ATM or Travellers Checks

[Coire67 0]

I'll be coming to Pattaya later on in the year and was wondering whether or not I would be best to bring travellers checks or just rely on ATMs ?

 

I have a Cirrus/Maestro compatible card and was wondering how common this type of ATM is in Pattaya ?

 

Finally, what is the transaction/daily maximum you can withdrawn from an ATM in Pattaya ???

 

Thanks

[echster 1]

I'll be coming to Pattaya later on in the year and was wondering whether or not I would be best to bring travellers checks or just rely on ATMs ?

 

I have a Cirrus/Maestro compatible card and was wondering how common this type of ATM is in Pattaya ?

 

Finally, what is the transaction/daily maximum you can withdrawn from an ATM in Pattaya ???

 

I rely strictly on ATMs while in Thailand.  I get a better rate using them as opposed to cash/travelers' checks.

 

The Cirrus/Maestro card can be used at 99% of the ATMs in Pattaya.

 

The daily max depends on your bank.

 

Question:  What is the charge for cashing travelers' checks?  Is it a percentage of the total cashed or is it a per check fee?

 

Should have clarified earlier, but I also bring cash and credit cards, in addition to my ATM card, in case I lose one or the other or there is an emergency.

[Guest]

I suggest not to rely on only want kind of money. There are enough ATM in Pattaya but it is always better to have some traveller cheques. Imagine you loose your card or the magnetic back is broken, how can you get money ?

About the places of the ATM you should check in internet (lost the address).

[Paul 0]

I go by the safety rule:

 

1.  Bring Cash

2.  Bring TCs

3.  Bring ATM card

 

I'm covered no matter what happens.

 

There is a fee for cashing TCs, but you get a higher rate.  It equals out.  If your bank at home charges you a fee for the TCs, move your money to another bank.

[Guest]

Sorry for my mistake :

You should not rely on just ONE kind of money.

 

The fees for TC are different. Normally you pay 1 % when you buy them and when changing you pay a fee (sometimes you get better exchange rate). If you have good connections or if you are a good customer you may get the TC without any fee (I do not have to pay the fee !)

[147SAG 0]

Hi I have used travellers cheques, cash, ATM, and Visa, also American Express in the past and have found them all ok.

 

American Express I have found some places will not take card very hard to pay dinner bill with no cash.

 

My brother had a hard time with travellers cheque in November, he works in Japan where he got cheques from, but his passport is from Canada. He had to go to bank to cash them. Also his Visa card did not work and they will not punch in numbers on cards.

 

I will be taking 2 ATM Cards as well as 2 different Visa cards and alittle cash but mostly for use in my own  Country.

 

I use two different banks for ATM cards but you could use one from chequing account and one from savings . Also you could get a second card for Visa but if you don't let bank know you will be out of Country they may cancel card,when its used in Thailand, this is why I use two different cards.

 

But if you worry bring a couple traveller cheques to, it can't hurt, better to be safe then sorry.

[Skate 9]

From the States,  B of A charges an ATM fee

 

for international withdrawals. Is there also an

 

ATM fee when withdrawing in Thailand ?

 

If so, it sounds like you would be double dipping

 

when using an ATM card.... unless you just using

 

it for purchases.

[Paul 0]

I've just read the posts trying to answer a simple question and I am sure the person asking is more confused then ever.

 

Look-- Get your butt to Pattaya with money and forget about it.  

[pax36 0]

My experience with regard to ATM, TC:

When cashing TC, there is a flat fee charged per check cashed, therefore, it might be better to have large denominations--the same charge will apply if you cash a $20 TC or a $100 TC.  Friends of mine have also experienced problems trying to cash Visa TC vs Amer. Express.

 

There are many ATM's around Pattaya, some may not accept your card and/or code.  Also depending on your bank, there may be an additional charge for withdrawing funds from the ATM.  This is also usually a flat fee per transaction.

 

I usually bring some travellers checks and use ATM as a backup.

[Rhoel 2]

Last trip out I stayed in BankKum [north east BKK] and the Mall had more ATM there than in the UK town where I live now: The first ATM I tried refused the card, the machine next happily accepted it ... moral is to try more than one. This was the only time I ever had with ATM on 3 trips.

[THE_DRUID 21]

I VISIT PATTAYA 3-4 TIMES A YEAR AND FIND THAT IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A MIXTURE OF CASH,T/C'S,CREDIT CARDS AND ATM CARDS.CASH IS ALWAYS 1 BAHT PER £1 LESS THAN T/C'S.FOR EXAMPLE LAST OCT £100 CASH WAS B6300,£100 T/C WAS B6400.IN THE B100 DIFFERENCE,TAKE AWAY 1% COMMISSION IN THE U.K.(EQUIV  B64) AND AROUND B27 COMMISSION FROM A THAI BANK/EXCHANGE,THAT ONLY LEAVES B9 MORE PER £100 BUT YOU HAVE THE ADDED SECURITY OF GETTING YOUR T/C'S REPLACED IF STOLEN.CREDIT CARDS USUALLY HAVE A 2.5% CHARGE FOR CASH ADVANCES.AS FOR ATM MACHINES,IF YOU'RE FROM THE U.K.OPEN A FLEX ACCOUNT AT THE NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY AND USE THEIR CARD IN ATM'S WITH THE SIGN CIRRUS.THE NATIONWIDE HAS NO CHARGES AS LONG AS YOU USE THE DESIGNATED MACHINES.(OPPOSITE CLASSROOM SOI PATTAYALAND HAS ONE ON THE CORNER).IF YOU'RE STAYING LONG TIME YOU CAN OPEN AN E-MAIL ACCOUNT WITH THE NATIONWIDE AND SWITCH MONEY VIA THE INTERNET TO YOUR FLEX-ACCOUNT(THIS TAKES 24 HRS TO CLEAR FROM ONE TO THE OTHER).REMEMBER THOUGH THAT IF YOU'RE RELYING ON A CARD ALONE AND THE MACHINE SWALLOWS IT,IT CAN BE A NIGHTMARE REPLACING IT!! THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS EXCERCISE ALL OPTIONS.

 

                                  THE DRUID

[doug 0]

Last time I traveled to LOS I had a mixture of cash, atm and travelers checks.  I found the atm to be the most convenient although after the fourth day my atm card

was rejected.  A call to my bank took care of everything but they were concerned that I had withdrawn cash several times from an overseas bank...strange.  The only reason I mention this is that I am planning on taking the phone number of my bank with me this time.  I also make photo copies of the front and back of my credit cards and passport.  I keep these in case I were to lose my wallet and need to cancel the cards.  Just my free advice which is probably worth what you paid for it.   :)

[Guest]

my 2 pennies; During my last trip to the LOS i did used my c/c's quite often. almost at the end of my vacation did incurred in unplanned expenses. like always to bring a combination of cash/trav. cheques/credit cards. but, mainly rely on the cash to get me through my happy days 'til i get home,  never have to used my atm card and wouldn't like to do it for security reasons and peace in mind. >:D///

[starry 0]

charge for  cashing travel cheques is 23 baht   starry

[starry 0]

for cashing 5000  baht from atm  with cirrus.maestro  nat west charged  £1-87p  if any help starry

[Sved 0]

I know some ATMs doesnt accept foreign cards but most do (like echster says 99%). As long as it has the VISA/Mastercard etc logo you should be ok. But last year I got a shock in MBK when I couldnt use my card before I realized what had happened. I never use TC but I bring some cash and both ATM and credit card. If something happens to my credit card I can get a new one within 48 hours for just 15USD. I think that American Express etc have this service also.

 

I dont think using a ATM will cause any problem unless you run into a nigerian loop (which would seem highly unlikely in Thailand). However buying stuff with your cards can be. I usually pay my hotel with card and have never had any problems. But I use cash for most other purchases. Its mostly cash bars anyway  ;D

[gkp 1]

i phoned my bank today which is the alliance+liecester,they said they charge 4.25%on atm withdrawels.so if a draw out £250 they charge nearly £12.i think this is a lot,but i then rang bank of scotland mastercard,and they charge the same.

so i think its got to be better with T.CS

cheers gary.

[Eneukman 1]

I used my Nationwide Building Society debit card in Argentina earlier this year and was not charged for doing so. Not sure about the charge for using my credit card but think it would be in the region of 2 1/2%. Personally, I prefer travellers cheques but that's purely my preference.

 

Alan

[Woody 0]

i phoned my bank today which is the alliance+liecester,they said they charge 4.25%on atm withdrawels.so if a draw out £250 they charge nearly £12.i think this is a lot,but i then rang bank of scotland mastercard,and they charge the same.

so i think its got to be better with T.CS

cheers gary.

 

Change your bank mate! Nationwide have no charges for cash withdrawals on their Visa debit card and only 0.5% cash withdrawal charge on their Visa credit card.

 

Many banks charge up to 2.75% foreign transaction fee plus 1.5% cash advance fee on debit as well as credit cards. You will not even see these fees in your statements because they are disguised in the form of a lower exchange rate.

 

An alternative credit card is the Liverpool Victoria visa card which charges 1% foreign transaction fee plus 1.5% cash advance fee.

 

To complicate it even further some banks charge interest on cash advance from the day of the withdrawal even if you pay the sum of at your next statement. None of the cards I mentioned above do. :-)

[BigDUSA 71]

A few days before I leave for Pattaya, I call my bank and credit card company. I tell them I'll be travelling to Thailand, give them the dates and they enter it on my record. When thier security program kicks out my account they check my record and they don't block my account I also photo copy front and back of all my cards and passport and the US phone # if I have to cancel. Only 17 more days. ;D ;D ;D

[bigdguy 0]

I just returned from the LOS visiting Pattaya and Bangkok. This trip I relied almost exclusively on ATM's. In the last couple of years there have been many more ATM's installed in Pattaya. If one was out of order, there usually would 2 or 3 thers close by.

 

I did encounter one bank, can't remember which one, that did charge a 35 baht transaction fee. All of the other bank machines I used did not charge a fee. Fortunately, my bank does not charge as well, so ATM's are extremely convenient for me to use.

 

Most of the ATM's only seem to give out 1000 baht notes. I did find one on Beach Road that dispensed 500 baht notes, however I kept forgetting which one of the many ATM's along Beach Rd this was.

 

As I recall, Plus system seemed to be about the most common. I think just about every machine accepted this. Most machines also worked with Cirrus. I didn't pay much attention to the other ATM networks, since these two are the ones that I use.

[gkp 1]

cheers woody,

ive just looked at the nationwide site,and im going down to the victoria branch to sort it out.i leave for LOS in 3 weeks so i hope they can sort it out by then.

cheers gary

[Woody 0]

cheers woody,

ive just looked at the nationwide site,and im going down to the victoria branch to sort it out.i leave for LOS in 3 weeks so i hope they can sort it out by then.

cheers gary

 

You will have to open a Nationwide flexaccount for the debit card.

 

Whatever you do, still take some travellers cheques as "backup". Take American Express sterling travellers cheques. The usual charge is 1% for sterling T/C. Don't take Visa travellers cheques. They are difficult to change in Pattaya.

[Eneukman 1]

I always take US dollar travellers cheques with me. As an HBOS shareholder I get my travellers cheques commission free from my local branch of the Bank of Scotland - though I frequently have to remind them of that and get the commission refunded when I collect them. Also, I can use them when I go elsewhere on holiday at other times of year.

 

I may be wrong but I believe Nationwide will give you Thomas Cook travellers cheques rather than American Express. Any problems in cashing them in Pattaya?

 

Incidentally, if you have a Nationwide flex account, you can open an e-savings account with them, which will pay you 4% interest gross on your savings (up to a maximum of £50,000) and no minimum deposit required. By the way, I don't work for them only bank with them!

 

Alan

[Woody 0]

I always take US dollar travellers cheques with me. As an HBOS shareholder I get my travellers cheques commission free from my local branch of the Bank of Scotland - though I frequently have to remind them of that and get the commission refunded when I collect them. Also, I can use them when I go elsewhere on holiday at other times of year.

 

Well you are throwing away money then! You lose money converting to dollars and then you lose money a second time converting the dollars to Baht. Not a wise thing to do considering the ripoff foreign exchange rates in the UK.

 

Forget any other travellers cheques, only take American Express sterling.