Banking Tips In Thailand
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 июн 2024
- Here's a few links for my favorite credit cards. I try to check the links often, but let me know if there is a problem. If they change the offer on the card, I may need to update the link. Full disclosure, I get a few airline miles for referring a new customer. You should get the same public offer at no additional cost. Thank you very much.
Chase Sapphire Premier: (Reserve) www.referyourchasecard.com/19...
Chase Freedom Card: www.referyourchasecard.com/18...
Chase IHG Card: www.referyourchasecard.com/21...
Chase United Card: www.referyourchasecard.com/21...
My video on Miles & Points: • Airline Points! Worth...
Surf Shark VPN (Use the Internet With Safety) get.incogni.io/SH1iJ
#thailand, #sukhumvit, #bangkok, #expat living
The Phone Camera I Use: Samsung S22 Ultra: amzn.to/3DCLxDx
My RUclips video on Airline Miles: • Airline Points! Worth...
Eager Expat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC, Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Good to know info. Thanks for the effort! 👍👍👍
Thank you very much
Thanks for all your videos.
Very helpful.👍
Glad you like them. More to come
Another Excellent video! Thanks for the help
Thanks for checking in.
Thanks you for this Video information .Wish you to have a wonderful life.And have a good time in Thailand .👍
I appreciate you watching
Thanks for this video great information have a wonderful day 🙏
Thank you too
Hey Joe. Thanks for the helpful information. It's funny... I was thinking about the home branch question like thirty seconds before you brought it up. Read my mind :o) Keep the vids going!!
Ya, once again just my experience at Chang Wattana. But, I've used the branch in the basement 4 or 5 times now. So it seems to be ok. Plus, I think they only print the last 3 or 4 months into the passbook. I have no idea what they do in other cities. I've heard tales of the home branch taking 3 days to print all 12 months. In BKK it's a letter showing the balance each month and updating the book. They do want it within 24 hours (I think) The only issue I had getting my first Non O was my bank info was 30 hours old. She told me everything was ok, but go to the bank in the basement and get a fresh set of forms. But, that was just me.
valuable info.. thanks for sharing
I appreciate you watching
Thumbs up 👍 Joe
Thanks for the visit. More to come
Great video injoy watching it 😊👍📹
I appreciate you watching
Great video, and appreciate the insight on using an agent.
Ya man, I would still walk into a large tourist area. Say, Terminal 21 mall. Go to three large branches. Maybe you'll get lucky. But, have an agent on stand by. The rumor is banking is only getting harder with new regulations. That might be the best $125 you spend. More important issues, like finding a good lease and getting the visa done. Hopefully for free. It's a dry video, but I give a step by step if you want to do it on your own. ruclips.net/video/ec5-ypX3nBY/видео.html
@@EagerExpat That sounds like a plan. Thank you!
Good video as usual. Passport numbers for US Passports change with each renewal. I am doing that now before heading overseas again
That's a smart move. Make sure to get the larger book. It used to be free for the extra pages. Every time you go to immigration they fill a page with the Visa, 60 days later. Luckily many countries like Singapore and Hing Kong don't stamp anymore. Thailand still does in and out. I must have three pages full of those stamps. I hope I make 10 years. I'm in year six and way more than half full
great info….one of these days I’ll get a thai bank account! 😂
Hey Kevin. Hope the dental work is working out. Ya, the Thai account works well for me. But, I have still had NFCU since 1985. Let me know when you feel a little better. We'll catch up.
Nice bank!
I've been happy with them
Good to know🙏
Thank you for watching
Small tip if you dont need the Bangkok Bank Card. I think you can make ATM withdrawls at Bangkok Bank ATMs without a card using the Bangkok Bank app.
Yes, I need to figure that out. I've heard the same. For 300b a year, I'm in no rush.
I have for the 6 years got the bank letter and bank book update at my bank in the basement of Immigration in Bangkok not my home bank branch.
I think it is best practice to do that way as the bank book is updated to the same day as I do my visa extension and the letter from the bank is likewise dated on that day.
It keeps everything neat and tidy.
I 100% agree. I get an extension appointment at 9am. At the bank at 8:30. Get a multi-entry around 11:00. Out by lunch. Hasn't been an issue.
OK I know. Another chime in guy on the banking thing... just a possible suggestion that I had learned when I opened my business in thailand back in 2010.. when u bring cash like that 10k similar to what I had done, they look at that like a possible money laundering thing. It's a red flag. It also solely depends on branch to branch, always a diff story.. everything u said is spot on...
No, I appreciate the comment. I just thought some cash might move things along. Plus, I'd avoid some fees on just bringing half of my 800K I needed. I later found out, the 800k must all come from abroad. So I had to wire in anyway. It was funny when I went to deposit the 10K. She whispered to go outside to Super Rich. They gave a slightly better rate than the branch. I think I got about 4000 baht more on my $10,000 US.
@EagerExpat I can only wish the exchange rate was above the 32 it was back then. I would have made a killing. I tried 30k and they all looked at me like I was a crook looking to screw someone. And that was opening a normal account. Whe opening the business account it was easy peasy.. it's actually the bank location and branch, it's different at every one. We found that the branches at the Dtac building were the easiest. And all this was with my thai wife that has many accounts and homes in thailand. Still gave a white boy a problem, shame shame. Lol 😌 anyway, best vids are those that just walk and talk. It provides a grass on the other side aspect that most crave to death. 💯 enjoy life........
@@c2cworldnews204 No I understand what you mean. In the end, it all get taken care of. You and me are the outsiders, so we have to play by the rules. It's still worth it, to live in such an affordable country.
Yes, there is a free Visa card that I just switched to. It’s called the Visa rabbit card. It works at atm machines and retail stores. It’s a great card and it’s free. Got it at Bangkok Bank Fortune Town 2nd floor. Good Luck. Addendum: It’s called a Rabbit “ Union Pay Card”. It’s not a Visa card. But you can withdraw money at atm / branch without passbook and pay at places that accept rabbit pay.
Hey thanks for the tip. I asked three different ways and they told me every ATM card had a fee. You know how it goes. It's like immigration. We all get a slightly different answer. Thanks for the tip.
My Thai wife & I (I'm a retired American 🇺🇸) tried the Union Card
What a waste of time, useless!!!!! 😮
Would you recommend your agent how to open a local Thailand bank account? Thanks
@@DintaiHongKOng The place I used stop opening accounts. Head over to the Trendy building on Sukhumvit Soi 13. There must be 6 offices with signs in the window to open a bank account.
My local bank has 5% on CDs here in America, if you shop around I've found as high as 5.4%.
Yes those rates are high. I believe the highest you can get here is close to 2%. If you want the Non-0, you need the 800k in a Thai account.
I believe that the issue with opening a bank account is one needs to have evidence that one is residing in Thailand for a longish period.
Put another way, Thailand gets nearly 40 million tourists a year. If people could simply open a bank account on a tourist visa a significant number would.
The banks do not want millions of 'dead' bank accounts on their books.
Opening a bank account with an O-A retirement visa is not difficult. One has the O-A visa issued prior to coming to Thailand.
The problem with a O retirement visa is that to get an O retirement visa one needs a bank account. But to one's first bank account in Thailand one needs a long stay visa, not a tourist visa.
As for a Thai bank for Immigration that pays fair rate of interest, I opened an term deposit account. One could opt for 1, 2, 5 year term deposit.
It really does not matter for Immigration. Immigration just wants to see 800,000 baht balance for the required period.
Thus if one puts 800,000 baht in a 5 year term deposit, the money basically required to remain in the account for 5 years, hence the higher rate of interest.
Yes, but I didn't want a Non-OA. I have health insurance (Federal Blue Cross) that works perfect at Bumrungrad. You are correct about the catch 22 on opening the account. The simple solution is pay an agent around $125 and get that magic letter.
I was also presented with the 1 and 2 year (5 wasn't offered) I called it a CD. The 2 year option was a little over 1%. I'd guess many in the US would say that was not a fair rate on interest. Plus, I had to open a separate account. One for the two year hold at 1.1%. Then another for my spend. Rent, etc.. I think that earns .065%. Seemed like work to make .40% more.
Thai accounts/banks are only insured for up to a million so if you have 2 accounts it's best to use a different institution.
I've also heard this. Then again. If Bangkok Bank goes under, I may need to run, rather than stick around trying to file a form for $27,000. I'm sure the situation would not be good.
Do you mind doing a video of a suburb in central Bangkok? I know it might be a rare situation but I’m really interested. I know there is a place called Limpini Park ( I think that’s how it’s spelled) that’s lush of greenery but I’m not sure if there are homes in the area. I think most suburbs are outside of Bangkok about 20-30 mins. But you might seem to more than I do since you’ve been living there for a few years now. Thanks if you can.
Ya man. I've did a few dozen videos on the Bangkok suburbs. Lumphini Park is in central Bangkok. I've did two or three from there. Go back and scroll through. The video that came out tonight was on the other side of the river. In the last week, I've showed 4 areas that are 10-12 miles from Central Bangkok.
Basically, opening a bank account is chaotic like many things in Thailand. Every branch, every city has their own rules. If a branch can’t help you, just go to another branch. It really helps to have a LTV and a Thai friend along.
Yes, but I needed to fund the bank account to get my Non O Visa. For $100, that problem went away. I saved $2500 doing my Non-O. So, it's all good. I'm not sure about going to another branch. I went to 6 branches. Maybe it just wasn't my day.
@@EagerExpat I had one branch at Central World tell me to travel several hundred kilometers to another city for a replacement ATM BANK card. I walk across the main road to another branch that gave me the card.
When opening my first account, the bank told me get a completed form from my embassy even though my embassy no longer provides that form. Typical catch-22 in Thailand. But another branch helped me out.
@@Bob-mn7ob Ya those embassy letters stopped about 6 years ago.
@@EagerExpat I went to USA embassy in August, 2022 and got a notary on a form for Bank. Not a letter though. Thanks.
@@Bob-mn7ob I'm glad that worked for you. All reports online say the US embassy stopped giving those letters. They used to cost $55. But, maybe if you have a connection or will be stationed at the embassy? You used to also be able to get a letter verifying Social Security or military pension. They stopped that too.
Siam Legal no longer provides that service as the banks stopped accepting any new customers who can't show a long-term visa. As you said, it's rather difficult to deal with banking in Thailand these days.
Is that true? Everything changes. I just walked into a place at the Trendy building on Soi 13. I got a beer and a buddy gat a letter from one of those agents. I'm not sure which bank. He went the next day
Just switch to 'cardless' ATM withdraw (via Bangkok Bank mBanking application). This is very convenient. No need to carry ATM/Mastercard debit card. No need to pay 300 baht annually.
Thanks for that tip. Ya, I didn't spend to much time on the ATM. But, that's the answer they gave me. It's kind of like immigration. We all get a slightly different answer. Another guy said he got a Bangkok Bank Rabbit Visa which was free. I need to have the girlfriend straighten this out, She works for corporate at another bank. Thanks again
I had to renew my Bangkok bank passbook and went to exchange tower branch ( not my original branch which is the head office at sala deang ) and i had a new passport with me, they said i had to go to where i opened the account 12 years earlier as passport number had changed, and go through the whole process as if i was a new customer.
That's the same info I got. My home office is Exchange Tower. This day, I was just changing my address and doing the facial recognition thing.
11:06 passport number changes for renewals on U.S. passports
Roger that. Good thing I have 3 years left
My experience with Krungthai is I have to pay 999 a year account fee only and covers some sort of insurance, I can’t be bothered worrying about that, also they would not raise my 49000 daily limit due to online fraud?, if I needed to transfer higher then go to any branch with passport and bank book and they will, also charge a fee of 100 thb 😂 as expected. I don’t mind at all, it somehow gives me more price of mind as I hold the 800000 in there too. also I’ve been able to go to any branch to change address etc
Ya man, I hear you. It's all pennies in the big scene. It's still such a value to live in Thailand. I'm just sharing the journey. At Bangkok Bank, I had to go in and get my picture in the system. I then can switch from 50,000 baht to say 200,000 baht. I need to take a selfie as security, send the transfer, and then I can switch it back to 50,000.
I opened an account at Bkk bank many years ago with the help of a friend who worked at the bank. When I want to deposit money into the account I pay a 200 baht fee to the Thai bank and a little more than 200 baht fee to the western bank, of course I could get a better exchange rate doing it another way but it works so i see no reason to do it another way.
That sounds like a great fee. Of course if the exchange rate is close. The best I could find in Navy Federal Credit Union. They charge a flat rate fee of $25 US. So that's 920 baht. If Wise is giving 36.5, I'll usually get 36.4 with Navy. Depending on how large the transfer is, sometimes I use Wise and other times Navy. But, I've never seen 200b charge from a Western bank. I'm sure Bangkok has some hidden fee when the money arrives. But, it can't be too much. When Wise says 300,000b is arriving, 300,000 hits my account. So that doesn't have an incoming fee.
When you renew your passport it will come with a new number so I assume you will need to provide that info to the bank.
I've renewed, but I guess I never noticed the number change. You'll also have to go to immigration and get the current Non O visa put in the new passport. Luckily, I still have 3 years.
im im from usa and spend 6mo here and 6mo there, can I just fly over with nothing but an Amex and Visa card and live life? Do I actually need to transfer money to thailand bank?
It depends on what visa you will have. If you want a retirement Non-0 visa, you'll need a Thai bank account. Today you get a 30 day stamp on arrival. Soon (end of June?) you will get 60 day. How will you stay 6 months? Maybe you can get a Non-OA from abroad and show funds ($23,000 US) in a US Bank. I've never did that, so I don't know how. It's hard to just stay here 6 months as a tourist. They want a visa at some point.
Are you going to stay in a hotel for 6 months or AirBnB? That will be fine for Visa or Amex. If you want to pay a landlord, you will need a Thai bank. Also, i'd say Amex is accepted at 1% of bars and restaurants around town. The fee they charge the merchant is very high. Visa and Mastercard is accepted everywhere. They might charge you the 3% fee that Visa charges
I have an old Bangkok Bank passbook account, which I opened in 2001 with a deposit of 1000 baht.
Long story short, the account was never used after opening and has gathered dust ever since.
I'm now looking to retire in Thailand and was wondering if I could use this account for the 800,000 baht visa deposit or whether I would need to open a new account?
Any pearls of banking wisdom would be gratefully received.
I wish I could help, but I'm not sure. I would assume you could deposit the 800k into that account. Keep in mind it must come from abroad. You can't bring 200k cash and wire 600k. Immigration wants to see a receipt for the entire 800k being wired over.
The issue is whether the account is still open. My Bangkok Bank has a fee each year of 220b? For the ATM card (I think) That 1000b might have been chipped down and they closed the account for in-activity. If it's still open, set up everything online. Maybe do a test run of sending some cash. You can check out my video on wiring money. Navy Federal charges $25 flat fee. Wise is cheap, but it is a UK company. I've been told that's ok for immigration, but I don't have that experience.
Best of luck. ruclips.net/video/ELf3mT31krM/видео.html
Many thanks for the reply; I'll give that a go.
I watch many Thai based channels but I must say that you've got a really great channel, packed full of videos giving useful advice and ideas about approaching life in Thailand.
I especially enjoyed your visa application process video; which I found very informative. It's also encouraged me to forego the agent route and give it a go myself when I take the plunge.
@@Crasser-rh7cw Glad the videos are a little help. Ya, watch the video a few times and check out the description. They may have changed a form here or there. But, that should get you 99% close. It's not that tricky. Save the cash an agent will take.
new USA passport gets new passport number for sure.many 5% options in USA . Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab etc and those are not CDs. just many market accounts- so they are very liquid.
Yes, earning 5% isn't hard in the US. The issue is if you need to have 800K ($23,000) in a Thai bank for visa purposes. Or transferring money at 34/1 instead of 36/1. That's over a 5% loss. So it's all about a wash. I have 99% of my portfolio in the US. It earns way more than 5%. I take the loss on the $23,000. This year I sent $40,000 over when the baht was 37/1. This was money that earned maybe 12% in a Roth in the US.
If I kept $23,000 earning 5% in the US, that's $1150 (minus tax) Here it makes less than 1%. Call it $200. $1150 minus $200 is a $950 loss. But I sent $40,000 over at 37/1. That's 1,480,000. In the past 12 months the baht (I think) has dipped to 34/1. That's 1,360.000, or 120,000 less. I got $3250 more. So in the end $3250 minus $950 is $2300. I called it a wash, but even if I'm ahead $1000 next year, I'd rather just keep the 800k in the bank (take the 1%) and transfer when it's 36/1 or 37/1. I also realize I have double the 800k, so I'm losing more. In the end, it's about a wash.
I hear all the time, I want to keep my $23,000 invested. That's great, but I'd rather transfer when it's high (timing is always a little risky) but just look at the historical data. It goes to 34 then spikes to 37. It's gone in the 40's way back in the day. In the end, it's what ever makes you feel comfortable. I'd like to live off of 37/1 rent for the next decade. Maybe it will go to 30/1 in the next few years? Who knows, but if that's the case, you better save all those 5% rates you received.
Every 1 bhat it moves is almost 3% so it seems like you’re getting the most out of it
Thank you very much for watching. Yes I agree. I'd rather move $10,000 at 37/1. But, we just do the best we can. I still hear tales of 40/1 years ago. That's ok, my rent is $520. That was my condo mortgage in San Diego. In 1990. Today, whoever owns that condo might be paying $2000 a month.
Have you considered sending your land lady money via wise instead of local bank?
No I never did. She's old school in her 60's. Here's my Thai bank number, please send me a transfer. I'm not even that great with Wise. I know how to send it to myself. Would she need a Wise account to accept the money? It's just as easy to send the money to my Thai account when the baht is 37/1. That has built up to a few million. Then pay my rent to her with 37/1 money over the next few years. Rent is $520 US instead of $620 (guessing) at 33/1, if it goes that low in the future. This is a few days later I'm editing the video. My buddy uses Wise to send to his landlords Thai account. I guess you can do that instead of having a Thai account. It's still helpful when scanning QR codes around town. Wise has a Visa card, but not everyone takes a card. Plus, immigration wants to see 8ook in a Thai account. At least for the Non O visa I have.
@@EagerExpat If she has a Wise account, you can ask her for her handle to send to; otherwise, you’d want her name, address, email, bank name, bank account number and Wise will do the rest. Just follow Wise’s instructions for setting up a recipient.
@@PaulA-xr9eb Ya my buddy said I can send it from Wise to her Thai bank. That's ok. It goes from my Thai bank in 5 seconds to her account. Plus, today I only pay the rent twice a year. Part of my deal to now raise the rent, was I pay 6 months at a time.
3:13 $100 well spent
Ya, sometimes you just need to bring in the fixer. $100 is better than $400 an hour or whatever a US lawyer would charge to write a letter
@@EagerExpat absolutely. And I guess you can go it alone if you have a lot of time and patience and no money, but it’s just better to let people in the know make it happen.
When you renew your US passport, the passport number will change. Btw, do you know if they allow you to open a dollar acct there?
No, if you open an account in Thailand, it will be in Thai Baht. The rate changes hourly to deposit that dollar and change it into baht. Today it's very good around 36/1. You can check the historic rates. I've seen 37/1 and as low as 34/1 in the last two years.
Sorry to cut in here but that info is not correct. You CAN open an account at Bangkok Bank in other currencies. I have a CDN $ currency acct linked to my bank in Canada. To withdraw from the CDN acct in Thailand I need to first transfer/exchange to my baht acct - but I can do that when I want. Yes, I have a CDN $ balance at Bangkok Bank.
Also, unrelated - you can change your daily limits thru the app. Hope that helps 🙏
@@YuMiGO2023 I learn something new everyday. I have my US account linked to Bangkok Bank too. In theory, so I could send Thai baht back to the US if I had to leave fast. But, it was my understanding when I transfer from the US account (Navy Federal Credit Union) to Bangkok Bank, I get that days exchange rate to Thai Baht. The accounts are linked, but I'm holding US dollars in the US and whatever I exchange in the Bangkok account in baht.
If two months later, I send baht to the US, I get that days rate. How does that work for a Non-O retirement (if you have one)? You need to show 800K Thai baht. I would guess any balance in Canadian would not work. But, maybe I'm wrong. I'm just a regular guy, this happens often.
@@EagerExpat Yes, I’m also Non-O Retirement. So far I’ve never sent money back to Canada.
I have the 800k in one Thai baht account and just leave it.
Originally while I was still in Canada, I was sending Canadian dollars to my Canadian acct in Thailand. (No exchange charged at that time). I would exchange/transfer to my baht account when needed. Getting the days rate at that time. That started when I was 50.
Then a couple of years ago I switched my transfer method (Canada to Thailand) and now use Wise exclusively. I live in Buriram but my CDN $ account was set up in Bangkok. I have full access to it, but I couldn’t open a foreign currency acct in Buriram for whatever the reason of the day was 😝😝
@@YuMiGO2023 I never knew that. Thanks for the info. Not that I believe any of the large Thailand banks are failing anytime soon. But, with insurance at 1,000,000 million baht, what would be the advantage to keep say $200,000 Canadian (what is that 5,300,000 million) in the Thai account?
Why not just transfer or Wise the amount of baht you want from the Canadian account? Is it so you can trade large Canadian amounts to Thai baht immediately? I just sent $15,000 US, and Wise took 5 days. Granted I don't keep $15,000 at Wise. So, I had to transfer to Wise, 2 days, but they still took four more to arrive at Bangkok Bank. It said I had a 48 hour rate lock. I think it was 37.1 to a US dollar. Luckily 6 days later this is what I received. Of course it went back to 36.4/1.
I just got an email a few weeks ago from Wise about the new rates. I sent $15,000 as an ACH Transfer for $114. They said the new fee for ACH will be $141. But, I should do a bank transfer. That would be $106. I need to research, but I'll guess a bank transfer is sending them the $15,000. Having it sit at Wise until I'm ready to move to baht. Maybe that sit time would only be one day? I'm not sure. I always did the ACH. I ight have to review my Navy Federal. They charge a flat rate $25. But if Wise is 37.1, Navy might be 36.9. So that's also a cost. In the end it's all a small cost. My rent is 20% of the cost in California. Still, if I press A instead of B and save $30, why not?
On the app. I tried to change the amount from 50k to 200k. A message said bring my passport to the bank. They filed out a bunch of forms then took my picture. She asked me to go to the app in front of her. It asked me for a selfie to match the facial recognition they had at the bank. I changed to 200k, sent the 114k and set the limit back to 50k. She said, I had to come to a branch the first time to take the picture. And watch her fill out 13 forms. Of course I had to sign them all.
Does Chiang Mai have Chase Bank
I'm not sure. If they do, it will be like all the other western banks. For international business banking only. No free ATM, etc.. You can use the ATM, but it will come with a Thai fee, like all the other banks.
Your rent will be 25% of the cost of the US, but there is no free lunch to get the money to Thailand. It will be WISE or international wire, like the rest of us. Still, a few hundred in fees a year. Not that big a deal. It's also a few hundred in visa fees. Some things can't be avoided.
10:23 the immigration stuff seems like a major headache… Mexico is so simple. Show you have enough money and congrats you’re a temporary or permanent resident. End of story
It's a small challenge. But it's not that tricky. I love living in Thailand. I could live cheap in Mexico or small town California. But, this is where I want to be. If they want 3 forms once a year, and to see I have $22,000 in the bank, that's fine with me. I know many people enter illegal into the US, but a Thai, for instance, can't just put $22k in a US bank and get a visa.
I was told Bangkok bank had 1 branch in New York. For whatever that is worth.
Yes they do. I used to read reports of folks opening an account here in Thailand. Then they would deposit from a US bank (for free) to the US branch of Bangkok Bank. Then take the money out in Thailand. That ended a while back. I think today it's just a corporate bank in NYC. In fact, Greeny Travels did a video at the NYC branch. They told him it was a no go.
You will also see a Citi-Bank near Soi Cowboy. Same deal. You can probably use the ATM (if they have one) but, I'd guess it will come with the same foreign fee as any other Thai bank. Someone said there was a Bank of America near Silom. I'd guess it's the same. Bottom line, no free lunch transferring money abroad. In the end, I save 1000 a month on rent and I pay a few hundred a year in banking expenses.
@@EagerExpat good write up. Good old fashion money wire probably the way to go for large sums.
@@BirdDog. I'm sure no expert. I think 75% of guys us Wise Transfer. However they just raised the rate. If I remember correct, I wired $10,000 at Wise and it was $80. They sent me an email a few months later. The new rate would be $130 on that 10K. (I might be a little off, going by memory) Navy Federal is $25, but I might lose $100 on a slightly worse exchange. So it is what it is. Like I said in the video, the real issue is what the rate is. I know it's a risk. I know you can't time the stock market. But, the baht seems to rise and fall. It never stays high or low for too long. So when it's high, say 36, or even 35 to 1, I'll move over $10,000 or more. If I had to move at least 65,000 baht each month, that's a crap shoot on the rate.
@@EagerExpat I guess it comes down to the individual preference, the frequency and amount to determine what’s best for you.
@@BirdDog. This is true. But, in the big picture, what I save in rent in 1 month more than covers any banking & visa charges I pay each month. Some people get very hung up on this color ATM charges $1 and the yellow one charges $1.25. Then they go hand an agent $3000 to fill out three simple forms at immigration. Me, I save the $3000. Do the visa on my own, and don't worry about the small stuff.
Are people talking about a Visa/Master card debit or credit card?
Some Visa/Master cards are both debit and credit cards.
I believe that vast majority of Visa/Mastercard cards issued are debit cards as Thai banks do not issue lines of credit to foreigners without jobs etc in Thailand.
Although l understand that one can get a Thai bank credit card, but the limit on the credit card is the amount that the credit card is in credit. So really the credit card operates the same way as a debit card.
Also I note when I book airfares etc and payment option is credit card, l have found a debit card is always accepted. 😂
I was talking about an ATM debit/Visa. I use US credit cards in Thailand to earn airline miles.
.6% vs 1% interest 😅 would that matter if your not making more than $2M a year? 😂😂😂1% interest on $100,000 = $1000 per year dude ; $1000 ain’t no money that’s change.
I agree. I keep about 2 million in my Thai account. It earns .65%. I could freeze it at 1%, but I'd rather not have 2 accounts to earn .40% more. I also choose to not have to rely on whatever the baht is doing and transfer each month. I just transfer a large amount a few times a year. You need to do the math on 12 transfer cost vs. 2 transfers. I often times use a $25 flat rate fee at my bank. $50 a year vs $300 a year. I got lucky and moved all my spending money this year at 37/1.
It is what it is. I'm not losing any sleep over the .65%. Sure I could get 5% in the US. But that comes at a transfer expense each month. Plus, I won't get 37/1 each month. 34/1 is more common. So it's all about a wash. I guess I could also never eat and try to earn more interest. Instead, I worked hard and saved my whole life. It's time to spend some cash and enjoy retirement. Not worry where I can save or lose $100 a year.
You should get a little Bitcoin man if you have spare cash, start of a bull run.
Ha ha, I'm old school like Forest Gump. I invested is some fruit company 30 years ago. I think it was called Apple. It turned out ok.
@@EagerExpat Nice.
@@satoshi_corner Oh trust me, I've made as many bad financial decisions as good ones. But in the end, life seems to even out.
@@EagerExpat Yeh it's a minefield out there. I like Bitcoin as you can hold it yourself, don't have to trust anyone.