

More preferable than minimising ATM fees borne of withdrawing baht at a cash machine of a local bank is to preclude them in the first place. Subject to individual branch policy as well as the discretion of on-duty banking staff, an overseas Visa or MasterCard debit, credit or pre-paid foreign currency card can be used to obtain baht by means of a counter withdrawal at any bank branch in Chiang Mai; doing so doesn’t, of course, invite an ATM fee and is carried out at an identical exchange rate to a cash machine withdrawal though you may still incur one or more foreign transaction charges imposed by your card provider.
Designed for everyday use and most convenient of all, foreigners are legally permitted to open an interest-bearing savings account and apply for a Visa or MasterCard debit
How do you minimise or avoid altogether paying ATM fees whilst living in Chiang Mai? Don’t hold back, hit us with your experiences by posting a comment below!
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the Introduction to our series about the true cost of living in Chiang Mai with separate articles detailing Accommodation, Alcohol & Tobacco, Bank Charges, Food & Drink, Health Care, Immigration Fees, Thai SIM Cards, Transportation, Utilities & Laundry as well as Work Spaces.