Visa/Mastercards Etc...

[Chezney]

i will never use a credit/debit card in LOS.. thats just asking for something bad to happen imo...

 

but it sure would help my racking up miles if the girls started accepting my amex for payment....

 

What's so bad about using a credit/debit card in LOS?

 

At least you're only spending money that you have and not getting into any debt.

[Chezney]

Simple , just stash the money in your bank account in this country ( UK ) , Transfer it all via Western Union to a trusted Thai Girl - don't laugh there are some - then she opens bank account in her name .

 

You meet up with her and live happily ever after , cannot see any problems with that cunning plan ?

 

And what if the Thai girl does a runner with all the money?

[JASONTHAI]

What's so bad about using a credit/debit card in LOS?

 

At least you're only spending money that you have and not getting into any debt.

 

I don't think using a credit card is money that you have more like money you are borrowing

[Mavrick]

I use a Amex and a Visa and pay off my statement in full every month.

[JASONTHAI]

I use a plastic cup and beg for money and maybe sometimes sell the Big Issue, It all helps

[Chezney]

I don't think using a credit card is money that you have more like money you are borrowing

 

I meant a debit card with Visa on it.. which I thought is what he meant.

[Pattaya Robbo]

over the past 4 to 5 years i have built up a little collection of cards and the banks just keep throwing cash at me, i am in a little debt but i do always pay more than the minimum amount every month, so it is getting paid off.

[chinaski]

They charge like 15% intrest here, so pay what

I owe ASAP

Edited August 11, 2008 by chinaski

[en184]

I have a gold mastercard. I only use it for online transactions (and in emergency).

 

For everything else, good old fashioned cash. I ussually take arround 1000 euros cash, to pay for every day expenses of a 2 week holiday, and if I run short (as i did in august, due to the aircon breaking down, and a new TV purchase), i resort to the ATM.

 

Cash is definately the cheapest way to take money to thailand. Dont send it to a trustworthy girl.

[DakLing]

I have 3 cards, one of which is platinum. I never asked for it but my limit goes up anually, now it is well over 20k though I am not sure exactly how high it is. My platinum visa card costs me exactly $150(cad)/year but I reap much greater benifits from it, because I know how it works and manipulate it to my advantage. I get an extra 100% extension to all waranties on items I purchase with my visa. I get crazy air miles and crap like that, free travel insurance, free car rental insurance, prefered hotel rates, the list goes on.

 

On the flip side my card has an 18.5% interest rate. That means if I ran it up to $20,000 I would have to pay almost $4,000/year in interest alone. that is just a bit under $400/month. Don't forget as well that cash advances trigger interest immediately and some cards will trigger the total balance on a minimal cash advance. In other words if you buy a cheap car on your visa with the intention of paying it off later that month before accruing interest, but you happen to go to the bank and get a $20 advance on your card, many cards will trigger the interest payment for the month on the car purchase.

 

If you can manipulate the card it is a golden tool. If you can't control it, do yourself a favour, cut it in half and bin it! Those interest rates are not much worse than you would get from a loan shark!

[glynbuk]

Credit cards are brilliant,.

 

In the UK the card companies for the last 5 years or so have been giving interest free credit on all purchases on the card,

for periods between 3 months and 15 months.

 

My current card, a Halifax one card, i took out in October 2007 and it gives 15 months interest free(you pay the monthly minimum)

and my interest free period expires in February 2009.

 

In March 2008 i booked my flight to thailand for Xmas, ignoring the monthly minimum payment i will not pay the balance until well

after i have finished my holiday and have been back home for 2 months.

 

In a month or two's time i will open another card which should take me through interest free until Jan/Feb 2010 (or thereabouts)

 

Search google for 0% credit cards and see what comes up

 

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/articles...r/?rsslink=true

 

 

**always remember you need to have a decent credit rating for some of them and you need to be able to pay back the debt or its not worth the hassle **

Edited September 2, 2008 by glynbuk

[coolman]

When i use my visa it gives me a month to pay back free so i use it some times.

[Siege]

I used it all the time cause my debit card never worked out there. Now I just take cash. and T/Cs it helps me keep a eye on my spending.

[blue1878]

I only ever use my credit card to pay for my flights to LOS. And then I pay it off in full at the end of the month.

 

I used to take travellors cheques with me for paying my hotel and to cover my spending money.

 

Earlier this year I opened a Nationwide debit account. So when I went to Pattaya in July/August I made sure I had enough money in my account to cover my spending during my 3 week holiday. Nationwide don't charge me for withdrawing money out of foriegn ATM's .

[tigerstail]

Hi, Last time I came to Thailand-I put 1500 on a visa Debit and had plenty of money in my Bank -Debit card. Accepted in Patong and Bangkok. This will be my first time in Pattaya, but think it will still be OK? I had my regular CC for back up-was warned by posts on Trip Advisor that there are many scams resulting in identity theft in Thailand-even at major hotels.. This sounds paranoid to me..but I followed their advice. I also had cash on me and exchanged into Baht at the airport. I had so much money and back up it was stupid. My first time in country..I hardly spent 1000.00 for entire 2 weeks..traveled all over-even to Phi Phi Island. I had already paid for hotels on Asian Travel site.

This trip I will probably do similar with money...again. Just make sure to tell all your CC/debits/banks you are going to Thailand and for how long!

[neill]

pay for my hotel and any internal flights on my visa, save the cash for beer and bar girls oh and food once in a while

[B5Jimmy]

I use credit cards to buy my plane ticket and pay for my hotel in Pattaya. The only other thing I will use it for is to pay for my sessions at the hell club or if I buy a girl some jeans and a shirt or two at Big C.

[CockSnot]

There was a time when I had three overdrafts and three credit cards - never again! Credit cards are the biggest scam in the world - motherfuckers. Glad I got rid of that albatross!

 

Cheers

 

WaxMiracle

[wasted little dj]

Credit cars are all about self-discipline. I have mates that use them to their advantage, and have others that rattle the shit out of them with no bearing of the concequences to follow.

 

If you have an addicitive personality, then I suggest you don't bother with them.

[caltexman]

I'm totally fucked.......................lol.

[Mr Bean]

I've tried not to use the bloody things, but if you have to use, I would suggest carrying

the Nationwide Card. (Better rate on foreign currency and no charges)

 

Would only us at atms.

 

Latest news on the Global Financial crisis:

 

Following the problems in the financial sector in the UK and U.S, uncertainty has now hit Japan. In the last 7 days Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches. Yesterday, it was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they nose-dived. While Samurai Bank is soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank is reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black. Furthermore, 500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may get a raw deal. Oh yes, and the Karma Sutra bank is f****d.

 

[gordy]

Im glad to say I dont owe a penny on my credit cards...

[astralrecon]

nice to hear some of you can use credit cards to your advantage ,good for you

i pay for hotels and flights on credit card

carry cash for girls,beer,maybe the odd meal frown in some were

glad you lot talk about the nationwide account,free to use atms

i give that a try

shame people scam cards ,even at big places

well this trip i went los

never told my bank,looyds tsb

cards never worked in atm

could see balance but not withdraw baht

lady thai was not that impresed

she said ,you rich man ,why no baht

was a sad 5 mins

she walk away

i learnt my lesson there and then

be prepared ,

well i try a thai bank account next time

with online access

move from uk to thailand some how

a few ex patts said about purple bank,move money transfer

was drunk at the time ,so cant remember how to do it

keep up the good work

pass on info to others

land of smiles

better holiday