🇹🇭 This is a brand hub for Kasikornbank in Thailand. For the bigger picture on the regulated ฿220 fee, the SuperRich exchange-counter play, and Thailand's DCC and booth-trap pattern, see the Thailand Money Guide. For exact branch addresses by neighborhood, see the Bangkok ATM Guide and the Chiang Mai ATM Guide. For card-acceptance and transit, see the Bangkok Money Guide or Chiang Mai Money Guide. For the rival, the Bangkok Bank guide.
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Order THB → CEI Currency ExchangeWhat Kasikornbank is, in one paragraph
Kasikornbank, branded as KBank, is the second-largest commercial bank in Thailand by assets, after Bangkok Bank. It was founded in June 1945 as Thai Farmers Bank by Choti Lamsam, a Thai-Chinese rice merchant who saw post-war reconstruction as the moment to build a commercial-finance institution serving Thailand's agricultural exporters. The bank dominated Thai farm and commodity finance through the late twentieth century, then rebranded to Kasikornbank in 2003 to signal a broader commercial role, and is now the bank Thai retail customers most associate with mobile and digital banking. The K PLUS app is the cleanest interface among the major Thai banks. As of 2026 KBank operates roughly 880 branches and over 7,000 ATMs domestically, with subsidiary banks in China and Indonesia plus full branches in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For tourists, KBank looks essentially identical to Bangkok Bank at the ATM: same regulated ฿220 fee, same flow, same Visa and Mastercard acceptance.
What KBank charges foreign cards
The Bank of Thailand mandates a ฿220 foreign-card surcharge on every Thai bank ATM. KBank charges the same number as Bangkok Bank, SCB, Krungthai, and Krungsri because the regulator does not let any Thai bank undercut the others on this fee. The fee is disclosed on screen before you confirm.
| Fee component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| KBank operator fee (foreign card) | ฿220 (regulated) | Kasikornbank, on-screen disclosure required |
| Exchange rate | Mid-market (interbank) | Visa or Mastercard network |
| Visa / Mastercard network fee | ~1% | Card network, baked into total |
| Your home bank's foreign ATM fee | $2–5 | Your home bank, unless waived (Schwab, Wise) |
| Your home bank's FX conversion fee | 1–3% | Your home bank, unless 0% FX card |
| DCC markup (if accepted at the screen) | +3–13% | Always decline. KBank machines occasionally surface a DCC prompt; pick THB every time. |
Real KBank machines are bright green with the K-shaped rice-grain mark. If the screen shows yellow-and-white branding, no K mark, or generic "Currency Exchange" framing on the welcome screen, the machine is not a KBank.
What Kasikornbank is not
Three confusions worth heading off:
Kasikornbank is not a farming bank. The "Kasikorn" in the name comes from the Thai word for farmer (the original Thai Farmers Bank heritage), but the institution today is a full-service commercial bank with the largest mall-network footprint among Thai banks. Travelers will encounter it inside EmQuartier, Siam Paragon, MBK, and Central Festival far more often than in any agricultural setting.
KBank is not the same as Krungthai Bank or Krungsri. The Krung-prefix names cause confusion: Krungthai (KTB) is the state-owned commercial bank that runs PromptPay infrastructure for the Thai government; Krungsri (KS) is Bank of Ayudhya, a private bank majority-owned by Mitsubishi UFJ since 2013. Neither is Kasikornbank. KBank uses the green K mark; Krungthai is sky blue; Krungsri is yellow with a black ribbon.
The K PLUS app does not give tourists a way around the ฿220 fee. K PLUS is KBank's mobile banking app, often praised by Thai-resident expats for its UX, but the deposit-taking and PromptPay-receiving features require a Thai national ID and local mobile number to register. Tourists cannot use the app to bypass the regulated foreign-card ATM surcharge.
Where to find KBank ATMs by city
Full per-neighborhood maps live on the city ATM guides. Highlights:
Em District (EmQuartier & EmSphere)
The Phrom Phong mall complex is KBank's tourist-area flagship territory. EmQuartier 5th-floor branch with a 24-hour ATM vestibule, EmSphere ground-floor ATMs, and a smaller branch directly inside the Phrom Phong BTS exit. The strongest single concentration of KBank ATMs in central Bangkok. Covered in the Bangkok ATM Guide.
Sathorn (K Bank Tower)
The K Bank Tower on Sathorn Road, the bank's headquarters, has an in-building branch and a public-facing 24-hour ATM lobby. Covers the Sathorn corporate district, the Chong Nonsi BTS area, and is a useful pull-point for travelers based in the W Hotel, Sukhothai, or Banyan Tree Bangkok.
Siam & Pathum Wan malls
KBank inside Siam Paragon (basement and 4th floor), CentralWorld (basement near Tops Market and on the LG floor), and MBK Center (ground-floor entrances). Most accessible cluster for travelers staying at the InterContinental Bangkok, Anantara Siam, or any Pathum Wan hotel.
Asok & Sukhumvit (Soi 21-39)
Terminal 21 at Asok BTS-MRT has KBank ATMs on the basement food-court level; secondary branches at Sukhumvit Soi 23 (between Asok and Phrom Phong) and inside Robinson Sukhumvit. Less density than Bangkok Bank along Sukhumvit, but the mall coverage compensates.
Riverside / ICONSIAM
KBank inside ICONSIAM mall (Ground Floor and 6F), at the China World hotel block in Chinatown, and at a few smaller branches along Charoen Krung. Useful if you are staying at a Chao Phraya riverside hotel and need a single-trip cash pull.
Suvarnabhumi (BKK) airport
KBank ATMs in Level 2 arrivals (between exits 3 and 5) and at the basement-level ARL entrance. Identical regulated ฿220 to BBL. Some travelers prefer KBank machines at BKK because the K PLUS-flavored interface is slightly cleaner; the cost is identical. Full BKK coverage on the Suvarnabhumi airport guide.
MAYA Lifestyle & Central Festival
KBank inside MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center on Nimman (basement and ground floor) and at Central Festival Chiang Mai (basement floor with a vestibule). The densest KBank coverage in northern Thailand. The MAYA branch is open until mall close (10 PM); the Central Festival branch closes earlier but the ATM vestibule runs 24/7.
Beach-resort coverage
KBank flagship inside Central Festival Phuket, secondary branches in Phuket Town and Patong Beach. On Koh Samui, KBank inside Central Festival Samui and at Chaweng Beach. Krabi coverage is thinner than Bangkok Bank but Ao Nang has a KBank near the beach road. Useful for travelers on a multi-island circuit.
Kasikornbank vs Bangkok Bank: the actual decision
Both charge the regulated ฿220 fee, both run on the Thai Bankers Association ATM rails, both behave nearly identically. Honest comparison from the tourist angle:
| Kasikornbank (KBank) | Bangkok Bank (BBL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign-card fee | ฿220 (regulated) | ฿220 (regulated) |
| Total branches in Thailand | ~880 | ~1,200 |
| Mall-network density (Bangkok) | Strongest (Em District, Siam, MBK) | Strong (Siam Paragon, ICONSIAM) |
| Standalone branch density (Sukhumvit) | Adequate (Soi 23, Soi 33) | Densest (Asok flagship, Phrom Phong, Thonglor) |
| Chiang Mai coverage | Strongest (MAYA, Central Festival) | Strong (Tha Phae Gate, Nimman Soi 9) |
| Per-transaction limit (foreign card) | 20,000–25,000 baht | 25,000–30,000 baht |
| Mobile app interface (K PLUS vs Bualuang) | Cleanest among Thai banks (Thai-resident benefit) | Functional, less polished |
| International branch reach | Cambodia, Laos, China subsidiary, Indonesia | Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, NY, London |
Decision tree for a Bangkok trip: KBank if you are spending most of your time inside Em District, Siam, or central Bangkok malls; BBL if you are based in Asok, Silom, Sukhumvit Soi 11, or Sathorn outside the K Bank Tower. For Chiang Mai: KBank inside MAYA or Central Festival, BBL at Tha Phae Gate or Nimman Soi 9. For Phuket and Krabi: BBL has the deeper non-mall network. Either way the cost is identical at the machine.
Best card pairing with KBank
Wise + KBank: ideal for travelers based in the Em District
Wise charges no FX fee and covers the first $100 per month of ATM withdrawals free. KBank charges the regulated ฿220 on the Thai end. Total cost on a ฿25,000 withdrawal: under $7. Wise also tap-to-pays at every EmQuartier vendor, on the BTS Sukhumvit Line, and on Grab.
Get the Wise Card →Charles Schwab Investor Checking: the rebate killer
Schwab Bank reimburses every foreign ATM operator fee worldwide, which means the ฿220 KBank fee gets refunded by month-end. Combined with no FX markup, Schwab plus KBank is the closest a non-Alliance card gets to truly zero cost on a Thai withdrawal. The reimbursement covers any KBank machine, no quotas. Schwab is the right pick for travelers planning multiple withdrawals across a Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Phuket itinerary, since the fixed ฿220 hits every pull.
Capital One 360, Fidelity Cash Management
No foreign-transaction fee on the debit. The ฿220 KBank operator fee is not refunded. Cleanest result: consolidate to one or two larger withdrawals (KBank caps lower than BBL at ฿20,000 to ฿25,000 per pull, so Bangkok Bank may be the better choice if you need a single very large withdrawal). Pair with a SuperRich USD swap if you can route through Phrom Phong or Silom.
Revolut, Monzo, N26: limited KBank benefit
Revolut's free ATM tier covers the first $200 to $400 per month depending on plan, then charges 2 percent. The KBank operator fee is not waived. Monzo UK is similar. N26 does not cover the KBank operator fee. For a one-week Thailand trip, Wise or Schwab are usually cheaper, especially since the regulated ฿220 applies to every withdrawal regardless of card.
About Kasikornbank: useful context
Kasikornbank was founded in June 1945 as Thai Farmers Bank by Choti Lamsam, a Thai-Chinese rice exporter from a Lampang trading family. The Lamsam family has remained associated with the bank's leadership across four generations, with Bantoon Lamsam serving as chairman until 2014. The bank's role in financing Thai agricultural exports through the post-war and post-Vietnam-War decades made it the dominant commercial-finance institution for Thailand's commodity sector. The 2003 rebrand from Thai Farmers Bank to Kasikornbank was driven by international banking community confusion: foreign correspondents kept misreading "Farmers" as a niche agricultural bank rather than a full-service commercial institution. The new name kept the agricultural reference (Kasikorn meaning farmer in Thai) but rebalanced the international perception.
KBank's most distinctive modern feature is its retail-banking digital strategy. The K PLUS mobile-banking app launched in 2014 and has dominated the Thai mobile-banking market since; Thai-resident expats often cite K PLUS as the cleanest of the major Thai bank apps. The Lamsam family also built the bank's regional reach: Kasikornbank China is a wholly-owned subsidiary in Beijing, and the bank has full branches in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Travelers will not interact with any of this institutional history at the ATM.
For tourists, none of this matters at the machine. The KBank ATM looks bright green with the K rice-grain mark, displays the Thai Bankers Association logo, walks you through the language toggle, discloses the ฿220 fee, and dispenses cash up to the per-transaction limit. The institutional story (1945, family-led, Em District flagship, K PLUS app) is a useful anchor for understanding why the bank's mall-network presence is as deep as it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Kasikornbank also called KBank?
KBank is Kasikornbank's brand abbreviation, used on the bank's logo, mobile app, and most signage. The full legal name is Kasikornbank Public Company Limited; the bank rebranded from Thai Farmers Bank to Kasikornbank in 2003 because the international banking community kept misreading "farmers" as a niche agricultural designation rather than the bank's broad commercial-finance role. The K-shaped rice-grain mark on the logo references the original Thai Farmers Bank heritage. Travelers will see all three names interchangeably: Kasikornbank, KBank, and the K mark.
How much does KBank charge foreign cards at ATMs?
Kasikornbank charges the regulated ฿220 foreign-card fee on every withdrawal, the same fee mandated by the Bank of Thailand at every Thai bank ATM nationwide. The fee is identical to Bangkok Bank, SCB, Krungthai, and Krungsri because the regulator does not let Thai banks undercut each other on this number. Your home bank's foreign ATM fee and FX conversion fee stack separately. Schwab, Wise, and Fidelity eliminate the home-bank-side cost.
Is Kasikornbank in the Global ATM Alliance?
No. Thailand has no Global ATM Alliance partner bank. Bank of America, Barclays, Scotiabank, and Westpac customers do not get a fee waiver at Kasikornbank or at any Thai bank. The regulated ฿220 foreign-card fee applies to all foreign cards regardless of home bank. Charles Schwab Investor Checking is the closest a US-issued card gets to a free Thai withdrawal because Schwab refunds foreign ATM operator fees worldwide at month-end.
Where is the densest Kasikornbank ATM coverage?
KBank's strongest tourist-area presence is inside the Bangkok mall network: EmQuartier and EmSphere along Phrom Phong, Siam Paragon and CentralWorld around Siam BTS, MBK Center, Terminal 21 at Asok, and ICONSIAM on the Thonburi side. The flagship K Bank Tower stands on Sathorn Road. Outside Bangkok, the densest coverage is at Central Festival Chiang Mai (basement floor), MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center on Nimman, Central Festival Phuket, and inside Phuket Town. Standalone branches are less prominent than Bangkok Bank but mall coverage is at least as strong. Full neighborhood map on the Bangkok ATM Guide.
What is KBank's per-transaction ATM limit for foreign cards?
Kasikornbank ATMs typically cap foreign-card transactions at ฿20,000 to ฿25,000 per pull, slightly tighter than Bangkok Bank's ฿25,000 to ฿30,000. The Sathorn flagship and the EmQuartier branch sometimes allow ฿30,000. Your home bank may impose a tighter daily limit. The regulated ฿220 fee structure rewards larger withdrawals: a ฿25,000 KBank pull works out to about 0.9 percent in operator fees, while a ฿5,000 pull pays 4.4 percent.
Should I use Kasikornbank or Bangkok Bank?
Both charge the same regulated ฿220 foreign-card fee, so cost is identical at the ATM. KBank wins inside the Em District (EmQuartier, EmSphere) and at Central Festival Chiang Mai, plus its mobile app is the cleanest among Thai banks (a Thai-resident benefit, less useful for tourists). Bangkok Bank wins on Sukhumvit standalone density, at Suvarnabhumi airport, and on a slightly higher per-transaction limit. For one trip, the right answer is whichever is closer when you need cash. See the Bangkok Bank guide for the rival's full coverage.
Is the K PLUS app worth installing as a tourist?
Mostly no. K PLUS is the KBank mobile-banking app, the cleanest of the major Thai bank apps, but the deposit-taking and PromptPay-receiving features require a Thai national ID and a local mobile number to register. Tourists cannot open a Thai resident account on a tourist visa, so the app is not useful for receiving funds or making local QR payments. The K PLUS scan-to-pay feature can read PromptPay QR codes if you have a linked Thai account, but again that is a Thai-resident benefit. The free-tier Wise card or Revolut handles QR payment for tourists more cleanly.
What is the KBank logo I should look for?
White K-shaped rice-grain mark on a bright green background, with "KBank" or "Kasikornbank" wordmark beside it. The branding is consistent across every Thai region. If a machine shows yellow-and-white branding, no K mark, the screen edges plastered with stickers about "guaranteed rate," or the welcome screen reading "Currency Exchange" rather than "Kasikornbank," it is not a KBank. Walk away to a real bank ATM.
The KBank + Wise Combo
880+ Kasikornbank branches, regulated ฿220 fee, plus Wise's zero FX markup and free monthly tier. The cleanest pairing for travelers based in the Em District or near MAYA Chiang Mai.
- ✓ No foreign transaction fees
- ✓ Real mid-market exchange rate
- ✓ Free ATM withdrawals up to $100/mo
- ✓ Strongest mall-network coverage in Thailand