Regional News
UK Banks Halt Replacement Credit and Debit Cards to Thailand
Both the National Westminster Bank and Barclays Bank will no longer send replacement credit cards, debit cards or cheque books to Thailand on the grounds they will be “intercepted” by criminals and used fraudulently. When asked to send them by Fedex or DHL, at customers’ expense, they also refuse on the grounds that these companies have people that can detect such items and also intercept them. I find this unacceptable as I have never had a problem with either, and they have excellent tracking procedures.
The consequence of this is that customers in Thailand can no longer access their funds in these banks except by transferring substantial funds to a Thai bank at a very high fee. In cases where expats have a small residue amount left over from when they lived in the UK this will after three years be confiscated by the bank unless the customer returns to UK and can show residence there.
In the case of credit cards, UK citizens who have no medical insurance and an expired credit card, but substantial funds in the UK, will be denied emergency medical treatment in a private hospital, the consequences of which could be fatal.
Why do the British banks and government have such a negative view of Thailand?
Peter McGrail