Money in Thailand: what currency to bring and where to exchange

Thailand’s currency is the Thai baht (THB). Street food, massages and tuk-tuks are paid in cash; cards work in hotels, malls and chain restaurants. Here’s how to get your money ready and not lose on the exchange.

What currency to bring

• US dollars and euros are the easiest: every exchange office takes them at close to the market rate.
• Large notes get better rates. Exchange offices often pay more for 100-dollar and 50–100 euro notes than for small ones. Notes should be clean and undamaged — worn ones may be refused.
• A travel card with low foreign fees is handy for hotels, malls and booking apps.

Where to exchange

• The airport has the worst rates. Change a small amount for the taxi and the first day, the rest in town.
• Exchange chains in the city usually offer the best rates. Look at the “buying” column for your currency on the board.
• Hotel desks and beach kiosks are convenient but pay less.

Before exchanging, compare the board rate with the mid-market rate. In Converter PRO, enter the exchange office rate on the My rate tab to see exactly how many baht you’ll get and how far it is from the market.

ATMs

ATMs are everywhere, but local banks charge foreign cards a fixed fee per withdrawal — typically around 200–250 baht — on top of your own bank’s fees. Withdraw less often and in larger amounts.

If the ATM offers to convert the amount into your card’s currency at a “guaranteed rate”, decline and choose baht: the ATM’s rate is almost always worse.

Cash and prices

• Keep 20, 50 and 100 baht notes handy — markets and taxis don’t like breaking 1,000.
• Haggling is normal at markets, especially for souvenirs and clothes.
• Tipping isn’t required, but leaving 20–50 baht or rounding up is common in cafés and at massages.

Price tags and menus often show just a number: “120”, “1,500”. Open the price scanner and point the camera — the app recognizes the prices and shows them in your currency right over the tag.

In short

1. Bring dollars or euros in large notes.
2. Exchange only a little at the airport.
3. Compare city rates with the market rate.
4. At ATMs, choose baht and withdraw less often.
5. Download rates before you go: the converter works offline.

Rules and fees change — check current information with your bank and official sources before the trip.