Is it better to change cash in my home country or in Thailand?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Exchanging cash in Thailand is generally better than doing it in your home country. Visitors often find that the exchange rates are more favorable in Thailand, especially if they utilize local money exchangers, such as Super Rich, which are known for offering competitive rates. It's advised to change a small amount at the airport upon arrival to cover immediate expenses, and then seek better rates in the city. Additionally, travelers should be aware that Thai banks may refuse to accept worn or marked bills, so ensuring that your cash is in good condition will facilitate smoother transactions.
Brook ********
The best rates are on the lowest floor (trains) at BKK airport
Ken *******
Small amount at Thai airport,the rest in the area where your staying.
Never in home country.
Rob **********
Use Super rich in Thailand, you will get the best rates on offer.
Brook ********
When exchanging for Thai currency in Thailand, I like to reject any Thai Baht notes with marks, rips or any other deformity.
Make sure the bills that you get from the bank are crisp and clean with no markings. Even if there is a small line from a marker, a Super Rich won't exchange it. I speak from personal experience. 😀😀
Keven ****
Super Rich. Best exchange rate.
Vincent ******
Use a Revolut card ! Great exchange rate
Greg *********
Thailand
David *******
thailand for sure. Think there is a super rich level 1 in airport
Cash with u & change in TH. The best rates in BBK airport are in the Skytrain area. If u have access to an Thai Account use Wise. 👍
AxMdob *******
Never with your TG this is the best rules
William ********
Nah just bring your own currency and change in Thailand abs don’t waste your time and extra fees changing it to USD
Mitchell *******
Change it in Thailand. And remember that you should have at least the equivalent of 10,000 baht in cash in pocket when arriving. (basically just over $300 USD). They rarely ask, but over the years, I have been asked 3 times, and actually made to produce the cash one of those times.
incredibly rare to be asked, especially with any form of actual visa. They ask for proof if they think you’re trying to buck the system with back to back tourist or exempt entries - or if you’re wearing a Black Sabbath singlet and have dreadlocks 😀
Mitchell *******
I have to bring it up though. 😁
Reply to
Mitchell *******
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Av **********
Thailand
Vincent *****
Probably better to change your currency in usd at home and change usd to thb here (rate are near the trading rate).
why would you change one rate to another only to change it to another, and loose exchange charges on both transactions.
Reply to
Stuart *********
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Stuart *********
You’ll usually get a better exchange rate here rather than your home country. Airports (and banks) usually offer the worst rates (except BKK -see below), so if you need some local Baht for your taxi or food then change a small amount that you’d need and head out of the building. If you are going to one of the main tourist spots like Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, etc you’ll find money exchangers everywhere on the streets.
Shop around to find the best rate, but they’ll generally be very similar. You might save a few pennies or cents here or there, but it won’t be a huge difference. I often see people post "go to ABC shop in xyz plaza" but if it's going to cost you 400 baht for a taxi there you'd better be certain the rates there will be better than a 200m stroll down the road. Google and see if there's a Super Rich exchange place nearby. They often have the best rates. You can check what they're offering by downloading the SuperrichTH app on your phone to get daily updates on rates for all major currencies. If you are landing in Suvarnabhumi (BKK) there is a Superrich exchange on the bottom floor near where you get the trains.
You'll sometimes get a slightly better rate on larger bills like £50 notes or $100 bills. Make sure they are pristine with no writing or marks on them as they may not be accepted. If you’re from the UK then be aware that very few places will accept Scottish or Northern Irish notes. Best to bring pristine Bank of England ones.
If you are not happy carrying large amounts of cash there are ATM’s everywhere. Almost all will accept foreign Visa or MasterCard debit/ATM cards. Most have a limit of
*****
baht per day but the Krungsri bank (yellow ones) allow up to 30,000 There is a 220 baht fee per transaction imposed at the ATM. That’s a 1.1% transaction fee (for 20K). A small price to pay for peace of mind for not loosing too much cash. Robbery is rare here but it does happen.
If you don’t have a debit card or cashpoint card, then as a LAST resort use a credit card to withdraw cash. The fees the card companies impose are huge and added on to the fee for the local bank transaction.
A number of banks or finance institutions do special cards these days with little or no charge on foreign spending. You might want to ask around who has the best card deals before you leave. You’ll still be hit with the ATM fee but at least you know exactly what you’ve been charged.
I've read some banks offer to refund ATM fees. I believe Charles Schwab in America and ING in Australia do so but other countries' banks might offer a similar deal.