Thai money. What money to take to Thailand

Current Thai baht exchange rate:

Now let's move on to the physical embodiment of the Thai baht, coins and bills.

Coins of 1, 5 and 10 satang (actually the equivalent of 1, 5 and 10 kopecks) are rare. Some sources state that they do not “walk” at all. These coins are used, not all of Thailand is rich enough to ignore them. Although they are not readily accepted in shops and cafes in resort areas. Most likely, you won't even see them.

Now pay attention, all the coins depict the same person, this is Bhumibol Adulyadej, the current king of Thailand. We won’t talk much about it, read the material “Thailand, general information about the country.” Everything that concerns the king is sacred; no images of the king can be insulted, under any circumstances. Be careful with Thai coins, don't trample them or do anything else bad with them, you could end up in jail for this, seriously. Please especially note that Thai money cannot be thrown at another person in anger, this will also be considered an insult to His Majesty.

There is one more feature. It is very rare to find coins from old issues; they do not have Arabic numerals. That is, you pick up a coin, but you cannot understand what denomination it is. The chances of this happening to you are almost zero. Almost all of these coins have been taken out of circulation, but if this happens to you, don’t be surprised, feel free to take a coin as a souvenir.

Well, one last thing about coins, many commemorative coins are issued in Thailand. The denomination of these coins can be either regular, 1, 5, 10, or higher, namely 20, 50 and 100 baht. We won’t tell you where and how to get them; you should ask about this on numismatists’ websites.

Tourists often step on a coin if it is rolling or step on a banknote if it flies away from the wind. Many do this out of habit, insulting the face of His Majesty..

Banknotes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 baht. In banknotes, the principle “the higher the denomination, the larger the size” also applies, although banknotes differ only in length, the width of all banknotes is the same.

A good feature of baht banknotes is that each denomination has its own color, regardless of the series of issue. That is, you can hold two bills of the same denomination, they have a different design, but the color is the same, this is convenient.

In Thailand, there are some peculiarities of money exchange; exchange offices are very jealous of banknotes in poor condition, often simply refusing to exchange them, many tourists complain about this. Just try not to take banknotes in bad condition; getting rid of them can be more difficult in Thailand than in other countries.

You can exchange money at the airport or, although the rate is not the best, you can’t call it extortionate either. The starting amount “for the first time” can be changed here. Money in Thailand is usually changed either at a hotel, or at exchange offices, or in banks. Just look at the rate and change according to the most profitable one. Traditionally, these establishments do not charge any commissions, so if you see the wrong amount, just take the money back and go to another place, since there are many of them. We recommend banks, where the exchange rate is favorable and safe. In Thailand, they do not require documents when exchanging currency; you don’t have to take a passport. All of the above is not approved by law; we talk about how this happens in most cases.

When in Thailand, appreciate small change. Thais are not that rich, and 1000 baht is “decent” money. Often small traders may not have change for thousands, and taxi drivers even more so. Banks, on the contrary, try to give large bills. Try to “break” a thousand in a large store.

For other interesting facts about Thailand, read our other articles ( links below).

On September 20, 2017, Thailand introduces new banknotes of different denominations - from 20 to 1000 baht. Does this mean that the old currency will no longer be accepted in stores in the country. How to change “old” money, how obligatory this procedure is and where to do it. What does the new money of the Kingdom of Thailand look like? Details in the article!

The main feature of the new banknotes is their appearance. All new banknotes depict the highly respected and now deceased King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej. The portrait passes through the framework of time - different time periods from the life of Rama IX and the stages of his reign are reflected.

Some banknotes feature the royal family:

• Wife – Queen Sirikit;
• Son - Maha Watchiralongkon Mahidol;
• Three daughters - Ubon Rattana, Maha Chakri Sirindhon, Chulabhon Valailak.

Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) - ruled the Kingdom of Thailand for exactly 70 years (1946-2016)

New money - old money doesn't work?

They are working. Old-style banknotes will still be “in use” for a long time. According to forecasts from the Central Bank of Thailand, the familiar series of Thai banknotes will remain in circulation for another 15-20 years. All financial organizations will accept and issue “different generation” currencies without any problems.

The memory of the king is in everyone's pocket...

This edition was released specifically for the King's Memorial Day. From October 13 to December 29, Thailand will host commemorative ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the death and cremation of Rama IX.

The largest banknote in circulation is 1000 baht.

For residents of Thailand, this event is particularly significant. No family is left behind. New Thai banknotes with the image of the king only unite the local people together. It is believed that everyone who exchanged old money for new ones thereby honored the king and his entire family.

Where to exchange old money for new banknotes in Thailand

For tourists or regular visitors to the country, there is no need to exchange currency. Over time, it will be “replaced” by itself - change in a store, issue at an ATM, etc. If you want to make an exchange “here and now”, you can do this at any bank in the country. It should be borne in mind that there are too many people who want to exchange money before the anniversary of the king’s death.

It is impossible to live even one day in Thailand without spending a certain amount of money. There are too many goods and services around, and smiling Thais seem so friendly that many tourists automatically reach for their wallets and pay, pay, pay...

The national currency of the Kingdom of Thailand is the Thai baht (baht, thai baht, THB). In 2014-2015, the exchange rate of the Thai baht to the ruble was two to one, that is, 100 rubles now equal 50 Thai baht. Many tourists still remember the golden times (before 2013), when the ruble was equal to the baht, and for 10-20 thousand rubles a month you could rent decent housing at a resort, right on the seashore. Now the amounts in rubles have doubled. But let's return to the baht. The most popular banknotes in the country are 20, 100, 500 and 1000 baht. For example, twenty is considered standard for tipping a waiter, receptionist, masseur, or random assistant who gave you the information you need. Of course, no one will be offended by 100 baht, just keep in mind that twenty is already enough. But they advise you to avoid paying with coins, no matter how much you would like to get rid of them. Coins of 10, 5, 2, 1 baht are similar to banknotes: each banknote depicts a portrait of the monarch of the Land of Smiles (Rama the Ninth). This is why money in Thailand must be handled with respect, so as not to be accused of not being sufficiently respectful of the king. You must not step on bills and coins or tear them. Try to hand them over to the seller with respect. There are also “kopecks” in Thailand; their Thai name is satang. One baht is divided into one hundred satangs, and if you were given yellow coins instead of silver coins for change, it means you were paid in “kopecks”. In ordinary stores, in transport and street shops, satang is usually not accepted as payment. You can spend or exchange them for larger money in several places: these are the 7-11 store chain, Family Mart and Big C, Tesco Lotus and others supermarkets.

Tourists often decide before their trip in which currency to take money to Thailand. For those who are going to spend the winter in this country or plan to stay for a long time, this question is even more relevant. For the first time, you can stock up on a certain amount of dollars (from 100 to 1000) or euros. It is advisable to have both small and large bills, then money will be exchanged for you at any bank branch. Rubles are not exchanged everywhere, but in large resort cities such as Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, you can easily part with rubles and buy local currency. In the center of Bangkok there will also be no problem exchanging rubles. Another convenient, but not very economical way to acquire Thai currency is to withdraw cash from any ATM on the street, in a shopping center or at a bank branch. 24-hour ATMs are easy to use; one of the Thai banks, Kasikorn bank, even provided the interface for all ATMs in Russian. You will have to “communicate” in English with ATMs of other banks (Bangkok bank, Krungthai bank). The only catch when withdrawing cash is the huge commission. Each Thai ATM will charge you 200 baht (that's 400 rubles), and you will also have to pay a commission to the bank that issued your card. For example, if you withdraw 10 thousand baht, then in fact 20,000 + 400 (Thai bank commission) + approximately 500 (Russian bank commission) are withdrawn from your account in rubles, for a total of approximately 21 thousand rubles.

In large supermarkets you can easily pay with any bank cards, so you don’t have to carry large amounts of cash with you. Taxis often use a meter if the cost of the trip has not been agreed upon in advance. The cost of a trip in large cities starts from 40 baht, in less populated cities, where there is less competition for taxi drivers - from 100 baht. The cost of food and drinks in numerous cafes and stalls on the streets usually varies from 10 to 100 baht. For transport trips and small purchases, you need to carry 20 and 100 baht bills with you, and travel on public transport often costs no more than 10 baht (so stock up on a few coins).

In some bank branches, tourists are allowed to open accounts if they have a foreign passport and a tourist visa for 3 or 6 months. If you work in Thailand and have a work permit, the first thing you should do is get a Thai card. Then you can forget about fees for withdrawing cash.

If you are flying to Bangkok, then you need an exchanger Value+ or SuperRich.
They are located on the ground floor of Bangkok International Airport.

How to get to the ground floor:
There is an express train from the airport to the city; the station is located on the ground floor.
Search by index Rail Link.

Location diagram of exchangers on the ground floor:

If you are flying to Phuket

You can change A little money at Phuket airport.
The exchange rate there is bad, so change only a small amount (no more than 50-100 dollars) for a taxi or water.

Currency exchange with a good Value+ rate is available on the beaches Karon clericalism Patong.
Exchangers location diagram:

Currency exchange office in Patong:

Thai baht to dollar exchange rate

The current exchange rate of the Thai baht to major world currencies today can be viewed on the websites:

Change all your money to baht at once

The exchange rate of the baht floats against the dollar/euro, but not as significantly as against the Russian ruble.
Why?
Because the ruble is an unstable currency and depends not so much on oil as on the next sanctions.

Therefore, if you arrive with rubles, change everything at once in these exchangers.
The best course is there.

If you are a progressive person and transfer your earned rubles into hard currency (dollars/euros) and came to rest with them, then the information below is for you.
In my article last year I wrote:

I can advise you to go to Thailand with a currency that you use to accumulate your own savings.
If you buy and save dollars, take dollars.
Save euros - take euros.

Before traveling to Thailand, keep an eye on the Thai baht's fluctuations against the dollar at this link.
Please note that the baht is starting to fall; upon arrival, do not rush to change all your money into baht at once - maybe the next day the rate will be more profitable. And vice versa.

Thailand. At the moment it relates to the ruble as 1:2. There are 100 satang kopecks in one baht, but they are slowly disappearing from everyday life.

There is a misconception that in tourist countries like Thailand, you can pay for any private services in dollars. In fact, the situation is completely opposite: local residents are very distrustful of any foreign banknotes.

Does this mean that you should not take dollars with you to Thailand ()? Certainly not. You need to take dollars, and the higher the denomination of the bills, the more profitable you will exchange them. This can be done immediately upon arrival in almost any city, for example.

True, it is better, after all, to give preference to a small exchanger or a bank branch on the street - this way you can win an amount equivalent to a kilo of fruit and a bottle of good beer from an exchange of $100.

The most extortionate exchange rate is in hotels in popular resorts in Thailand (). I can’t even believe that someone could take their money there. But not everyone knows that most small bank branches are closed on Sunday, and on weekdays they are open only until 15.30; therefore the phenomenon “takes place”.

It is most profitable to exchange traveler's checks in Thailand: bank displays even separately highlight their exchange rate in bold to further attract visitors. In general, exchange rates for any currency fluctuate slightly from branch to branch. With the same success as dollars, you can exchange euros, pounds and any other known world currency.

Typical currency exchange kiosks in Thailand

Due to the large number of scams with old banknotes in Thailand, you may be refused to exchange dollars issued before 1993. In some places during the exchange you may be asked for your international passport and residential address, so be prepared for this. By the way, about your passport, don’t even think about losing it, and if you do lose it, we’ve already discussed it.

Easily carried out in every major store. Just like withdrawing cash from an ATM. In addition to the commission of the bank that issued the card and the commission of the bank that owns the ATM, an amount of 150 baht is always charged. The ATM will show the final figure before you confirm the withdrawal operation. There is usually a cash withdrawal limit of 20,000 baht.

Even before flying to Asia, warn your bank about the trip: this region is associated with an increased risk of fraud and there have been cases when the card was blocked after the first transaction in Thailand.