Bring your Money with you

[Neo]

But what is the exchange rate of paypal? Some money transfer schemes hide fees in the exchange rate so could be the wrong way to go. I have never seen an exchange rate as good as I get at the ATM and there is no fees.

 

[FAT_AUSSIE]

If you have a bank acct in LOS, you can wire the funds to yourself from your home country as you leave, takes 24 hrs but I have found it to be less. you get hit with a $34.00AUD fee (which bank) allthough this if you FX in excess of $3.400 equates to less than the 1% foriegn currency conversion fee. To add, the cost of operating a local ATM card will be cheaper than operating a foriegn ATM card. My bank which is better than most charges $5.00AUD/145BHT per withdrawl.

 

Another option if you dont trust wires or like to carry alot of foriegn currency is to purchace TT's. In Australia at Australia Post, you pay no commission on TT's(>$300.00AUD) and like-wise you can exchange these in LOS and deposit those funds directly into your local bank acc.You will pay a fee to encash the TT's (forget what it is now) anyone???)but overall it is nominal.

 

Fatty....

[Palatkik]

I just wire the money here these days from offshore Citibank for free and get onshore rates through Kasikorn, though I notice more recently the ATM rates using an offshore Citi card are converging with onshore rates. A few months back it was 32 vs 35/USD.

[Rex7777]

I've been lazy and have just been using my Bank of America ATM card. I get the in-country rate of 34+ baht, and my bank charges me $5. The Thailand bank also takes a small amount. I normally I take out 20,000 baht at a time, so the cost is usually around $8 or so for 20,000 baht or about 1.4%. Maybe I could try withdrawing a larger amount? I've never tried that. That would save me a little bit, because the ATM fee is $5, regardless.

 

Rex

[Skatduder]

 

I got hit $20 International Exchange fee plus a 1% fee from B of A. Will not use them again.

[rchapstick]

I seem to recall a thread (can't seem to find it now) where certain ATM's were offering the (lower) onshore exchange rate for foreign ATM card transactions, while other banks off the (higher, more favorable) onshore rate.

 

Does anyone else remember the thread?

[MooNoi]

You will pay a fee to encash the TT's (forget what it is now) anyone???

 

Pretty sure it's 33 baht per tcraveller's cheque.

[Neo]

I think it even depends on the denomination. $500 TC's get hit with 5x the fee (WTF!). So it's like a $5 hit on each one. I just don't see any advantage to these archaic paper things. Wake up to the 21st century.

 

[Rex7777]

A $20 International exchange fee from B of A? That doesn't sound right. I take out money all the time and all I pay is the $5 ATM fee. When I do the calculations, the exchange rate is 34+. Are you using a debit card connected to a B of A checking account? If so, call the bank and find out why they charged you. Maybe it was a mistake.

 

One other thing, Netbank doesn't charge an ATM fee at all. So if you use them, all you pay is the Thai bank ATM fee.

 

Rex

[cavanami]

You will pay a fee to encash the TT's (forget what it is now) anyone???

 

Pretty sure it's 33 baht per tcraveller's cheque.

15 baht per $100 (USD) and then a 15 Baht service charge.