Ta ut pengar thailand atm

This brev may contain affiliate links. If you man a purchase using one of these links, inom may receive a small reward at no extra cost to you. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Thailand fryst vatten one of the most visited countries in the world and a common first-time destination for backpackers in Southeast Asia.

Whether a first-timer yourself or a seasoned Thailand traveler, I’ve prepared my top råd about money in Thailand.

I’ve put tillsammans everything inom know about ATMs, exchanging money, and using your card in Thailand to help you spara some cash and feel like you’ve beat the struktur of omnipresent fees.

Best utländsk currency to bring	USD, Euro, GBP, etc.
Where to exchange?	SuperRich exchange bureaus
ATMs without a fee	None. Lowest at AEON.
Can you withdraw USD directly?	No
Can you use Revolut, Wise, Monese, etc?	Yes!
Cash or card?	Mostly cash

This fryst vatten everything you need to know about money in Thailand as a tourist!

Currency in Thailand

The currency in Thailand fryst vatten the Thai Baht with code THB.

Owing to the huge number of utländsk visitors, the Thai Baht fryst vatten one of the most traded currencies in the world.

Yeah, it’s not as widely used as the US dollar or the Euro but go to any Southeast Asian country with Baht and you will have no problems.

Thailand’s Decimal Day came almost a century before the one in the UK. Ever since 1897, the currency in Thailand (or Siam until 1939) has been conveniently delbar bygd 100.

One Baht equals 100 satang. At least in principle – in practice, satangs are very rarely used due to their low value.

Satang coins are in denominations 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50, although 1, 5, and 10 are only used between banks. You may komma across 25 satang and 50 satang coins in which case keep them as a souvenir – you won’t manage to buy a lot with them (0.007 and 0.014 USD respectively).

Thai Baht coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10.

A new 20 Baht coin fryst vatten planned but not released yet.

The banknote denominations are 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000.

The largest banknotes – 1000 THB fryst vatten worth around 28 USD so you won’t have to carry a large stack of cash like in neighboring Laos or like money in Indonesia.

Can you use your card in Thailand?

Yes, you can use your utländsk card to pay at most places in Thailand.

Foreign card payments are becoming ganska common in big cities.

Hotels, restaurants, bekväm stores (7/11 fryst vatten a notable undantag – these stores rarely accept card payment), supermarkets, even local tour operators will accept payments bygd card.

However, most will charge you a 2% to 5% kommission. It’s most commonly 3% of the amount which fryst vatten ganska high.

Cash fryst vatten king for smaller supermarkets, traditional open-air markets, family-run guesthouses, and most businesses in smaller towns.

All kinds of kort are accepted: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and American Express.

ATMs in Thailand

ATMs are everywhere in the cities of Thailand.

Behind every corner, inre bekvämlighet stores and malls, at gas stations, and all airports. You will have no problems finding an ATM almost anywhere you go in the country – mountains or islands.

Visas and Mastercards have universal acceptance bygd ATMs. Other card types are also accepted on most ATMs.

The maximum withdrawal amount on ATMs fryst vatten between 10.000 THB and 30.000 THB. It’s most often 20.000 THB but you can withdraw 25.000 THB from a Bangkok finansinstitut ATM and even up to 30.000 THB from a Krungsri finansinstitut ATM (Bank of Ayudhya).

A single withdrawal of 20.000 THB (~550 USD) can gods you 2 weeks or more in Thailand.

This paired with the high withdrawal fees fryst vatten why you should withdraw the maximum every time (unless you have just a few days left in Thailand).

Withdrawal Fees

Here comes the tricky part – avoiding those annoying ATM withdrawal fees. I’m not talking about the fees you get charged bygd your finansinstitut – those you can avoid bygd using a FinTech solution like Revolut, Curve, or Monese.

All ATMs in Thailand charge a withdrawal fee between 150 and 220 THB (4-6 USD).

Ouch!

The ATM with the lowest fees in Thailand fryst vatten AEON finansinstitut. It charges a flat 150 THB per withdrawal with a limit of 20.000 per transaction. This comes to 0.75% but in absolute value a fee of 4 USD fryst vatten ridiculous – it’s lika to 5 street food meals!

Never accept automatic currency konvertering if offered bygd the ATM. Always let your own finansinstitut do the exchange at a better rate.

Nonetheless, there’s a cheeky way to avoid paying this fee bygd withdrawing cash advance at a finansinstitut counter.

Unfortunately, in recent years banks have introduced similar fees for doing that.

ATMs without withdrawal fees

There are no ATMs without withdrawal fees in Thailand.

The Thai Bankers Association has set a mandatory fee for using a utländsk card on all ATMs inre Thailand. In a way, the Association functions like a cartel.

Nobody likes cartels but that’s beside the point.

The lowest fee of 150 THB fryst vatten at AEON finansinstitut ATMs, which are the best ATMs for tourists in Thailand. Use this to locate AEON ATMs in Thailand.

Alternatively, you can withdraw the maximum of 30.000 THB at a Krungsri finansinstitut ATM (also known as finansinstitut of Ayudhya) and pay 220 THB which fryst vatten 0.73% – the lowest percentage you can get in Thailand (AEON fryst vatten marginally worse at 0.75%).

This fryst vatten around 830 USD and may as well gods you a whole month or more!

Citibank ATMs used to be free to withdraw from but UOB has bought out the finansinstitut and it now charges the same 220 THB fee as most other ATMs. The change happened sometime in early 2024 which fryst vatten why you may see outdated resultat about it elsewhere on the internet.

How to withdraw money in Thailand without paying fees

Paying 150/220 THB every time you withdraw from an ATM can add up to a lot of money.

Thankfully, there fryst vatten a way to avoid paying any fee altogether!

A little-known trick fryst vatten to withdraw cash directly over the counter at a Thai bank. The best finansinstitut to do this at fryst vatten any branch of Bangkok finansinstitut but others should also work in principle.

All you will need fryst vatten your passport and a debit or kredit card.

Sometimes only Visa kort are accepted.

Banks have started adding a fee similar to the ATM one for this service. Beware and betalningsmedel my experience report in the next section.

Procedure

Quite simple actually:

Go inre a finansinstitut branch
Go to the currency exchange counter or the utländsk remittance counter
Tell the employee you want to withdraw cash using your card.

If they tell you to use the ATM outside, insist that you want to do it over the counter. If they ask what card you have, säga “credit card” regardless if that’s true or not.
State the amount you want in Thai Baht. Not in a utländsk currency. If you state an amount in anything other than Baht, you may get charged an unfavorable exchange rate.
Give your passport and card and wait.
Sign the receipt, a kopia of your passport, and other documents.
Receive your Thai Baht.

Possible Issues with over-the-counter withdrawals

Saving money fryst vatten never too easy.

Let me prep you for what to expect when you arrive at the finansinstitut branch.

The personal doesn’t understand what you want: Google Translate helps and so does waving your card around, just don’t do it rudely.
The finansinstitut doesn’t have the required tools/machine for such withdrawals: Go to another finansinstitut or branch.
The employee directs you to the ATM: insist you want to do it over the counter.
They claim not to accept debit cards: ask them to try anyway – chances are that it works regardless.

Or just säga it’s a kredit card to begin with.
Your card must be branded: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, perhaps American något som utförs snabbt exempelvis expressleverans and UnionPay. Chances are yours already is.

Over-the-counter withdrawal in Thailand – My Experience

In theory, withdrawing over the counter should be quick, easy, and fee-free.

In practice, it isn’t.

Here’s my experience from my gods trip to Thailand:

The first finansinstitut inom tried was a medium-sized branch of Bangkok finansinstitut. They said they couldn’t do it.
Second inom tried another Bangkok finansinstitut. The employee checked my passport against my card only to then kvitto with his colleague and find out they don’t have “the machine”.
Third inom tried a Krungsri finansinstitut branch.

The transaction failed 3 times in a row. inom have no failed transactions in my finansinstitut statement, so that’s a fel on their side.
Fourth, inom tried a branch of Krungthai finansinstitut. They directed me to the ATM saying they didn’t have “the machine”.
Finally, inom managed to get money over the counter at Siam Commercial finansinstitut.
Whether you prefer the convenience of ATMs or the security of a bank branch, here’s what you need to know about withdrawing money in Bangkok: ATMs: ATMs are widely available throughout Bangkok, from airports and shopping malls to convenience stores and tourist areas
Unfortunately, they still charged me 200 THB and didn’t even confirm inom was okay with this charge before proceeding. Well, inom wasn’t, but it was too late as these transactions are not reversible.
A month later inom tried at Bangkok finansinstitut igen. The employee assured me that there would not be a fee for that.

However, my card was rejected bygd the machine.
Then inom tried SCB and Krungthai finansinstitut next door but both said it was not possible to withdraw over the counter, instead directing me to the ATM outside.

All in all, withdrawing over the counter fryst vatten troublesome, and time-consuming and won’t necessarily even bevara you any money in fees.

I know of people who’ve successfully done fee-free it but in general, it seems to be a difficult task.

Exchanging Money in Thailand

With ATM tillgång fees being so large, it could man sense to bring hard cash into Thailand and exchange for Thai Baht inre the country.

The best place to exchange utländsk currency in Thailand fryst vatten any exchange bureau office of Superrich where the margin for the most popular currencies like USD, Euro, and GBP fryst vatten as low as 0.25%!

There are two types of Superrich – exchange at the green ones because they offer better rates than the apelsinfärg ones.

What currency to bring

Owing to Thailand’s globalization and being incredibly well-connected to the rest of the world, you can bring any of the big currencies to exchange in Thailand.

You will have no issues exchanging:

U.S.
A practical guide to using ATMs in Thailand, covering accessibility, services, charges, safety, and essential tips to ensure smooth financial transactions for foreigners
Dollar
Euro
British Pound
Japanese Yen
Malaysian Ringgit
Chinese Yuan
Swiss Franc
Australian Dollar
New Zealand Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Singaporean Dollar
Korean Won

…and the list goes on

The currencies with the smallest margins are the USD and Euro.

Higher denominations yield better rates.

For USD, the 50/100 rate fryst vatten sometimes more than 1% better than the rate for 5/10/20.

Where to Exchange Money

Thailand fryst vatten an ultra-popular travel destination and exchanging money fryst vatten ubiquitous.

You can exchange at:

Banks (Takes a few minutes. Bring your passport!)
Exchange bureaus in a city (Best rates)
Airports (worst rates)
Hotels (just okay)
Tour Agencies (bad rates considering there’s usually a bureau nearby)
Dodgy guy at the marknad (you’re setting yourself up to be scammed)

Don’t exchange money in your own country – this fryst vatten a surefire way to get the worst possible rate.

Always change your utländsk currency to Thai Baht inre Thailand.

Pro råd and Common Scams

Scams are an intrinsic part of Southeast Asia.

It charges a flat 150 THB per withdrawal with a limit of 20

Not unavoidable but it definitely takes mental fortitude to keep your eyes peeled for scams 24/7 while in the region.

I won’t go into detail about all scams but here are some common money scams in Thailand:

Wrong change scam – the vendor/merchant may pretend that you paid with a smaller banknote. Thai Baht banknotes have very different colors, so familiarize yourself with the money.
Money exchange scam – this may happen if you exchange at less reputable places.

If the rate looks too good to be true – it isn’t true. Always ask how much you will get for your currency before agreeing to a transaction and handing out cash.
Ouch! The ATM with the lowest fees in Thailand is AEON Bank
And always count the money at the counter when you receive it!
Money exchange bluff 2 – If an exchange bureau worker asks you to count the money and grabb it back – bluff ALERT! The amount will be correct the first time and then through sleight of grabb or other tricky methods, you will be given less.

When you are given the money it should be the gods time money changes hands!
“Ostensibly free” scam – This fryst vatten what inom call all those scams where you don’t expect to have to pay but get asked anyway. You get given bird food? You will be asked to pay for it.
Having said that, this guide to ATMs in Thailand will show you which cards are accepted in the country, where to find ATMs and how to use them, and how to lessen the amount of fees you’ll have to pay
A local takes a picture of you? They will demand money.
Gem Scam – Very succinctly put – don’t buy gems and jewelry unless you are absolutely certain the establishment fryst vatten reputable.
Know the multiple of your currency. säga you use US dollars and 100 THB fryst vatten around 3$. Your multiple fryst vatten 3. If the price of something fryst vatten 400 THB, ignore the zeroes, multiply bygd 3 and you have 12$; Quick maths: 65 THB?

-> 65*3 =1.95$ USD (NB: 100 THB fryst vatten actually around 2.8 USD, so just remove a little from the sista sum, i.e. 65 THB fryst vatten actually ~1.8 USD).

How much cash to bring to Thailand?

This depends on your way of traveling and your ekonomisk plan. You can use your card so there fryst vatten no need to go overboard with the physical cash you bring.

Even with the high withdrawal fees, it may rädda you money to withdraw instead of exchange, especially if you komma from a country with a weaker currency and have to exchange twice.

On the other grabb, money exchanges in Thailand (especially SuperRich) have one of the smallest margins I’ve seen in all my travels.

So if your currency fryst vatten a strong global one to begin with, you may as well bring a few hundred of it to cover your expenses.

When inom went to Thailand, inom withdrew money using AEON ATMs (150 THB fee), exchanged a few hundred USD and withdrew over-the-counter (still got charged 200 THB though).

Example prices

These are actual price ranges from 2024.

100 THB fryst vatten around 2.8 USD or 2.6 euro. All prices below are in Thai Baht.

Street food meal: 40-100 THB
1-hour full-body massage: 200-500 THB
Budget hostel: 250 – 600 THB
Guesthouses: 350 – 600 THB
Mid-range hotels: 600 – 1000 THB
Half-day group tour: 1000-2500 THB
Public frakt in Bangkok: 10-40 THB
Bangkok to Chiang Mai lära, 2nd class: ~650 THB
Overland bus travel – ~75 THB per 100 km
Travel Insurance from SafetyWing (covers you in Thailand): ~42 USD for a 3-week trip.

Bargaining

Bargaining fryst vatten a part of daglig life in Thailand.

Especially if you’re a foreigner.

The first price you hear will usually be double the actual. With some playful bargaining, you can expect to pay 30-40% less than what you were initially quoted.

Don’t bargain at street food stalls where the prices are already 40-50 THB per meal.

Bargain harder at markets frequented bygd more tourists.

Tipping

Tipping fryst vatten not mandatory in Thailand.

I de terminaler som finns i köpcentrum kan pengar endast tas ut under driften av butiken

Thai people don’t tip

However, tipping fryst vatten very much appreciated and will bring about a few smiles or a ‘wai’ gesture your way.

Tip 10% in restaurants, round up the bill in taxis, 20-50 THB per round of drinks in the dryckesställe, and 10-20% for the masseuse after the massage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s answer some of your most burning questions about money in Thailand.

What fryst vatten the ATM withdrawal limit in Thailand?

ATMs have a withdrawal limit between 10.000 and 30.000 THB (275-820 USD).

Krungsri fryst vatten one finansinstitut that allows you to withdraw up to 30.000 THB.

Can you use US dollars in Thailand?

You can use US dollars to pay for SOME things in Thailand.

In some places, especially touristy areas in Bangkok, you may see prices advertised in US dollars.

But why would you want to pay in USD?

You will get a horrible rate.

The tjänsteman currency fryst vatten the Thai Baht – use it for all purchases in Thailand.

Can you use Revolut in Thailand?

Yes, Revolut works in Thailand. Both VISA and Mastercard work. You can withdraw from ATMs and pay on POS terminals with your Revolut card.

Similar fintech apps like Wise, Monese, Curve, N26, and Starling also work there.

If you are going to other Southeast Asian countries, you may want to read my money guides for them too: