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[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;1956710]This is probably true BB as far as the Charles Schwab card is concerned. But I know there is a certain European no fee ATM card as well. Unfortunately I can't recall the bank. Perhaps another board member can supply this information.[/QUOTE]ING bank supplied a no fee card when you also had a credit card. Unfortunately it is no longer free, but fees are modest. You need to unblock the card for non-European use before leaving your home country.
Regards,
Ko.
[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;1956710]This is probably true BB as far as the Charles Schwab card is concerned. But I know there is a certain European no fee ATM card as well. Unfortunately I can't recall the bank. Perhaps another board member can supply this information.[/QUOTE]Not anymore, unfortunately, Citibank was the last to join the club of the 200 Baht transaction fees robbers.
[QUOTE=Paolo99;1956482]I always use cash only in Thailand. One evening I did not have enough Thai baht and my location was far from any exchange place so I took 5000 baht from an ATM. The Thai bank took 200 baht and my bank charged me 350 plus the exchange rate was lower. Overall they took more than 10% of my money. I can eat a good meal for less than 100 baht in the food court in Terminal 21, I could get a very good meal in a Japanese restaurant in Gateway, or it could be 1/3 the price of a very good time with a very cute girl in Ruby bar Soi 6 for example. The counterpart is that I have to be very careful with my money as I am with my passport or my credit card.[/QUOTE]That is a timely post, because I am thinking this situation out, prior to leaving for BKK in four weeks. Here is my currency management breakdown:
Take quite a bit of my budgeted cash in pristine $50 and $100 bills, and stash those with AMEX and VISA credit cards in an undergarment money belt for transit purposes. Keeping my debit card and a little bit of traveling cash in my wallet. Taking a large denomination travelers check in the event of an emergency, when cash is gone and ATMs are not a viable option (I had occasional issues in both Berlin and Medellin this past year with my Yanqui credit union debit card. I found ATMs that would accept it, but there was some inconvenience, running around and lost time involved). Yeah I know about the 153 baht vig, but its to be used in emergency situations, or otherwise cashed back home. Make debit card withdrawals judiciously and in large amounts. Keep only what I need to use in a day in my wallet, and keep the rest in hotel safe.
Leave enough cash for ST in my room in a unlikely location (we discussed this on the Medellin thread once, about stashing cash where hotel staff, prostitutes or thieves are unlikely to look). Keep an extra amount of cash in my leather belt with its hidden zipper in the inner lining.
Go ahead and laugh, but I stashed $50 bills under the insoles of my shoes when I went to Medellin last fall. I went back home with money in my shoes. Anyone else have other ideas or suggestions for traveling with cash?
[QUOTE=BananaBoi;1956450] Big see at Soi 2.[/QUOTE]If you talk about BigC North Pattaya, it does not exist anymore. All that area (from BigC to to the Dolphin roundabout) is down. It seems like they are building a huge Terminal 21 over there. It's a pity as it was the best area of north Pattaya in my opinion.
[QUOTE=Paolo99;1956482]I always use cash only in Thailand. One evening I did not have enough Thai baht and my location was far from any exchange place so I took 5000 baht from an ATM. The Thai bank took 200 baht and my bank charged me 350 plus the exchange rate was lower. Overall they took more than 10% of my money.[/QUOTE]That sucks. This is the reason to make a large ATM withdrawal if you are being charged a fee.
Does anyone know the current ATM withdrawal limit per transaction? I believe it used to based on the number of notes a machine could dispense per transaction; somewhere between 25 and 30, so 25 k-30 k baht. You also need to make sure your financial institution approves a transaction of that amount.
SL.
[QUOTE=Sunlover2;1956952]That sucks. This is the reason to make a large ATM withdrawal if you are being charged a fee.
Does anyone know the current ATM withdrawal limit per transaction? I believe it used to based on the number of notes a machine could dispense per transaction; somewhere between 25 and 30, so 25 k-30 k baht. You also need to make sure your financial institution approves a transaction of that amount.
SL.[/QUOTE]Most banks the max is 20 k bht, but TMB will give you 30. ATM's here charge 200 bht per transaction. My Schwab Bank refunds the fee and the exchange rate is good.
[QUOTE=Eszpresszo;1956827]That is a timely post, because I am thinking this situation out, prior to leaving for BKK in four weeks. Here is my currency management breakdown:
Take quite a bit of my budgeted cash in pristine $50 and $100 bills, and stash those with AMEX and VISA credit cards in an undergarment money belt for transit purposes. Keeping my debit card and a little bit of traveling cash in my wallet. Taking a large denomination travelers check in the event of an emergency, when cash is gone and ATMs are not a viable option (I had occasional issues in both Berlin and Medellin this past year with my Yanqui credit union debit card. I found ATMs that would accept it, but there was some inconvenience, running around and lost time involved). Yeah I know about the 153 baht vig, but its to be used in emergency situations, or otherwise cashed back home. Make debit card withdrawals judiciously and in large amounts. Keep only what I need to use in a day in my wallet, and keep the rest in hotel safe.
Leave enough cash for ST in my room in a unlikely location (we discussed this on the Medellin thread once, about stashing cash where hotel staff, prostitutes or thieves are unlikely to look). Keep an extra amount of cash in my leather belt with its hidden zipper in the inner lining.
Go ahead and laugh, but I stashed $50 bills under the insoles of my shoes when I went to Medellin last fall. I went back home with money in my shoes. Anyone else have other ideas or suggestions for traveling with cash?[/QUOTE]Forget about bringing 50's. Bring the new series 100's in pristine condition. That way you can carry more of them. It is difficult here in Thailand to exchange the older series 100's.
Carry a credit card on you at all times and stash your ATM card separate from your cash in your room. Like cash in safe and ATM locked in suitcase. If you loose your credit card, easy to cancel. Lose your ATM and you are screwed if you need extra cash. Only carry it when you are going to get cash and be sure to put a travel notification on them.
Also over here you don't have money or a credit card on your person, if you get hurt and go to the hospital you better have a buddy with money or a credit card with you. The good hospitals won't touch you without proof of ability to pay.
I got a concussion and went to the hospital. They wanted 25000 deposit before they would see me. I didn't have 25000 bht on me but I had my ATM card. They put me in a wheel chair and wheeled me to the ATM Machine in the lobby. LOL.
Ever tried to remember a PIN number with a Concussion?
So far Devil's Den x 2, the second better than the first but I think I'm going to change my name to Cum Baby as all four girls there kept calling me it.
Honey 1 soapy massage x 1, this was OK but the soapy bit could have been longer, done in an hour.
Finally went into an gogo on LK Metro, as fate would have it I was seated next to a fun girl so finally ended up going back to my hotel with a girl. It was a nice time with her but it's a lot of paraphernalia to go through just for one shag.
Tonight I went down to Walking Street, a bit livelier than LK Metro, went into Windmill Club as I've read a lot about the place, what a total disappointment it was so lame. Had a look upstairs exactly the same so it was one beer and back to the Hotel.
[QUOTE=Sunlover2;1956952]This is the reason to make a large ATM withdrawal if you are being charged a fee.
SL.[/QUOTE]A big withdrawal will save a few 200 baht that the Thai bank takes, but still my bank takes a percentage (not a fixed fee) of my withdrawal. I think that it's something like 6 or 7 percent of the withdrawal. That's the main reason I prefer to keep the ATM card only for emergency.
[QUOTE=Eszpresszo;1956827]That is a timely post, because I am thinking this situation out, prior to leaving for BKK in four weeks. Here is my currency management breakdown:
Take quite a bit of my budgeted cash in pristine $50 and $100 bills, and stash those with AMEX and VISA credit cards in an undergarment money belt for transit purposes. Keeping my debit card and a little bit of traveling cash in my wallet. Taking a large denomination travelers check in the event of an emergency, when cash is gone and ATMs are not a viable option (I had occasional issues in both Berlin and Medellin this past year with my Yanqui credit union debit card. I found ATMs that would accept it, but there was some inconvenience, running around and lost time involved). Yeah I know about the 153 baht vig, but its to be used in emergency situations, or otherwise cashed back home. Make debit card withdrawals judiciously and in large amounts. Keep only what I need to use in a day in my wallet, and keep the rest in hotel safe.
Leave enough cash for ST in my room in a unlikely location (we discussed this on the Medellin thread once, about stashing cash where hotel staff, prostitutes or thieves are unlikely to look). Keep an extra amount of cash in my leather belt with its hidden zipper in the inner lining.
Go ahead and laugh, but I stashed $50 bills under the insoles of my shoes when I went to Medellin last fall. I went back home with money in my shoes. Anyone else have other ideas or suggestions for traveling with cash?[/QUOTE]The advice from Tellall are good. I forgot to say that I also try to take as much 100 euros bills as I can, because the exchange rate is better and also it takes less space to carry. I would also recommend you to try to open a Thai bank account if Thailand is a place that you will visit again after that trip. It might be more difficult to open an account for a foreigner nowadays but it's worth it. I opened one around 3 years ago in the Kasikorn bank in soi buakao (Pattaya) and they didn't ask anything particular, and they knew that I'm not a resident in Thailand. The fee is 800 baht per year for the visa card and 15 baht per withdrawal but it's really worth it compared to the use of a foreign debit card.
[QUOTE=Ableyone;1957049]Tonight I went down to Walking Street, a bit livelier than LK Metro, went into Windmill Club as I've read a lot about the place, what a total disappointment it was so lame. Had a look upstairs exactly the same so it was one beer and back to the Hotel.[/QUOTE]Was in Windmill last week and could only see one girl that looked OK, but not worth the 2000 + barfine + drinks though. Still the atmosphere in that place was a lot better than any others gogo in Pattaya, no annoying girls came to seat with me, nobody pushed me for more drinks and I think it's the only place we can still see girls being eaten out or fingered by customers on the stage.
On The 6. Chick wants to come with me. She said bar fine 500 and 2000 for her. I told her that was too much. I will only give 1000. She tried for 1500. I said can not. Only 1000. She said okay. 500 for bar and 1000 for me but do not tell anybody. Now I only have 12 minutes to wait til the bar fine drops to 300. Now working on getting one for my brother at the same price. LOL. The adventures of Khun Keeneeowl.
Update: Waited unil past 1am but the bar fine did not drop. My brother had to pay 500 bar fine at the bar next door as well.
And for those from the States 'State Farm' (yes the insurance company) has State Farm Bank. No fees either, of any kind.
[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;1956704]This has been reported many times in the ISG by myself and other savvy travelers. The Charles Schwab NO FEE Debit ATM cards. Just conduct an advance search or click on the link below.
[URL]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/search.php?searchid=2404084[/URL][/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Ableyone;1957049]So far Devil's Den x 2, the second better than the first but I think I'm going to change my name to Cum Baby as all four girls there kept calling me it.[/QUOTE]Yes; the DD ladies can be like that. The reason IMO is they are a multi-pop shop. If you can [I]happy happy[/I] more than once during the session, getting the first one out quickly gives you more time to recuperate. If you really want to build up for 1 good [I]shot on goal[/I] tell them that and make it last.
The DD ladies do seem to have a mental check list of activities and tend to run thru them quickly; but at the end of the day you are in charge of the action, and the ladies are not mind readers.
SL.
[QUOTE=Paolo99;1956482]I always use cash only in Thailand. One evening I did not have enough Thai baht and my location was far from any exchange place so I took 5000 baht from an ATM. The Thai bank took 200 baht and my bank charged me 350 plus the exchange rate was lower. Overall they took more than 10% of my money. I can eat a good meal for less than 100 baht in the food court in Terminal 21, I could get a very good meal in a Japanese restaurant in Gateway, or it could be 1/3 the price of a very good time with a very cute girl in Ruby bar Soi 6 for example. The counterpart is that I have to be very careful with my money as I am with my passport or my credit card.[/QUOTE]Its been awhile since I posted here.
I made the foolish mistake of using my CC at a gogo (sugar baby) bar last trip and found that they charged my card 2500 Baht extra after I left. I could have disputed the charge but decided to let it go. I have a credit card I use when traveling overseas with a relatively low credit limit to limit fraudulent charges. I also have a Citibank Debit card I only use for travel. I normally will take a certain amount of cash then use my Citibank card to withdraw funds if / when I run out.
My normal credit cards are only used to pay hotels.