Bank error in Thailand left me stranded for 3 days

I was in Chiang Mai last month and my bank suddenly flagged all my transactions as fraud. No warning, no text, just frozen cards. Took 3 calls and an email to my mom back home so she could call them before I could get money again. Anyone else have a backup plan that actually works when your main card dies overseas?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessa_murray1mo ago

Had the same thing happen in Vietnam a couple years ago. Got stuck in a tiny beach town with no ATM that worked and a card that decided it hated me. Ended up finding this random western union type place run by an old guy who spoke zero English. I handed him my passport and he just gave me cash from a shoebox. Swear it was like 300 dollars at some insane exchange rate. Now I always carry a backup prepaid card from a different bank and keep a couple hundred in cash hidden in my bag's lining. Learned that lesson hard.

gibson.avery1mo ago

Learned that the hard way too @tessa_murray, funny how travel teaches you life's biggest lessons about backups.

quinna891mo ago

That prepaid card trick is smart, I started doing the same after getting stuck in a hostel in Bali for two days with no cash and a busted card. Now I keep a separate bank account just for travel with a debit card I never use at home, so it never gets flagged. Makes a huge difference to have that second card ready to go if the main one decides to fail.