Best prepaid card for Thailand?

cashbackproblems

Hi...

I am going to thailand in a few weeks and looking at a prepaid VISA debit card, due to short time not considering any bank
any highstreet Bank based cards e.g. Halifax/Metro.

I have done some research and narrowed it down to Caxton FX just wanted opinions if anyone had used this card before? I have in the past used the FairFX in New York, but it got rejected i.e. didn’t work at a number of big shops.

The only charge with Caxton is below, does that mean a 2.75% on any purchases (due to getting an inferior fx rate)? This doesn’t seem too bad as I will mainly be withdrawing cash from the ATM.

FX mark-up where a Transaction is performed in a currency different from the currency of the card
2.75%


Thanks

Doshwaster

Yes, that's the only charge by Caxton but watch out for the 150 BHT (about £3) fee charged by all ATMs (apart from Aeon machines). Caxton may not be the absolute cheapest pre-paid card but still it's one of the best and I have stuck with them as I have found their customer service to be very good whenever I've had to contact them.

I use a mixture of CaxtonFX and Halifax Clarity in Thailand. It's always good to have a backup card in case one is refused. Be aware that outside of upper-end hotels, cash is always preferred and many restaurants, bars and cheaper hotels will not take plastic at all.

I'm sure Nifty will be along soon...

chef-martin

hi,

when I came first to thailand, i do had a pre paid card with me,just in case! BUT: it costs me 10 euro to put money on - and regardless the amount you take from ATM costs me another 10 euros. - That was it for me - used it off,- trashed it, for that money you can have in the Siam Parragon - Italian Restaurant a nice meal for two!!! :A
BKK is pretty safe besides the £%$%$£^£$ Traffic, ATM's all few foot steps,impossible to miss them.
If you need to use your card - only when you really need cash, - I was not be able to pay hotel or else....

have fun there dude

fifeken

Doshwaster wrote: »

. . . but watch out for the 150 BHT (about £3) fee charged by all ATMs (apart from Aeon machines).

180 baht in a lot of cases now.

brucemb

Caxton FX offers really poor value for money-I was recommended to use them but once was enough.
I wanted a safe method of having safe money as I was away for ma month in Thailand. I loaded £1010 on the card before I left London late June. On arrival in Bangkok Airport I checked the current Exchange Rate 45.1 the next day in Chiang Mai it was 46 at the banks and 46.4 at the AMC -authorised money changers] the rate stayed similar to this for 10 days and gradually increased. I took 3 batches of 12000 bht over a weeks period and later tried to with draw 10000 to use up the balance-this was denied. Finally I was allowed 8000 bht which left me with £3 credit.
Well I feel I have been cheated out of over £60 by Caxton.
I expected a similar rate to FX-if I had used cash I would have received in the order of 47000 from the banks, I got just 44000. If I had used the AMC I would have got an extra 600 bht.
Caxton have a reduced FX rate, made a £25.93 Mark Up Fee and a further £37.38 fee for just 4 transactions.
Sorry these guys are total bandits and OK for the Corporate Johnnies who dont care about the Company money-but if it is your own look elsewhere. Sadly I only went there because HSBC has stopped issuing Travellers Cheques [which give an even better rate in Thailand.
So Martin-do your research again and publish that Caxton is really poor value-6% total charges is a rip off.

HereToday

brucemb wrote: »

Caxton FX offers really poor value for money-I was recommended to use them but once was enough.
I wanted a safe method of having safe money as I was away for ma month in Thailand. I loaded £1010 on the card before I left London late June. On arrival in Bangkok Airport I checked the current Exchange Rate 45.1 the next day in Chiang Mai it was 46 at the banks and 46.4 at the AMC -authorised money changers] the rate stayed similar to this for 10 days and gradually increased. I took 3 batches of 12000 bht over a weeks period and later tried to with draw 10000 to use up the balance-this was denied. Finally I was allowed 8000 bht which left me with £3 credit.
Well I feel I have been cheated out of over £60 by Caxton.
I expected a similar rate to FX-if I had used cash I would have received in the order of 47000 from the banks, I got just 44000. If I had used the AMC I would have got an extra 600 bht.
Caxton have a reduced FX rate, made a £25.93 Mark Up Fee and a further £37.38 fee for just 4 transactions.
Sorry these guys are total bandits and OK for the Corporate Johnnies who dont care about the Company money-but if it is your own look elsewhere. Sadly I only went there because HSBC has stopped issuing Travellers Cheques [which give an even better rate in Thailand.
So Martin-do your research again and publish that Caxton is really poor value-6% total charges is a rip off.

Caxton don't have their own exchange rate when using the Global Traveller. They simply take 2.75% off the rate passed on to them by VISA.(If you took a Dollar or Euro card then this is your mistake).
Any others charges would be from the ATM machine, in combination with the policy of the local bank. Some may use their own rates and all, but AEON charge a fee of 150 baht to 180 baht per transaction.

brucemb

Simply not true-if I had used cash I would have been £60 better off and to confirm this rip off I got my Credit Card statement from Halifax today showing an exchange rate of 46.477 for a 20000 baht withdrawal at the same time. Providing 46,942 baht for my £1010 as opposed to the meager 44000 Caxton provided. Steer clear!

HereToday

brucemb wrote: »

Simply not true-if I had used cash I would have been £60 better off and to confirm this rip off I got my Credit Card statement from Halifax today showing an exchange rate of 46.477 for a 20000 baht withdrawal at the same time. Providing 46,942 baht for my £1010 as opposed to the meager 44000 Caxton provided. Steer clear!

I know what is true or not true. You just don't understand what I'm telling you.

Which method did you utilise to withdraw cash when using the Halifax Clarity? If not over the counter or using an AEON ATM, there is a 180 baht withdrawal charge which you will have failed to mention.

Was it the Global Traveller? They take 2.75% off the VISA rate(Did you not read that before you decided to use this card?). Any other fees are levied by the local merchant. ATM? Which bank?

If you had a Clarity card, why were you using a Prepaid Mastercard??

Instead of ranting(which no one takes seriously here), come back with clarity(see what I did there?)

brucemb

I went to banks for each transaction-as I am aware of ATM charges-both for Caxton and Clarity.
I used the prepaid card because I needed the potential of extra cash and on recommendation from a friend.
Yes was GT and yes I am at fault partly for not fully investigating but I did check the Caxton site before and saw good exchange rates.
It was Siam Bank and to my knowledge there are no local fees.
IT SEEMS YOU ARE BATTING FOR CAXTON HERE!!
Finally you must be a bit simple if you think a forum is not for ranting-I am sure most do take this seriously as that is the point of mass communication to help people in the future.
Beware of Caxton-NO GOOD

HereToday

brucemb wrote: »

I went to banks for each transaction-as I am aware of ATM charges-both for Caxton and Clarity.
I used the prepaid card because I needed the potential of extra cash and on recommendation from a friend.
Yes was GT and yes I am at fault partly for not fully investigating but I did check the Caxton site before and saw good exchange rates.
It was Siam Bank and to my knowledge there are no local fees.
IT SEEMS YOU ARE BATTING FOR CAXTON HERE!!
Finally you must be a bit simple if you think a forum is not for ranting-I am sure most do take this seriously as that is the point of mass communication to help people in the future.
Beware of Caxton-NO GOOD

Just checked the other thread. Seems you didn't notice the 'International- Over the Counter' charges of £4.50 plus 2%. Add to that the standard 2.75% off the VISA exchange rate and I can see why you are crying.

But, it is your fault for not checking the charges, as the over the counter charge is clearly illustrated.

You would have been better off using the card at the ATM.

brucemb

Yes and more there were other charges-but I did chat with their office before falling into the trap and none of this mentioned.
Yes my fault which I have never denied-just that Caxton were guilty of 'keeping quiet' about their form of robbery. Must read more 'small print'