ask
Search
Ask
Answered2 years ago

Do I need to show 20,000 baht when passing through Thai immigration?

Taisto ***********
asked Dec 14, 2024
5.7k
views
40
replies
2
likes
I will arrive at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday evening. I have a connecting flight on Tuesday morning, so I'll be staying overnight (one night) at a nearby hotel.

Do I need to have 20,000 baht with me when I go through immigration?
Answer summary
Based on community responses, you generally do not need to have 20,000 baht in cash when going through immigration at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, especially if you are just transiting for one night. While there is an official guideline that suggests carrying this amount for tourists, in practice, most travelers report never being asked to show cash. However, it is advisable to be prepared in case immigration officers ask for it, as outcomes can vary depending on individual circumstances.
40 repliesnewest first
26

Click comment and we will ask for your email, then OTP, then name.

Steve **********
Steve **********
No one asked me, ut I had just in case
Will ******
Will ******
No not at all. I think it's a rule they keep just incase they need a reason not to let someone in
Brian *********
Brian *********
No one cares
Dennis **********
Dennis **********
No
Duncanc **********
Duncanc **********
Yes
Colin *******
Colin *******
No
Michael *******
Michael *******
In 22 extended vacations over the past 24 years, sometimes with a visa and some on walkin visa exemptions, I have never ben as to show cash or onward tickets. But that doesn't mean they can't or won't ask.

My cash is in USD not Thai Baht.

Does anyone know if cash can be in any currency or if it must be in Thai Baht?
Tim *********
Tim *********
@Michael ******
you want be asked unless they have some other reason to challenge you. If they do ask, any currency is fine
Bill ********
Bill ********
No...
Jacq *****
Jacq *****
None needed but ATMs charge an arm and a leg.
Jacq *****
Jacq *****
@Tim ********
Has to? WOW, as if there never been a bank in Thailand.
Tim *********
Tim *********
Jacq *****
Jacq *****
@Tim ********
you keep doing you. No need to know anything.
Tim *********
Tim *********
@Jacq ****
huh??? I transfer by Wise to my Thai bank. But the OP sounds like a tourist so has to use ATMs.
Tim *********
Tim *********
@Jacq ****
220 baht, £5, $6.50. You have cheap limbs
Leigh ************
Leigh ************
No .. but inalways use the ATM machine in the airport anyway and with draw 20,000 baht without conversion
Carsten ************
Carsten ************
@Leigh ***********
There's no ATM before passing Immigration
Michael ******
Michael ******
Never been asked in 15 years 3 times a year.
Bullock *********
Bullock *********
yes
Anneleze *************
Anneleze *************
No. I have been visiting Thailand annually for the past 20 years and have never carried any cash. Never asked for it.
Baz *********
Baz *********
That's the official immigration policy but in multiple entries over many years I have never once been asked about funds or anything else.
Ralph *******
Ralph *******
Officially you need it but they rarely ask. Same with an exit ticket out of Thailand, which you should have.
Bart **************
Bart **************
It's a law from 5 decades ago. An immigrations officer thinking he can still use it today has a bigger problem at the end of his (then last) working they than you. Can you imagine the headlines if one person got refused for having money in the bank?

It actually happened a year or so ago. They Thais started an investigation about what actually happened. It was clearly toned towards the immigrations officer's decisions being under scrutiny, not the fact that someone held money in the bank. The investigation concluded by the way the the claims were false and that the person in question was not refused entry, i.e. also not for having money in the bank. She was just a sensation seeking YouTuber. The statement dismissed the requirement as "secondary". But in the end, the headlines and media outrage that I imagined also before the incident, it was actually there ;)
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
@Bart *************
they stamp this in passports every day. It's neither antiquated nor an incident.

Often they use this stamp without even asking about money, especially at Poipet but happens at the airports too.
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Brandon ***********
I'm talking about requiring to bring money cash instead of using a bank account.
Duncanc **********
Duncanc **********
@Bart *************
OK Genius - keep telling Thai immigration they can’t decide what rules to enforce

😂

I’m sure you’re a great lawyer
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Duncanc *********
it's a decades outdated requirement, no one can reasonably be asked to show cash entering a country. Everyone knows that, immigrations does too. Hence why they don't enforce it. And where did you see "all these" posts? Imho it is just this one.

Did you read my story and the investigation about the supposed refused entry? It was directed not at the entrant how she came without cash, it was directed at the immigrations supposedly refusing her for it. And it turned out it was made up, she wasn't denied. The to be expected outcry in the (social) media and the headlines, it was all there.
Duncanc **********
Duncanc **********
@Bart *************
If you’re asked to show the money and you don’t have cash. You don’t make it in.

Hence all of these posts here about this issue.

No ATMs airside!
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Duncanc *********
then how do people make it in? We live in the 21st century.
Duncanc **********
Duncanc **********
@Bart *************
Bank statements or credit cards are NOT accepted. Cash only.
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
Steven *******
Steven *******
If you are dressed like a homeless person, that would be a good idea. If you’re not, you should be OK.
Bobby *******
Bobby *******
99.9% they won’t ask for any money to be shown unless you have an extensive history in Thailand and they want a reason to deny you entry.
Juanda ****
Juanda ****
The chance of being asked,

is minimum.

but the decisions is up to the Immigrations officers.
Tony *********
Tony *********
Yes just incase you get asked
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
That's only a requirement if you're entering as a tourist, and it's only asked to show if they are looking for a reason to deny you entry. So if you've spent a large amount of time in Thailand already or made many entries, then it's a good idea to have it. Otherwise it's not something 99.999% of people need to worry about.
Byron ********
Byron ********
@Brandon ***********
is arrived Dec 4 on tourist visa and wasnt asked
Byron ********
Byron ********
@Brandon ***********
why would they
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
@Byron *******
then they weren't trying to deny entry to you
Thomas *******
Thomas *******
@Brandon ***********
2018-2020 3 times a year, back again after covid, 2023 3 times a year since and have never been asked about finances at all. Actually, I've never been asked about onward travel or finances. It's exactly as you say, if they're looking for a reason to deny you because of past habits then you should be prepared to show proof of whatever they might want.

Activity

26 joined
Taisto ***********
Taisto ***********
Taisto ***********
Taisto ***********
Taisto ***********
Taisto ***********
26
people
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
...members60% approval
Member 1
Member 2
Member 3
Member 4
Member 5
Member 6
Member 7
Member 8

Related

25
Do Irish passport holders need a visa to visit Thailand for 2 weeks?
8.3k79762mo
What are the requirements for crossing from Thailand to Laos and back while on a DTV visa?
1.8k16163mo
Will I need to show my Tourist Visa at Thai immigration or is it linked to my passport?
8.6k102565mo
What do I need to know before moving to Pattaya for a long-term stay?
50.1k3767166mo
Do I need to show a ticket back home when entering Thailand on a one-way ticket?
2.9k25101y
Can I combine my Thai bank accounts and UK bank account to meet the 800,000 THB requirement for immigration in Thailand?
498321y
Can content creators apply for the DTV Visa in Thailand?
5k31281y
Is it necessary to print visa documents when entering Thailand, or can I show them on my mobile?
1.1k531y
Why is it difficult to open a Thai bank account without a visa?
13.5k1131432y
What are the eligibility requirements for the Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) for a 20-year-old in Thailand?
4.1k27482y
Is it better to wait for the Thai e-Visa inside the country rather than apply from abroad?
2.7k13252y
What additional requirements should I be aware of when traveling to Thailand with a visa from the USA?
20.5k1612542y
Will my airline have a problem if I exceed my Visa on Arrival time by 2 hours in Thailand?
1.1k833y
What are the requirements for applying for a multi-entry Non-O visa in Savannakhet as a spouse of a Thai citizen?
2.6k15364y
Is it still easy to obtain a Thai visa in Vientiane, Laos, and what transportation options are available from Chiang Mai?
2.6k22154y
Is it okay to enter Thailand with a one-way ticket?
8.6k601084y
What are the latest updates on Thailand's tourism restrictions and requirements for travelers?
5.2k35705y
What should I do if I'm late on my 90-day report for a non-B visa in Thailand?
1.2k4196y
Can the 20,000 Baht requirement for Thai immigration be fulfilled with a money order or cashier's check?
1.1k5108y
Is there an ATM at Phuket International Airport arrivals before immigration?
2.2k13108y
Do US passport holders need a visa for entering Myanmar via Baan Phu Nam Ron?
504218y
What options do a US citizen and her college-enrolled sons have for visas in Thailand if facing high financial requirements?
2.8k25188y
Do I need to show cash and proof of onward travel for a border run on a multiple-entry visa in Thailand?
2.9k27149y
Should I get my visa stamped at Suvarnabhumi Airport or Chiang Mai Airport when connecting flights?
2.3k18159y
Should my children use their Thai or English passport for travel to England?
3.5k22489y

Resources

Need help with your Thai visa?