Exchanging

[Guest]

Is exchanging your money for Thai baht better in an airport (say in the US or UK) or in a Thai bank? And if it is better doing it in LOS, is it a significantly better exchange rate?
What do you guys usually do when it comes to exchanging cash? Any Thai banks you prefer over others?

[Guest]

go straight to the atm , dont worry about travellers checks or anything else.

take 2 plastic cards and keep one locked in safe incase you loose the other one.

the days of travellers checks in Thailand are OVER!

rex

[Looker]

Just out of curiosity..
Despite having been travelling for so long, I've never used any ATM in oter countries than where I'm resident.
Are you using a Visa card to withdraw local currency or other kind of plastic? Are there any charges involved a part from the simple exchange rate?
Thanks..

[Soi8dave]

Never change money into Thai Baht in the UK - you will get a bad rate - always change in LOS, but never change money at your hotel.
I do not think that the rate varies to any degree between different banks in Thailand.
Anyone from the U.K. would benefit from a Nationwide Card. Nationwide do not charge commission on withdrwals from ATM's

[Guest]

Despite having been travelling for so long, I've never used any ATM in oter countries than where I'm resident.
Are you using a Visa card to withdraw local currency or other kind of plastic? Are there any charges involved a part from the simple exchange rate?

I haven't gotten travellers checks since about 1998;  Cirrus ATM is accepted everywhere and works like a charm.  You will get hit with a small fee from their bank to use it, same as in the states. you will also get hit with a finance charge if you use a real credit card  from your Visa company if they charge for such trasactions; most do.  You should have an ATM card from your bank account, use that most of the time and keep the credit cards as a back-up.  I have taken as much as 100,000 baht in one day from an ATM machine  using various cards, it's no problems.  Make sure your bank raises your limit on withdrawals also; some put it as low as 200/day and you may need more than 8000 baht for one reason or another.

 The money comes out in Thai baht naturally, at whatever the current exchange is.  so if you take out 4000 baht, your bank account back home will deduct roughly 100 dollars from your account. It's actually closer to 42 right now, so you can get about 4200baht per 100 bucks.

[BAM]

The first time I went to Thailand my Canadian ATM card didn't want to work there at all... turned out my card number being only 12 digits didn't work internationally... I have since then upgraded to a newer 16 digit card. Lucky for me I had a few different credit cards with me and just did a cash advance through the hotel off my Amex... however they gave me a shitty rate and charged something like 10% surcharge too... but in my case it was an emergency and I didn€™t want to waste time looking for a better solution... I needed cash fast as it was nite and Nana was just opening!

Now I take with me a working ATM card, credit cards, and $2000 cash. I never want to be in a dicey situation like that again.

Here is a live online currency exchange tool...
http://www.xe.com/ucc/

[Looker]

Thanks JaiDee and Bam for your comments!!
I may call Citibank, that has issued my VISA credit card and ask them what they charge. There is a logo in the back of my VISA card which is PLUS with 3 triangles.

[Blue Ballz]

Whats an ATM card??

[Looker]

ATM are Automatic Teller Machines. Those receiding window structures with a small screen outside bank brances from where you can withdraw cahs (and deposit it also). You need a plastic card like a Visa or Master or American Express and a secret code to digit.

By the way, I've checekd with Citibank and for the VISA they have issued to me are charging about USD 10 or the 3% of withdrawn amount (whichever higher of course!!!) plus 1.9% when using it outside the place of issue. But the exchange rate seem more or less fair according to my experience when charging expenditures I did outside Hong Kong.
So, I would only use it in emergency...

[BAM]

Whats an ATM card??

It's what Thai girls call a Frang with money