 or 150 baht Thai bank fee every time you withdraw with a foreign card, the fee dollars will tend to add up.

Plus, even for folks like Pib and myself who only use U.S. bank cards that reimburse foreign ATM fees, our sense of thrift means we don't want to be incurring unnecessary bank fees, even if someone else (like our home country banks) are footing the bill.

The 30,000 baht per ATM withdrawal limit currently used by TMB, Ayudhya and CIMB is nice because it roughly matches with having a $1,000 daily withdrawal limit on the card itself, which about the highest most U.S. debit cards go for ATM withdrawals. Many are less at $300 to $500 per day.

And separately, Pib is correct.... When using a BKK Bank debit card, BKK Bank will allow crazy large sums to be withdrawn per day from your account. I believe 50K is the default daily amount, and can be increased in your account settings to, I believe, up to 250K per day. But again, that's a BKK Bank card attached to a BKK Bank account -- totally different than home country bank cards/accounts.

TallGuy,

I too thought and posted Bangkok's bank's upper daily withdrawal daily limit was up to Bt250K...and maybe it was that in the recent past. But now, it's up to Bt500K when using the Bangkok Bank Be1st Smart chipped card, repeat the EMV chipped card. The withdrawal limit can be set to 50K, 100K, 150K, 200K, or Bt500K, with slightly different limits for purchases...up to a max 150K daily limit for purchases.

Now the Bangkok Bank Be1st magnetic strip card has different daily limits. 5K, 20K, 50K, 100K, and 150K.

See below cut and pastes from the Bangkok Bank website. But for someone to set their cards to a high limit better hope they never lose their card, because even if the bad guy who finds it even without the PIN to do ATM withdrawals could go on a shopping spree since the PIN is not used for purchases...the bad guy could go home with all kinds of big screen TVs, Apple iphones, etc....party time!!!!!

Be1st chipped card

Be1st magnetic strip card

[Langsuan Man]

LSM, are you talking about using a VISA or MC logo card in your case?

The normal TMB ATM I've generally used is a newer one in a mall. So IF TMB has made some change to 180 baht regarding the fee for VISA logo cards (which are the ones I use), it's one they've implemented since the start of the month, since I got the 150 baht fee last time I withdrew at that point.

Both were Visa branded ATM cards but in checking my records I find that the first transaction @ 150 THB was 31 Oct (Fidelity) and yesterday was of course in November @ 180 THB. (Schwab) So the change may have taken place at the start of the month

I will go back to the "old" TMB bank later today and see if it has changed to 180 THB

Consistent with what TallGuy JohninBKK reported yesterday the "old" TMB ATM I have been using has now gone up to 180 THB, fortunately I now have three "banks" that reimburse ATM fees so I can spread around some of the pain

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Ditto on that LSM... I also have at least 3 foreign ATM fee-reimbursing accounts. And I typically only do one 30K ATM withdrawal per month.

So, I usually rotate the monthly withdrawal around from one card/account to another, so I don't have the foreign fee reimbursement in the same account (or any account) every consecutive month.

My pension comes in at the end of each month, and I just withdraw it from the deposit account (which is fee reimbursing) or ACH push or pull it into either of the other fee reimbursing accounts that I plan to use that month.

They're all VISA logo cards, so they all have the same exchange rate (also with no foreign currency fee). So far, it's worked pretty well for me, ever since AEON went over to the dark side.

[Pib]

Yeah, just used a TMB ATM here in western Bangkok with my foriegn Visa debit card to get Bt30K and it charged a Bt180 fee...last month the same ATM only charged Bt150. It makes a Thai bankster smile...return to happiness.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What's going on with that, Pib??? I thought you were a certified no-fee credit card cash advance man...

Or have you taken to doing both -- CC cash advances and the occasional ATM withdrawal?

[Pib]

What's going on with that, Pib??? I thought you were a certified no-fee credit card cash advance man...

Or have you taken to doing both -- CC cash advances and the occasional ATM withdrawal?

The latter...sometimes I don't feel like going to the mall branch I use for the credit card counter withdrawals...plus, I have HiSo spending habits except for my Bt539 per case Chang beer

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

How's your acceptance rate been over time with the credit card cash advances? Are you only doing them at one established bank branch location, or tried and succeeded (or failed) elsewhere?

I've never yet done a credit card cash advance here, even though I have the same no-fee credit cards available as you. However, the recent loss of the last remaining 150 baht ATM fee option (and the new fee being 180 baht even for VISA cards--even though I get the fee reimbursed) has me thinking I might try taking a swim in your pond.

But the prospect of having to deal with Thai bank tellers on that kind of transaction had always put me off up until now -- although I certainly know you're a big fan of bank teller sight-seeing when you're out and around after finishing a few Changs for the day.

[Pib]

I've only tried it at two Bangkok Bank branches. The first branch I tried was one at nearby Lotus mall that I go to probably at least 3 times a week...the branch is one of those mini-branches with just a couple of clerks and some ATM/CDM/PBU machines outside. I first tried there and they would not do a counter withdrawal for a debit or credit card because they said for such withdrawals I needed to go to a full branch where they have POS machines. Ok, I live in western Bangkok which is kinda like the suburbs and I really didn't want to go to a standalone branch since each one was about 5km away and their parking sucked.

So, there is another mall nearby that I go to every week or two and it does have a Bangkok Bank full branch inside...like 10 teller positions, separate CSR desks, etc.. So, I tried that branch and they will not do it for a "debit" card for any amount....they just point you to their ATMs. But they gladly accept credit cards. I'm pretty sure it's the branch's policy versus just the clerk I got that day, because I asked several questions when they wouldn't accept the debt card and then the clerk called her supervisor who repeated in pretty good English they won't do it for a debit card but no problem with a credit card...she even pointed to where it said debit and credit on cards. But from other ThaiVisa posts other folks have used there debit cards at Bangkok Bank branches to do counter withdrawals...just another example of the policy seems to vary from branch-to-branch regardless of bank (i.e. Bangkok Bank, K-Bank, SCB, etc). And I think maybe a lot of posts where someone said the branch turned them down is because they tried in a mini-branch in a mall which just don't do such counter withdrawals since they may not have POS machines.

Since my no foreign transaction fee and no cash advance fee credit card allows up to $2,000 per transaction/day for a counter withdrawal that's what I pull....I usually check the Visa exchange website before going to see what max baht amount I could get without breaching the $2,000 limit which has been around Bt64K lately. The first time I did the counter withdrawal with the credit card I really didn't know what the counter transaction limit was for my card...I thought maybe it should be around one-third of my total credit card line. So, I asked for Bt100K (approx $3,100 at the time and below one-third of my credit line), the clerk went behind a wall to run the transaction, she came back about a minute later saying the card had rejected as "over limit"...a little embarrassing. I then quickly said please try it again for Bt60K without having a clue what my daily limit really was. The clerk went behind the wall again and then came back with the receipt to sign---success!!!

Later that day I called my card-issuing credit union to see what the limits were because the docs they mailed me or their website did not specify...that's when I found out it's $2,000 per transaction/day when doing a cash advance at a financial institution (ie., counter/teller withdrawal) and I could come back the next day and do another $2,000 withdrawal until I reach my credit card line of credit which is far north of $2,000. Actually I can get another $1,000 per transaction/day by doing an ATM withdrawal but I'm not reimbursed the Thai ATM foreign card Bt150-180 fee. A counter withdrawal does not charge this fee. So, after calling my card-issuing bank to get smart on what my daily transaction limits were I shouldn't embarrass myself again by asking for too much.

And what I do is also deposit the money into my Bangkok Bank account at the same time. I hand the clerk my card with a deposit slip, say I want a cash advance of X-amount "and" to deposit that amount into my Bangkok Bank account---basically a combo cash advance withdrawal and deposit...I'm usually in and out of the branch within 5-20 minutes depending on my queue number as it is a larger branch with plenty of customers. The clerk does the cash advance and immediately transfers/deposits the amount into my bank account/updates my passbook....no actual money is handled. Or if a person wanted to they could say I want a X-amount cash amount, give me X-amount of that in cash and the rest deposit....or just get it all in cash....up to you. Be sure to take your passport.

Yea, I've done around 8 counter withdrawals since AEON started charging a fee of Feb this year. I pay the advance in full same day to avoid any interest charge since cash advances start clicking off interest charges from day one. And every other month or so I will use a couple different no foreign transaction fee Visa debit cards I have which reimburse the ATM fees...this occasional use shouldn't help Kill the Golden Reimbursement Goose, and possibly just a slight fear I have of drawing too much attention to me for high ATM reimbursements by using them a lot and then the card-issuing bank trying to figure out some way to legally offload me as customer...like maybe triggering on my "outside the U.S." address, but that is probably/hopefully an unfounded fear? Plus, I just hate letting the Thai banksters make the extremely high foreign card Bt150-180 fee...it's just too high in my opinion...call it the principle of the thing. But hey, I guess plenty of foreign tourists keep feeding their foreign cards into Thai ATMs without worrying about the high fee or figure it's just another one of those unavoidable charges you get hit with when on vacation so they don't worry about it....on to the next bar.

Yeap, credit card cash advance counter withdrawals with no fees combined with occasional use of my debit cards has been working for me...have not had to pay any fees, or should I say got reimbursed for ATM fees. Living in Bangkok I have plenty of branches/ATMs I can easily go to like when visiting a mall to do grocery shopping...I'm really not going out of my way to get my money this way. Gosh, it's been years since I've needed to do an ACH/SWIFT transfer and incur those wire fees and wait for the money to show up in a few business days....ever since I got my no foreign fee cards that also reimburse I just haven't had the need to wire funds to myself. I've avoided a good amount in fees and now getting to meet pretty bank tellers doing the counter withdrawals.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thanks for the detailed response, Pib...

I hadn't thought about the larger vs. smaller branches issue and the tellers having or not having POS machines. But if I decide to give it a go, I'll certainly start out at some of the larger, full service branches, and see how that goes....

I'm more curious than anything else. Thanks Much!!!

[jpinx]

Interesting story Pib -- thanks for sharing My home country bank has just started (last week) to allow me to transfer online direct into an account in a foreign country. I haven't explored the fees and commissions and rates yet, but it might just be that the combination of ease of use combined and the 180Baht ATM charge is tipping me in favour of a BkkBank account and ATM card which I can top up online. No more visits to Banks at all

[Pib]

Yea, I've been tempted sometimes just to periodically do a large ACH transfer from my U.S. home country primary bank to my Bangkok Bank account, say $15K at a time, and live off of that for X-months. Total fees on the home country sending end and Thailand receiving end would amount to about $25/Bt800 which amounts to 0.17% in total fees...I can easily accept 0.17% in fees and not feel like the bankster held me up. Fortunately I can do that but I realize many people can't and must deal with smaller and multiple transfers which starts multiply the fees....and if they happen to be pricey SWIFT fees versus some kind of low cost fees like ACH fees then the fees total amount climbs even higher. Plus I realize many people don't want to keep no more money in Thailand than their immediate living expense needs...and some Americans want to avoid having over $10K overseas to avoid having to submit a yearly FBAR report...and just a variety of other reasons which vary from person to person. Each person's financial situation, fees tolerance, and other stuff makes for many different ways of getting money into Thailand.

And you know what, if I ever did start doing the bulk funds transfer I would most likely move most of it from Bangkok Bank account upon arrival to my Krungsri MeeTai Dai savings account (basically a hybrid fixed deposit account) that earns 2.3% interest, I can do two free ATM withdrawals per month (3 and above ATM withdrawals then cost you Bt50 per withdrawal), the funds withdrawals do not inflict a interest penalty like in a traditional fixed deposit account, and there is no tax withheld until going over Bt20K interest earned per year like in how a traditional fixed account withholds 15% tax on any amount of interest earned (but you can file a refund request each year with your local revenue office to get that money back....not hard).

Yeap, to each his own in transferring and managing their money....so many different preferences and ways. Cheers.