The one mistake you make with an ATM in Thailand

In Thailand, the ATM situation is a bit different than we are used to in Holland, and many other countries I’ve visited. Thai ATM have a little secret.

Here’s a short fun short video that shows the difference. When you travel, you have to fix things when it goes wrong. Even if the ATM eats your credit card.

When you’re excited and want to have a fun night in Thailand, but you don’t have any cash. There’s one thing you’ll have to do. Go to and use an ATM in Thailand and get yourself some cash out of a machine.

In most Thai bars you can pay with credit card, but cash is almost always the way to go in most bars. Next to that, credit card charges might get out of the roof. With cash in your wallet, you will know exactly what you will be spending.

Here’s how to use an ATM in Thailand:
1) You go to an ATM;
2) let the machine eat your card;
3) type in your;
4) let the machine do it’s magic
5) take back your card
6) collect your money
7) discard the piece of paper everyone gets, but no one really uses ever.

That is how I am used to when using an ATM. In Thailand however, the ATM situation is a bit different. The ATM will first give you back your money. Than you have to wait. And wait for a long time. Only then, your card will come out of the machine.

When you are too excited to go to the bar, you might forget that you didn’t store your card save into your wallet yet. So be aware. Wait for for the card to get out of the ATM.

We were lucky enough, that the next day some employee of the bank next to the ATM was able to open the ATM. After showing a passport which matches the name on the card, we got our card back. That’s the Thai ATM secret.

So if you loose your card, it’s too bad. But don’t be discouraged. Have your fun night and try to get your card back the next morning!

Now you know, how to use an ATM in Thailand. If you want to see more short travel stories, subscribe and I will feed you with more.