I always go to OANDA website and find it's pretty much correct for street exchange rates. I print off the cheat sheet and take it with us.

Unlike the Bali money changers the Thai money changers are honest and no 'slight of hand' they always give correct money and an official receipt.

4 weeks to go for us

Cheers Geri

Thanks for the reply Geri.

We go Friday

Alternatively, just check the rates from one of the banks in Thailand online if you want to know exactly what you'll get.

This from Bangkok Bank: http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Foreign%20Exchange/FX%20Rates/Pages/Default.aspx

Can search through past history too to see rates at any time in the past few years. Might make you wish you had visited when it was 70 Baht to the GBP

We wre getting 50baht to the pound 3 weeks ago, its about 47.20 now

^ Ahh, 50 to the pound - those were the good old days. The UK is looking like a cheap place to visit on holiday next year.

Hi

We are going to Thailand for 3 weeks in December but are not sure which is the best thing to do. Take all sterling or US dollars and just get enough Baht to tide us over for a few days. Last year we had travellers checks but felt we lost a fair bit of money exchanging them.
Any help would be appreciated.

Kind regards
Chrystyrich

We take a mix of large denomination travellers cheques, debit cards, notes and credit card for emergencies. You actually get a better rate of exchange for the T/Cs then you would for notes, even when taking into account the handling charges (which are per cheque hence the use of large denomination ones), plus the T/Cs have an added security aspect to them if they get lost or stolen.

Unless you have some dollars hanging around already I would not bother getting sterling changed to dollars to take to Thailand.

As for getting baht we never bother getting any in UK as you get a very poor exchange rate, but get them on arrival at airport in Thailand

Most but not all ATMs charge 150 baht per withdrawal

The only ATM I know that does not charge is AEON.

Debit, credit and prepaid cards are the best choices really...

Hi,

We are travelling to Thailand for the first time in April

We normally travel to AI type places so this will be our first time going somewhere that we will need to take any large amount of money with us.
I was intending to take all Bhat in cash exchanged in this country before we travel but having read the above info im no longer sure this is the best plan.
Should we exchange GBP at the airport/banks here, change it at Bangkok airport when we arrive, take travellers cheques (if so in which currency), or is it best to withdraw chas from ATM's in Thailand?
We will be spending the first part of our holiday in Khao Lak so will we be able to withdraw cash there? Are there ATM's?
We will then be in Bangkok for a few days before returning home.
Do you get charged for using ATM's? And is the exchange rate better if we do that??

Any help please!

Thanks,

Katie.

Much better exchange rate when you get there.
Sterling T/C or cash, plenty of banks/currency kiosks.
You will need passport to change money first time, then keep your receipt it will do for next time.

Depends where on Khao Lak you are staying, the main resort areas have plenty of Banks and ATM's, some other hotels and beaches are quieter and lacking facilities. Still its usually just a short taxi ride to the main resort areas.

I had a problem exchanging sterling cash at Phuket airport - it was after 9pm and the usual bank exchange counters were closed - counters offering taxi, trips and exchange would not accept twenty pound notes. Exchanged these later in a bank no problem at all.

Most ATM's will charge you 150baht in addition to any charges levied by your bank. Theres a 33baht charge per traveller cheque so we take large denomination ones.

Going to Koh Samui in March next year. Could anyone advise me the best thing about taking money? Shall I take sterling or dollars? Are there many Atm's there or places to exchange money?

Many Thanks

Becky

There are plenty of places to change money. Its actually a place where travellers cheques make sense as you get good exhange rates for them and they're easily changed. There is a 33 baht charge per TC so bigger denominations are better. Sterling is also easily changed (though not Scottish notes). ATM's are also plentiful but note that most charge a 150 baht handling fee as well as any charges your own bank might make. We usually take a mix of TC's, cash and the cards. Don't bother with dollars in cash or TC's as sterlings accepted by all banks and money changers.

We are visiting early June as usual, I know the Bhat is stronger against the pound than last year. Anyone there at present can tell me what the rate is at present at the exchange booths in the tourist resorts?
Alan

We were getting 43 to the pound when there end of March but there seems to be a bit of a rally at the moment as I'm seeing rates over 44.

Thanks for that Sunbear, like most places in the world, it just gets worse every year.
Alan

The rally continues, yesterday we were getting just over 48 Bhat, just about the same as last year
Alan

I was looking at some currency exchange slips from the nineties. 38 baht to the pound. So 48 sounds pretty good.