How to withdraw money from a UnionPay card at a Thai ATM without paying double commission?

You can withdraw money from a working UnionPay card at a Thai ATM without any problems, but here's the main catch: for each withdrawal you pay not one commission, but two at once. That is why cash withdrawal is one of the most expensive ways to get baht in Thailand.

Let's break it down:

1. The first commission is Thai. It is charged by the bank that owns the ATM, and it is always the same: 220 baht per transaction. It doesn't matter whether you withdraw 1,000 baht or 20,000 baht — the fee is the same. The limit per withdrawal is usually 25,000 baht; at some ATMs it goes up to 200,000 baht.
2. The second commission is from your Russian bank. At RSHB, for ruble cards it is 1.5% of the withdrawal amount (minimum 250 rubles); for currency cards — 4% (minimum 5 dollars/euros or 70 yuan).

So if you withdraw 1,000 baht, you lose about 220 baht to the Thai ATM plus a minimum of 250 rubles to your own bank. Total losses can reach 800 rubles out of 1,000 baht — you must admit, that's expensive.

Another point: some ATMs offer conversion "at their own rate" — always decline it and choose to be charged in the local currency (baht). This will protect you from a hidden markup of 3–5%.

We have thoroughly and honestly covered all commissions and life hacks in the article QR codes of Russian banks no longer work in Thailand: what else works in 2026 — there you will also find calculations for UnionPay cards and other methods.

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