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You are here: Home / Work & Money / Using ATMs in Thailand: Fees, Withdrawal Limits, Locations

Using ATMs in Thailand: Fees, Withdrawal Limits, Locations

If you're traveling here for a holiday, or planning on living here for work or retirement, one of your first considerations will be money – primarily exchanging it and withdrawing it at ATMs in Thailand.

In this post, I'll break it all down for you, so that you won't ever get caught short without cash, and not spend more on fees than you need to.

I'll also reveal a secret tip that will get you a better exchange rate and save you money.

Where Are ATMs Located in Thailand?

The good news is there are plenty of ATM machines.

At the airports, in malls, at 7-11s and other convenience stores, and of course at the banks themselves. You won't have trouble finding one.

That being said, rural areas will obviously have fewer ATM locations.

If you find yourself in a village at night with just one ATM outside the local 7-11, you may have to drive to one.

So when visiting rural areas and remote islands, make sure you have enough cash on you for a couple of days.

To locate ATMs for the five biggest Thai banks, use the links below to visit their ATM locator pages:

  1. Bangkok Bank
  2. Krungthai Bank
  3. Aeon Bank
  4. Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri)
  5. Siam Commercial Bank

Will My Debit / Credit Card Work in Thailand?

The ATMs in Thailand will work with Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus cards.

The easiest way to find out if your card belongs to one of these networks is to check on the card itself and see whether it has the logo on it. Alternatively, call your bank and they will tell you.

When you use an ATM, you will see logos on the machine noting the types of card it accepts.

If that isn't the case, use the Visa ATM locator or the MasterCard ATM locator to find an ATM that works with your card.

ATMs in Thailand work with both chip-and-pin type cards, and with cards that have only the magnetic stripe on the back.

Both four-digit and six-digit PIN numbers will be accepted.

Is it true that withdrawals are blocked sometimes?

This can happen. The main reason is that your bank blocks the transaction, believing it to be fraudulent because it is taking place in a foreign country.

The best way to avoid a block is to phone your bank before you travel and let them know that you will be in Thailand. They will lift any restrictions for you prior to travel.

Are there withdrawal limits on Thai ATMs?

The large majority of Thai ATM machines have a withdrawal limit of ฿20,000 ($617).

Some banks have higher limits such as Bangkok Bank ฿25,000 ($771), and Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri Bank) ($925).

In terms of fees, it works out cheaper to do one large withdrawal over a number of small transactions.

Make sure you check with your bank to see what your card's withdrawal limit is before you travel.

What Are the Fees for Thai ATMs?

You might be surprised to know that compared with money exchanges, Thai ATM machines give you a decent exchange rate.

But, and I stress but, only if you select the option to be charged in the local currency, which is Baht (฿).

And this is the secret tip I mentioned at the start of this post.

Withdrawals from ATMs in Baht are converted using the mid-market rate. This is the fairest exchange rate possible.

The mid-market rate is derived from the mid-point between what the buyer is prepared to pay and what the seller is prepared to sell for.

If you select the option to be charged in your home currency, the ATM will make up an exchange rate using a process called Dynamic Currency Conversion.

This is a a process whereby the amount of a Visa or MasterCard transaction is converted by a merchant or ATM to the currency of the payment card's country of issue at the point of sale.

This is always a bad deal. So always select no to this option.

You should also choose “no” to the home currency charge when paying by debit or credit card in a restaurant or shop.

Withdrawal fees

Withdrawal fees from Thai ATMs can clock up a fair sized bill over the course of a holiday.

The large majority of banks charge ฿200 (approximately $6) per transaction for withdrawals with a foreign bank card.

Some banks such as Aeon Bank charge less, at ฿150 per transaction (approximately $4.50).

And that's not all.

Your home bank will also charge fees for a foreign withdrawal.

So you will pay a local fee and a “back home” fee. This could mean you will pay up to $8-10 per transaction!

How to Avoid Thai ATM fees

1. Find out if your bank has a corresponding bank

None of the banks in Thailand are part of the Global ATM Alliance.

However, your home bank may still have a relationship with a Thai bank that allows for free withdrawals or cheaper fees.

Call your bank to find out.

One bank of interest to some readers might be Citibank. This international back has many ATMs in Thailand where customers can get free withdrawals.

Some foreign banks may have corresponding arrangements with Citibank too, so enquire with your bank.

2. Check your card’s terms and conditions

Banks offer different cards with different terms. Some offer cheaper foreign transactions and some may waive them altogether.

This will help you avoid the home bank fee but not the local Thai ATM fee.

Using a debit card instead of a credit card is cheaper because credit card companies treat withdrawals as cash advances, which have a higher transaction fee.

3. Use a bank teller

The simplest way is to avoid ATMs is to use a human instead, at the bank or at a currency exchange desk. You can also bypass the withdrawal limit.

Note that you may still get hit with a fee from your home bank.

4. Choose to be charged in local currency

As covered previously, you will save money if you choose to be charged in the local currency and not your home currency.

So many people make this error and end up getting ripped off on the exchange rate.

5. Use Krungsri or Aeon for cheaper fees

At ฿150 per withdrawal, Krungsri and Aeon are cheaper than the other banks. It's not much of a saving but it all adds up over time.

6. Use a Thai ATM card

If you're a regular visitor to Thailand, or going to live there, then you should consider opening a bank account and getting a local Thai debit card.

Thai debit cards are usually free when using an ATM of the same bank, and around ฿10 to ฿20 to use a different ATM.

Having a local ATM card helps you avoid fees, except those you will incur when transferring money to your Thai bank from abroad.

These fees can be heavily reduced, though. See below.

7. Use Wise to avoid all fees!

If you are going on holiday to visit a partner, a family member or friend, you can use Wise to send money to their account and then have them withdraw it first.

Of course, it would need to be someone close to you that you trust.

Wise enables you to send money to Thailand at the mid-market exchange rate and without any bank fees. They just charge a small fee for the transaction.

They avoid fees because your money is received and sent locally in both your home country and in Thailand, meaning those evil international fees vanish into thin air.

It's the cheapest and fastest way to send money to Thailand.

If you are going to live in Thailand, for work as a teacher or as a retiree, you will want to set up a Thai bank account.

You can then use Wise for regular transfers to your Thai bank, and then withdraw the money using your ATM card and pay zero fees (or a nominal fee when withdrawing from third party ATMs).

+ Read more about Wise here

More Money Saving Tips

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+ Go here to find out the cheapest way. Everyone is using this

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Last Updated on May 11, 2022

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Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  1. Martin O'Malley says

    July 27, 2023 at 10:43 pm

    Would using Western Union to send you cash by taking it from your Debit Card work?
    Reply

    Jul 27, 2023 at 10:43 pm

    • TheThailandLife says

      July 28, 2023 at 4:46 pm

      Yes, you can send money to Thailand via Western Union.
      Reply

      Jul 28, 2023 at 4:46 pm

    • JamesE says

      July 28, 2023 at 9:56 pm

      Do you mean using your debit card to fund the transaction while in Thailand and at a WU location? Or through the WU app/website? If the first, then you'd have to check at the WU location/agent. If the second, then no problem. You can even arrange to get your funds through an ATM as well as a location/agent.
      Reply

      Jul 28, 2023 at 9:56 pm

      • Marty O'Malley says

        July 29, 2023 at 5:53 pm

        Thank you. That was helpful.
        Reply

        Jul 29, 2023 at 5:53 pm

  2. Susanne says

    May 3, 2023 at 2:58 pm

    Ich habe am 15.4.23 an einem ATM Automaten 30000 bath ziehen wollen .Nachdem ich alles eingegeben habe kam nur die Karte und die Quittung raus kein Geld .Eine Einheimische die nach mir Geld ziehen wollte hatte das gleiche Problem bei ihr war innerhalb von 20 min.das Geld wieder gutgeschrieben. Ich bin dann zur ATM Bank die haben die angegebene Nummer angerufen alle Daten dort angegeben und uns wurde mitgeteilt das das Geld in 14 Tagen zurückgebracht sei.Nichts ist zurückgebucht.Heute hieß es meine deutsche Bank muss das anfordern ,die sagen aber das geht nicht.was kann ich denn nun tun? Es sind 820 € abgebucht worden. Danke
    Reply

    May 03, 2023 at 2:58 pm

    • Alan Keeble says

      May 4, 2023 at 2:28 pm

      Tut mir Leid. ICh kann Ihnen nix empfehlen. Viel Glueck!
      Reply

      May 04, 2023 at 2:28 pm

  3. Alan K says

    January 9, 2023 at 9:38 pm

    I am using a Wise card, preloaded, and when needed, topped up with Thai Baht. If you use it in an ATM, no matter what bank, you will get hit with 220 Baht commission, equating to about 10 Aussie dollars, so hefty slug, no matter what amount of Baht you want to withdraw. However, if you go into the bank to make an over-the-counter withdrawal with your Wise card, you will pay zero commission. To do this, you will need your passport as they will take photocopies of passport and card, and get y up to enter your PIN. There is no drama with this other than in my experience the bank workers work at their own pace in Bangkok, and you can easily be waiting for half an hour. Currently however in Ao Nang, Krabi, it’s walk in and out in five minutes.
    Reply

    Jan 09, 2023 at 9:38 pm

    • Max says

      February 12, 2023 at 4:25 pm

      This is very helpful thanks! Does it work in all Thai banks? Which banks have you used?
      Reply

      Feb 12, 2023 at 4:25 pm

      • AlanK says

        February 14, 2023 at 11:53 am

        I used mainly Bangkok Bank. I gave up waiting in the lengthy queues in Bangkok where they don't hurry themselves and sacrificed 220 BAHT for the sake of saving time.in Krabi I used Bangkok Bank as they were handy and open longer hours - walk in, transaction as described, walk out, no long queues. However for the same process in Pai in the north in the same bank they would only let me do an over the counter withdrawal if I took out at least 10 k BAHT, which i didn't have or want so went to another bank, followed the same process and successfully withdrew 5K BAHT. In another bank in Chiang Rai they wouldn't let me withdraw just 1k BAHT over the counter and sent me to the ATM. In short, it seems to be hit and miss and depends on the staff.
        Reply

        Feb 14, 2023 at 11:53 am

        • GRAHAM JOHNSON says

          February 14, 2023 at 9:38 pm

          You keep on with your false story as banks will not give out money on debit cards unless it is their bank.I've tried it in several Banks in several countries.
          Reply

          Feb 14, 2023 at 9:38 pm

        • GRAHAM JOHNSON says

          February 14, 2023 at 10:11 pm

          I have been on to Wise again and had a further clarification, and it seems that you can draw money over the counter but you have to have sufficient funds on your card to cover the amount you wish to withdraw on your account on the card, so that would be why I have been refused because I don't put much money on my accounts only sufficient to cover my immediate needs. Unlike Starling where it can be drawn from your personal bank account.
          Reply

          Feb 14, 2023 at 10:11 pm

    • Graham Johnson says

      February 12, 2023 at 8:42 pm

      I have just had a chat with Wise and was told you cannot withdraw cash over the counter at any bank with your wise card, so I don't know how you managed this
      Reply

      Feb 12, 2023 at 8:42 pm

  4. Kim says

    January 9, 2023 at 10:36 am

    Re: Blocked withdrawals

    I just experienced this on Ko Lanta. Of the cluster of atms near the ferries, I spotted only 4, 3 of them were non-operational and my card was blocked on the remaining one. Unfortunately, I arrived on Sunday so the two (? I only saw the Siam Commercial Bank) banks weren't opened (the SCB atm outside the building was not working).

    I contacted my bank and was told there was no hold on my account and the best way to resolve this was to go to a bank and deal with a teller because the block was on the Thailand end.

    Unfortunately, I was cash poor after taking a tuk tuk to my hotel near Nui Beach, which doesn't have a lot of amenities. The tuk tuk driver stopped at another ATM maybe 10-15 minutes from the pier, but my card was blocked there as well. I kept an eye out for any atms closeby. There was an SCB one that was a 25-minute walk from where I was staying. Thankfully, I was able to pull cash out from that machine the next day. I read a few other accounts of people having issues with withdrawing money, but trying different atms usually resolved it.

    I'm just putting this here because this page was one of the first to come up when I was trying to see if anybody else had issues with the atms in Thailand.
    Reply

    Jan 09, 2023 at 10:36 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      January 9, 2023 at 5:10 pm

      Hi Kim, thank you for reporting your experience. It does happen occasionally; I've it happen a handful of times over the years. Always best to carry a few thousand Baht to see you through when traveling as you are. As a rule of thumb, I try to use only the ATMs attached to bank branches, just because I feel they are likely to be more secure.
      Reply

      Jan 09, 2023 at 5:10 pm

  5. AlanK says

    December 13, 2022 at 2:54 am

    Hi Peter. Great info. I am about to load up my Wise card I've got here in Australia with Baht. Two questions - is this a good idea? And, using a card loaded with Baht to withdraw Baht, will I still get hit with the 200/220 ATM fees? Thanks.
    Reply

    Dec 13, 2022 at 2:54 am

    • JamesE says

      December 13, 2022 at 5:17 am

      Depends on which way the exchange rate is moving vs the AU$. If the trend is more favorable to the Baht then stock up and if it's more favorable to the $ then wait. It won't be much money in either case but it could be a free lunch. Yes, the ATM fee is charged by the Thai bank and won't be reimbursed by Wise. You can minimize its effect by taking out larger amounts when you hit the ATM.
      Reply

      Dec 13, 2022 at 5:17 am

      • Graham Johnson says

        January 9, 2023 at 5:25 pm

        Use the Wise card for purchases to save your notes, you will get hit with a fee if you withdraw from the ATM but can be a life saver if desperate for cash,
        .
        Reply

        Jan 09, 2023 at 5:25 pm

  6. Jack says

    December 10, 2022 at 11:22 am

    regarding; 3. Use a bank teller;
    1; does the bank offer visa/mastercard rates?
    2; doesnt currency exchange desks offer worse rates than visa/mastercard rates?
    Reply

    Dec 10, 2022 at 11:22 am

    • JamesE says

      December 12, 2022 at 3:47 am

      1: No, you'll get screwed by the bank, unless you do a cash advance in Baht, then you'll be screwed by your credit card with a cash advance fee which is typically a % of the total amount.

      2: Yes. Much worse.

      IMO, if you're just visiting for a short time, then get an ATM card at home that has no foreign transaction or ATM use fees. You'll still get hit by the ฿220 fee from the Thai bank but at least the damage will be limited. Better still is to get one that reimburses any ATM fee you're charged (if you can find one).
      Reply

      Dec 12, 2022 at 3:47 am

      • Jack says

        December 12, 2022 at 6:00 am

        1. what is "cash advance"? my debit card has no fees worldwide.
        2. i rarely use atm. im a card person :) i remember that citibank had zero fees during 2015.

        if i have cash in my own currency, ill exchange it at the green colored Superrich.
        Reply

        Dec 12, 2022 at 6:00 am

        • Brian says

          December 12, 2022 at 5:50 pm

          Cash advance means using your credit card at an ATM to get cash. They will immediately start hitting you with the interest and it's the last thing that gets paid off on the card if you don't pay off the entire balance. Don't ever use a credit card to get cash.

          Citibank doesn't charge fees but the local ATM will. Those local ATM fees will destroy any benefit over the convenience. However, I have a CitiGold account and they pay back those local ATM fees after 30-60 days so using an ATM actually gets me the money market rate at zero cost, thus beating the next best value which is trading money at money changers. You need a $200k average balance for the CitiGold status so it's not usually an option for most. I recommend bringing cash and using money changers and credit cards for any transaction where you CAN use a credit card.
          Reply

          Dec 12, 2022 at 5:50 pm

          • JamesE says

            December 12, 2022 at 11:51 pm

            This is really the way to do it if you can find a bank in your home country that will reimburse ATM fees. In the US the three I'm familiar with are Citi, Schwab, and Fidelity. Schwab, the one I use, doesn't have a balance minimum. There are probably others.

            "Cash advance" - Brian is correct but sometimes your debit card acts like a credit card, too, that's why it shows your network on the front. So, if you take your debit card to a teller or exchange desk they will run it as a cash advance into the network. Unlike the ATM out front, though, the local bank will do the exchange - bad - and you may get hit with a counter fee.
            Reply

            Dec 12, 2022 at 11:51 pm

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