Money exchange

[Big Boy]

Yes, that's how I used to do it also. I never ever paid for my cheques either.

[Third Visit]

...if you're buying GBP cheques with GBP how could anyone not charge you for them (unless they've made a mistake or you're a VIP customer)?

So the exchange rate is better for TCs, and if you're only paying 30 baht or so change £200 then that would be the best value (if they cost you nothing). I'll only want cash for "incidentals" - everything I can will go on the Halifax Clarity card - so I think I'll take GBP in cash - can't be bothered to load the card with credit before I go.

By the way, if you find yourself with lots of Baht when leaving BKK, I found buying GBP there much much better than bringing it back to the UK. Still need to be careful though. When landing at BKK from Bali I changed IDR for Baht - ouch - the exchange rate/commission cost me 30%.

[SunandFun]

Third Visit, if your "Halifax Clarity Card" charges for international purchases, you will pay a fortune each time you use it. Usually international charges include a fee plus a percentage. Just check it out before so you can be prepared and not surprised.Also, cards get blocked because of use in Thailand, so better to have a second source backup and a phone number to call and resolve these types of problems. Have a great trip.

[musungu]

Third Visit, if your "Halifax Clarity Card" charges for international purchases, you will pay a fortune each time you use it. Usually international charges include a fee plus a percentage. Just check it out before so you can be prepared and not surprised.Also, cards get blocked because of use in Thailand, so better to have a second source backup and a phone number to call and resolve these types of problems. Have a great trip.

The usual way to avoid a problem using your card outside of your normal country of residence is to advise the card company by a secure email ( all my cards have this procedure) that you will be in Thailand or wherever from certain dates.

[SunandFun]

[/quote]

The usual way to avoid a problem using your card outside of your normal country of residence is to advise the card company by a secure email ( all my cards have this procedure) that you will be in Thailand or wherever from certain dates.[/quote]

This "sometimes" handles the problem of the card being frozen. I have done this and the security measures in place kicked in any way. They apologized, but still inconvenient.

But that doesn't address the charges for using the card overseas.

[Third Visit]

SunandFun

The whole point about the Halifax Clarity is that there are no charges for using it overseas and the exchange rate is unloaded.

Last time I used it was in France (20Nov2013) when a purchase for 100.05 Euro was exchanged at 1.1953 for a total cost of £83.70. (The quoted rate that day was 1.1985)

http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/GBP-EUR ... story.html

Here's a web site that recommended the card:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel ... avel-money

Forget what I said earier about putting the card into credit to withdraw cash - it's not allowed. But even if you take out cash at an ATM there are still no charges (by them) and if it takes you a month to pay it off that's still only 1% in interest charges.

[max51]

I checked the fees for cashing TCs and they are 30Baht per cheque + 3Baht Stamp duty. I got 0.20Baht per £1 more than for cash, so with that offsetting the cost I only paid 13Baht to cash each £100 TC.

[blue05]

AEON are now charging 150bt for withdrawals from their mchines, the last bank has fallen

[Lung Per]

AEON are now charging 150bt for withdrawals from their mchines, the last bank has fallen

Merde.

[HHTel]

That must have just kicked in. Monday afternoon, there were no charges. Shame!

[Chromeman]

AEON are now charging 150bt for withdrawals from their mchines, the last bank has fallen

The undated announcement here. But I think someone in another thread here on HHF mentioned that this was announced at the beginning of the year.

EDIT: Yes, max51 mentioned it here.

[max51]

Yes it was announced to start from 1 January, but I read on another forum that they started on Monday.

[max51]

Yes it was announced to start from 1 January, but I read on another forum that they started on Monday.

Actually I think it was yesterday (Tuesday). I also read that Aeon will be increasing the atm fee to 180Baht in line with other atm providers.

[HHTel]

Yep, sure enough, they do now charge 150 baht per transaction. That means, as in my case, drawing 5,000 baht entails costs of 2 pounds cash withdrawal fee, 3 per cent 'non sterling transaction' fee plus 3 quid from the ATM here.

I think the way now (for us expats living here on fixed income) is to get to a situation where you transfer a couple of thousand into your Thai bank (my bank charges 10 pounds) every few weeks.

Is it better to transfer it in GBP and let the bank here convert it or to transfer it in baht?

[lomuamart]

Definitely transfer in GBP and let the Thai bank do the conversion.