UK Nationwide charges asgainst T C

[Gus 97]

I have just had my Nationwide Flex account statement which covers my recent trip.

Now I know many of these things have probably been covered before but can somebody tell me what charges I would incur for my next trip if I took out travellers cheques, because the ATM route is getting silly.

 

For a 10,000 baht withdrawal I got charged

150 baht £3-00 Bank of Ayudha (sp)

£4.33 Nationwide commision

£1.00 " " non UK cash wdl

The 10,000 baht worked out at about £213 and I was charged £8.33, not far off a total of 4%

 

What charges would I incur if I bought travellers cheques in the UK? Do you get a little higher rate with TC as well?

TIA

[hillbilly 81]

30 bhata cheque and 1.5% commission on overall amount in uk thats what post office charged me. £2000 ................................£2030 . i prefer them always but we all have different ideas whats best

[andy1 0]

30 bhata cheque and 1.5% commission on overall amount in uk thats what post office charged me. £2000 ................................£2030 . i prefer them always but we all have different ideas whats best

if u get t/c,s try to get big denominatons , when i got them from the p/o in the uk, the came in a pack ,some were small denom, but still incurred the same commision charge in los

their safer than cash or cards imo, as they are of no use to a theif , and can be replaced free of charge if lost

- take your p/port when u go to changing booth

[jacko 8,822]

Whatever commission your UK bank charges on TCs... (eg 1.5% at Post Office)

A local charge in Thailand of 33 baht/cheque, hence larger denominations work out better.

A better exchange rate for TCs of about 30 satang/£1 over cash.

 

It is hard to compare the exchange rate with ATM withdrawals unless you take notes but other than the local 150 baht charge, there is often a standing charge from your UK bank, and a further commission that gets hidden in a poorer exchange rate.

Edited December 30, 2010 by jacko

[Malakor 17]

The 150B charge can be avoided by taking the card + passport into the bank itself, either that or find an Aeon ATM.

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

The 150B charge can be avoided by taking the card + passport into the bank itself, either that or find an Aeon ATM.

 

I tried the Aeon ATMs and they charge me 150 baht too. Could it be because my account's in Japan?

[Gus 97]

Thanks for the input guys, I'll take as much cash as is reasonable to cushion the blow.

 

I expect you chaps have felt this currency business a bitter pill to swallow. A couple of years ago it was almost 70 baht=£1 and that was it, now 47=£1 less about another 3.5 baht bank charges, 43.5.

 

And don't even get me started on the UK rip off airport tax, which apparently the Thais are thinking of copying.

 

Anyway happy New Year to you all.

[Bazle 1,500]

This is a discussion that turns up regularly in some form or other. I think the consensus opinion is that the best route is to open a Thai bank account (very easy) and bring a wad of cash with you and deposit it in the account. You then draw what you need from the ATM.

[THE_DRUID 21]

If you do go down the route of taking T/C's from the UK.then Lloyds /TSB do comission free cheques as long as you order them by telephone and pick them up at your local branch(if you order them in the branch then their is a charge).As has been mentioned the higher the denomination the better.Lloyds/TSB's highest denomination T/C's are £200.BTW you'll need to have a Lloyds/TSB Bank account to order these.

 

Here's a link to a previous Topic

 

http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry826661

Edited December 30, 2010 by THE_DRUID

[Daveuk 28]

My answer to the higher Nationwide charges and the fee from the Thai ATM's was to take the bulk of the money I anticipated spending in cash. I know this could be risky but during the outward journey I placed it in a secret pocket within my small backpack, which I had in my possession the whole time. On arrival in Pats the balance I did not immediately cash went into the safe to be cashed when required.

Bit rediculous to have to use this method but I hate being ripped off by the various banks.

[Irish boy 67]

My answer to the higher Nationwide charges and the fee from the Thai ATM's was to take the bulk of the money I anticipated spending in cash. I know this could be risky but during the outward journey I placed it in a secret pocket within my small backpack, which I had in my possession the whole time. On arrival in Pats the balance I did not immediately cash went into the safe to be cashed when required.

Bit rediculous to have to use this method but I hate being ripped off by the various banks.

 

Same same, though i put it in my Kasikorn A/C as and when i wanted

[surry 30]

My answer to the higher Nationwide charges and the fee from the Thai ATM's was to take the bulk of the money I anticipated spending in cash. I know this could be risky but during the outward journey I placed it in a secret pocket within my small backpack, which I had in my possession the whole time. On arrival in Pats the balance I did not immediately cash went into the safe to be cashed when required.

Bit rediculous to have to use this method but I hate being ripped off by the various banks.

 

I'm with you with this Dave , I dont like it but i now carry the bulk of my funds in cash,due to the higher charges from nationwide my mate opened a thai bank a/c we will see how he goes on with it,dont really want to go back to travelers cheques seems like a step back in time.

 

Steve

[jacko 8,822]

I tried the Aeon ATMs and they charge me 150 baht too. Could it be because my account's in Japan?

Wow, first I heard of an Aeon machine issuing a charge. Since it is a Thailand imposed charge I would be surprised the location of the bank account would matter. I will be trying the one near BigC South next week. Edited December 31, 2010 by jacko

[Malakor 17]

I guess it's possible Aeon have now started charging the fee - it has been a while since I last visited one of their ATMs.

[Gus 97]

Maybe it's the Christmas spirit but thanks for the input and lack of flaming because I know this matter has been discussed many times before, even by me.

 

It is just that all the banks, money institutions etc seem to be moving the goalposts regularly and whilst we cannot beat the damn bankers like Fred The Shred, at least we can discuss matters on here to make sure we have as much money as possible to have a good time in that Number 1 fun country of Thailand.

[jacko 8,822]

Reported at the Expats Club yesterday that the Aeon machine did not charge the 150 baht for foreign ATM cards.

My personal experience today was that I don't think I was charged 150 baht, although it is hard to be sure (the sun on the machine at Homeworks makes it illegible).

Nor did the ancient dalek of a machine give me a printout.

It did hit my limit and refuse to give me 20k though...hasn't happened b4, so either exchange rate bad, or there is an extra 150 baht added on??

I noticed later in the day that the Aeon machine in Carrefour was 'Out of Service'...... seems like it always is!

Edited January 13, 2011 by jacko

[GlynRhedyn 32]

Same same, though i put it in my Kasikorn A/C as and when i wanted

Me too although I get TCs from Tesco (1.25%) to top it up. Their biggest TC is only £100 though,

Glyn.

[glynbuk 29]

I took T/c's this year for the first time, got them from LloysTSB at no commision costs etc

 

Just found a copy of one of my transactions in my passport, i used Bank of Ayudha mostly, tried kasikorn once

and she said my 9 year old signature in my passport didn't match that on the T/c's so she refused me.

 

I took 200 pounds amercian express cheques and cashed them 2 at a time, this transaction was at a baht low to the pound

 

29th December rate 45.9600

 

400 pounds = 18384 baht

less stamp x 2 3.00 baht = 6baht

commission x 2 30 baht = 60 baht

 

total paid 18318.00 baht

 

if i can get T/c's from Lloyds at zero interest again then that's the way i will go and they can stick the 150 baht atm charge where the sun don't shine

[THE_DRUID 21]

I took T/c's this year for the first time, got them from LloysTSB at no commision costs etc

 

Just found a copy of one of my transactions in my passport, i used Bank of Ayudha mostly, tried kasikorn once

and she said my 9 year old signature in my passport didn't match that on the T/c's so she refused me.

 

I took 200 pounds amercian express cheques and cashed them 2 at a time, this transaction was at a baht low to the pound

 

 

 

if i can get T/c's from Lloyds at zero interest again then that's the way i will go and they can stick the 150 baht atm charge where the sun don't shine

 

That's what i do now Glyn.T/C's and a bit of Cash,i take my Cards along only for Back up purposes.