jlaughs

Are American Express cards accepted in Thailand?

Spygirl

American Express-"don't leave home without it." YES- at hotels and expensive shops-but not at the markets.

simpsonc510

And there is an AmEx office at the ARI skytrain stop. It is the far forward steps on the right, and a short walk down the street. AmEx is now on the 1st floor. Easy to find.

Kathie

AmEx cards are accepted at places like international hotel chains and some high end stores. Visa is accepted at many, many more places. So while you may use your AmEx some, don't count on using it as your only credit card.

orgy7

Amex is garbage. especilly in third world contries. do bring a VISA card if you want too buy anything anywhere other then hotels and upscale shops.


DOn't leave home without it, my a--

rhkkmk

i have used my amex cards in thailand but i find that most places prefer visa and/or mastercard...they claim that amex is slow to pay and charges a higher service fee...

Spygirl

Hey Orgy7, that's all fine and good to have a VISA, but I'll tell you one thing, you'll have one devil of a time getting a replacement VISA card in BKK if it gets lost or stolen. Chances are you WON'T get one-you may be able to get a wire of money from VISA, but that is really a very poor substitute.

With AMEX, you'll get a replacement card, in most instances, THAT SAME DAY, or the next day. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. You should NOT leave home without one, for this reason only!

glorialf

Another problem with Visa is if you are using it a lot more than usual they will start declining the card but won't tell why. Meanwhile they're sending you letters at home or calling you at home telling you to call them. Am Ex will tell the store to put you on the line. If I had only taken my Visa I would have been in deep trouble a couple of times -- even once when I told them I was going to be in Thailand!

Gloria

rkkwan

Whether you can get a fast replacement card and whether your card gets "locked" depend on the issuing bank, not whether your card is VISA or Mastercard.

Call your card issuer - not VISA - to ask them about replacement policy in foreign countries, and tell them you're going to a foreign country so they won't lock your card while you're there.

I don't even need to get far to get my cards locked, whether they are AE, VISA or Mastercard. Buy fuel at home in Houston in the morning, and then in Louisiana 3 hours later with the same card would often do it.

simpsonc510

The claim that AmEx is slower to pay and charges a higher percentage is TRUE. We have a business, and... trust me, AmEx takes nearly a week, while Visa/MC deposits show up in our bank accts the next day.

BUT, that said, I always travel with my AmEx platinum card and I often go to the AmEx office to cash a check.

I like to use my visa card for hotels and store purchases because I have a card that earns me miles with my airline.

When my DH was in Europe, I was getting phone calls from the visa/mc bank because they were questioning his credit card use. I tried to get them to talk to me, but since only his name is on the card, they wouldn't tell me anything. I told them he was in Europe and would get in touch when he got home. They must have called about 5 times!

My suggestion, take BOTH visa/mc and AmEx when you travel.

Kathie

Your Visa card issuer should decline your card if you suddenly develop unusual spending patterns. Everyone should call their credit card issuers (yes, even AmEx) and let them know when and where you are going. I routinely do that and have never had a problem.

Guenmai

I agree with Glorialf about AmExp putting you on the line. Last summer, I was in Sao Paulo,Brazil and was making a (small amount) jewelry purchase and the merchant had to contact AmExp and they put me on the line to verify that it was me making the charge. They usually ask you to tell them what your recent charges were to your account...so before I leave home I right down some charges off of my statement and the dates...just in case. This has happened to me more than a few times. I also always call AmExp before I go on a trip to inform them where I will be and what dates, so when the card is used in a foreign country, they have an idea that it's probably me using it...if they need more verification, then they'll put me on the line. As for Visa and Mastercard, yes, it's accepted at more places, but I would not want my card blocked in the middle of a purchase or have it difficult to replace...this happened to a friend who was with me ,years ago, in Paris...She had either Visa or Mastercard and tried to make a purchase in Louis Vuitton and her card came up, in the computer system, blocked for one reason or another and it was a real headache. The card was taken from her, and put in a box with a whole stack of other cards that had been taken from other customers and we had to go back to the hotel and spend hours trying to straighten it out, by phone, to the bank in the States. The salesperson at Louis Vuitton said that if it got straightened out,she would return the card.I knew the salesperson so maybe that's why she was a bit more patient and helpful with the whole situation. It never got straightened out, until the friend got home, and I had to foot her bill(hotel bill,too) through Paris as that was the only card she had brought with her and she was low on cash by that part of the trip.So, if you have both cards then take both. Happy Travels!

clevelandbrown

I keep getting solicitations from American Express, but I don't even open them up any more. Years ago I looked into their card, and they seemed to offer very little of value, yet charged a fee for the card.

I have a no fee mastercard and visacard from a good bank, and I have never had difficulty. My bank does inquire when there is a sudden change in spending pattern (I put a major car repair on the visacard, and they called to make sure I was myself). I always notify them when I will be overseas, and have never had a problem with either card. I suspect those who have had troubles are either dealing with an inept bank, or have failed to notify the bank of their itinerary.

Since I trash their solicitations, I don't know if AE still charges a fee, but if they do, it is too much to pay for the privilege of cashing a check, especially when I leave my checkbook home.

jlaughs

Thank you everyone! I was already planning to take a Visa & Mastercard, but wondered whether I should take the AMEX also. I don't think I'll need to use any of them (I hope) as all my hotels and most of my major activities are already pre-paid, plus I'm bringing cash and I'll have my ATM card. But, I don't want to be "caught with my pants down" (so to speak), so I'm going to bring one of each credit card also. Thanks!

btw, I did already call all my credit cards and let them know when I would be in Thailand. I've had my Visa card denied in the past when I've either shopped a lot or from a different area and I didn't want that to happen in Thailand!

oh, another btw, I don't pay any fee for my AMEX and I get a 2% rebate on purchases.

rkkwan

You've made the right decision. There's really nothing to lose by bringing the AE card with you, whether you have to use it or not. Worse case is that you lose it, have to call AE to get a replacement.

On the other hand, being a member means you can use some of AE's service for free. I haven't been to Thailand for a while, but I'm sure AE has office in Bangkok. You never know if in an emergency you'll need to get cash or something like that. Why limit your options?

Unless your Visa/MasterCard is issued by a major US bank like Citibank or Bank of America, which have branches in Thailand, you will have a lot of problem getting replacement card there, at least not quickly.

orgy7

I guess Ive gotten biten from both. with my old AMEX DELTA. I was forced too go on a shady indiana jones like advanture in Tanjiers Morraco with a tour guide trying too look for a shop that would accept AMEX, after I bought some crap at a store.
this may be a + on amex side.. when I got home I saw the bill and it said $1000 I quickly complained that charge cant be correct all I bought was a cup and a chain that had some stones on them which were already peeling. well they quicly credited my account. No hassle

I've also had the experience with VISA not telling me directly that they had issues. I was traving for a couple of months all over asia.. and I got a message from my father telling me that VISA had something important too tell me. I quicly called (scared as hell) and all the lady said was "did you buy this and that here and there" yes.... Ok thank you for using visa.. Im glad they are monitoring things like that but the AMEX service seems better.

I tend too travel a lot so I'll stick with the VISA.