Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ATMs & Credit/Debit Cards
Debit and ATM cards issued by a bank in your own country can be used at ATMs in Thailand to withdraw cash (in
Thai baht only) directly from your account back home. ATMs are widespread throughout the country. You can also buy
baht at foreign-exchange booths at some banks.
Thai ATMs charge a 150B foreign-transaction fee on top of whatever currency conversion and out-of-network fees
your home bank charges. Before leaving home, shop around for a bank account that has free international ATM usage
and reimburses fees incurred at other institutions' ATMs.
Aeon is the only Thai bank that we know of that doesn't charge the 150B usage fee on foreign accounts, but its ATM
distribution is somewhat limited - many ATMs are located in Big C stores.
Credit cards, as well as debit cards, can be used for purchases at some shops, hotels and restaurants. The most com-
monly accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard. American Express is typically only accepted at high-end hotels and
restaurants.
To report a lost or stolen credit/debit card, call your card's hotline in Bangkok.
American Express
(
0 2273 5544)
MasterCard
(
001 800 11887 0663)
Visa
(
001 800 11 535 0660)
Changing Money
Banks or the rarer private moneychangers offer the best foreign-exchange rates. When buying baht
,
US dollars are the
most accepted currency, followed by British pounds and Euros. Most banks charge a commission and duty for each
travellers cheque cashed.
Current exchange rates are printed in the
Bangkok Post
and the
Nation
every day, or you can walk into any Thai
bank to see a daily rate chart.
Foreign Exchange
Visitors must declare cash over US$20,000 when arriving or departing. There are also certain monetary requirements
for foreigners entering Thailand; demonstration of adequate funds varies per visa type but typically does not exceed a
traveller's estimated trip budget. It's rare that you'll be asked to produce such financial evidence, but be aware that
these laws do exist. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(
www.mfa.go.th
)
can provide more detailed information.
It's legal to open a foreign-currency account at any commercial bank in Thailand. As long as the funds originate
from out of the country, there aren't any restrictions on maintenance or withdrawal.
Tipping
Tipping is not generally expected in Thailand. The exception is loose change from a large restaurant bill; if a meal
costs 488B and you pay with a 500B note, some Thais will leave the 12B change. It's not so much a tip as a way of
saying 'I'm not so money grubbing as to grab every last baht'.
At many hotel restaurants or other upmarket eateries, a 10% service charge will be added to your bill. When this is
the case, tipping is not expected. Bangkok has adopted some standards of tipping, especially in restaurants frequented
by foreigners.
