Guest Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 Hi all, love this forum, a wealth of information. I am landing in BKK on the 18th of this month and sense this is my first over seas trip in 18 years I am wondering about how to handle my funds. I thought about bringing a combo of currency, travelors checks and a visa card. My question is for a 9 day stay in BKK and Puhket, how should I break this up. Can you pull money out of ATM's there with a US Visa Card? The last thing I want to be is short on cash for the trip, any advise would greatly be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 Yes ,you can.Amex, Mastercard also OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicSurfer Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 Take the ATM (Plus or NYCE) and leave the Traveller's Checks at home. They will only cause you trouble and ATMs are EVERYWHERE. All major Credit Cards are excepted... BUT you should NEVER use a Credit Card to take out money, unless its a Debit Card withdrawing directly from your account. A Credit Card charges usury rates on "Cash Advances".... Again Use your ATM... or Debit Card only. Only thing about ATM's is that some banks charge extra fees for International withdrawals, so plan ahead and take out a weeks supply of cash at a time... Never small daily amounts, and then you can control the fees. Also remember that you need cash for your last day and night, so again... Plan ahead.... Sanuk... Taxi to Airport... Tips... and 500 Baht Exit Tax... all require cash. Enjoy CS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 CS, Sorry, I disagree here. I think having a small supply of travelers checks, 50's or 100's, for emergency back-up is a safe bet when overseas. I stash them in the room safe, or if one isn't available, then in the hotel safe. ATM cards are great, I agree, but shit can happen. (lost wallet, de-magnetized atm card/credit card, pick-pockets, robbery, etc.) I keep myself a few hundred, at least, in travelers checks as emergency money. If problems arise, and you need to wait for a new atm card or credit card, whatever, this can be a lifesaver for a few days. Plus I have an extra atm card, for the same account, with a DIFFERENT pin number (pin number memorized, not written down) as back-up, stashed with the travelers checks. I did once have my atm card and a credit card become demagnetized, or whatever the hell they call it. The TC's can come in handy. Coming over with large amounts of greenbacks in your pocket is asking for trouble. Unless you are rich and losing it wouldn't bother you at all. You are right about the cash advances from credit cards. Most cc companies tuck it right up your ass with their ridiculous fees. I'd also advise against taking out large sums of cash at a time from your atm for extended use. If you lose cash/have it stolen/whatever, it is gone. With tc's you can get your money back. I usually just use the atm card every day or so and get what I think I'll need for what I have planned for the next couple of days. The fees aren't that big. Yeah, it can be a hassle sometimes, but for some to lose a large chunk of change it can ruin their holiday. Better to be safe, than sorry later. Just my thoughts and opinions. Yours may vary. Cent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownFox77 Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 Have to agree with Cent here. My last few trips I brought Travlers Checks as my main funds and then had ATM/credit cards as a backup. My 1st trip I used ATM cards as my 'Primary' and brought no TCs. My ATM card has a 6 digit PIN, I found all the ATM machines in Pattaya accepted only 4 digits for a PIN #, I was SCREWED! Luckily my backup credit cards worked in the ATMs - MOST of the time. Sometimes the ATM machines just don't work for certain cards (other times they work just fine), going to the bank the next day I could then get cash advances and even use my "6-digit pin" ATM card to access my account when I go thru a human at the bank, however if you need baht at night and all you have are plastic, depending on luck and timing you may have a dry night. I also would only keep on me about 2-3 days worth of money at any given time, so even if I did get ripped off, I wouldn't lose all that much. Also keep my LOS wallet (larger folding fabric type to hold larger size Thai baht) in my front pants pockets while in LOS - never in back pocket. Actually in my last trip (last month) while wearing too tight pants, tried putting that LOS wallet in back pocket while sitting at the stage in Black and White GoGo in Soi Cowboy. MANY drinks later I stood up with the help of the 2 fine girls I was cuddling with and as we stood up we all saw it at the same time - there was my wallet about 3 feet in back of me on the floor - no one had touched it! Still get a chill up my spine when I think of that sight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2002 Report Share Posted March 1, 2002 My personal preference is to use TCs for my running around money and mastercard for hotel accounts, that way I am not dependant on ATMs in any way. In the past i have have been caught short by ATMs not recognising my cirus card, although on return home the bank asured me it should work fine (I tried over 20 differnt ATMs) So as far as I am concerned ATMs are crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicSurfer Posted March 2, 2002 Report Share Posted March 2, 2002 Sorry Guys... I'm sticking by my previous post. And I am talking from the expeience of more than 7 years on Asian travel to Thailand, HK, China, Taiwan, Korea, etc. (At least 25 trips to Thailand.) Ya, ATM can be a hassle if you run into one that won't accept your card... So just move to a machine from another DIFFERENT Bank, afterall there are Thousands of Machines in Thailand and many DIFFERENT Banks... And I have cards with 4 digit pins and cards with 6 digit pins... Both have always worked for me... IF the bank was truly hooked into the international system, or the system is not down. The ATM doesn't know the difference... It's just hooking into a master system... It's an "INTRANET" (a private Internet). So if it won't work in one Bank's machine, try another. But ATM hassels are nothing compared to the hassle of trying to cash a Traveller's Check after you tear it out of the book missing a corner or someone doesn't think that your signatures match... I could tell you a story of wasted days in Istanbul... But I won't. As for carrying large amounts of cash... Don't be a fool... Just DON'T. You should never carry large amounts... but why do you need to??? The best exchange rates are on your CC so just use that for large purchases... even Sanuk... All Massage Parlours and Eden, etc, take CCs. All restaurants do. If you are eating on the street or BFing a BG then all you need is a handful of Baht. A week's supply of cash... depending on my Sanuk plans, for me that means 8-10,000 Baht... a few hundred dollars... That's what I'd carry/spend at home anyway. I have travelled all over Asia with noting more than an ATM, Credit Cards and $200 US Cash for emergencies. That's it. Never needed more... And the only time I used the US$$$ was to buy a newspaper at the airport waiting in Detroit... or to pay the cab home. Traveller's Checks are just one more thing to worry about. And they are as likely to get ripped off, fall out of your wallet, or not be accepted as anything else. CS [ March 01, 2002: Message edited by: CosmicSurfer ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iuytrede Posted March 2, 2002 Report Share Posted March 2, 2002 I agree 100% with Cosmic Surfer - as long as you go to "civilzed" countries like the ones he mentioned in places like Cambo (or even PI) USD cash is useful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2002 Report Share Posted March 2, 2002 Thanks for all of the reply's, as before I was going to bring a lot of cash, and some TC, ok I'm an idiot. My wells fargo BC is 4 digit so I should be ok with that my Visa card and cash, think I will bring a $100 TC for piece of mind. I will get a trip report up as soon as I get back to the states 16 days and counting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2002 Report Share Posted March 2, 2002 Open a bank account in Thailand and put your money there .Before your holiday you can send money to your account. So you don't have to exchange anything and you don'thave to carry too much cash with you. I think the safest place for money is bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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