Money in Thailand

The baht, and cash versus card

The currency is the Thai baht. Banknotes run from small denominations up to 1,000, and coins below that. Small notes matter — street stalls, markets, taxis and songthaews rarely have change for anything large.

Cards are accepted in hotels, shopping malls, chain restaurants, supermarkets and hospitals. They are not accepted at markets, small restaurants, most taxis, island shops, or anywhere in a village. Assume cash unless you can see a card machine.

The practical rule: carry enough cash for a day or two of ordinary spending, and use cards for the big fixed costs like hotels.

ATMs and the fees nobody mentions

ATMs are everywhere and generally reliable, including on the islands. What is less well advertised is that almost all of them charge a flat fee per withdrawal to foreign cards, on top of whatever your own bank charges.

The consequence is simple: take out larger amounts less often. One withdrawal of a large sum costs the same fee as one withdrawal of a small sum.

Your home bank may also add a foreign transaction fee and its own exchange margin. A card that does not charge for foreign use is worth having before you travel.

Money changers in tourist areas are common and usually competitive for cash, particularly for large notes. Rates are better away from the airports and the most touristed streets.

Where the money actually goes

Thailand spans an enormous range, from a few pounds a night for a fan room and street food to international resort prices. Rather than quote figures that change, it is more useful to know what drives the difference.

• Accommodation is the largest variable and the one where the range is widest — the same island can offer a beach hut and a five-star villa a kilometre apart.
• Transport between places is the next largest, and it is where flying rather than going overland adds up quickly.
• Food is the cheapest part of most trips. Eating where locals eat costs a fraction of eating in a hotel, and is usually better.
• Alcohol, imported goods, western food, diving courses and island day trips are where budgets quietly disappear.
• Domestic flights are cheap; island flights to Samui are not.

The useful question is not "is Thailand expensive" but "which kind of Thailand am I buying" — and the answer is almost entirely decided by where you sleep and how you move.

Tipping

Tipping is not expected in the way it is in the United States, and it is not offensive either. It is discretionary and modest.

In restaurants, rounding up or leaving small change is normal; in more expensive places a note is fine. In taxis, rounding up is sufficient. Hotel staff who carry bags appreciate a small note.

Tipping is not a substitute for a wage the way it is in some countries, so there is no obligation and no expectation of a percentage. Do it because the service was good.

Scams worth knowing about

Thailand is not a dangerous country, but a handful of well-worn cons target visitors. Knowing them in advance is the whole defence.

• The tuk-tuk "temple is closed" tour — a driver offers a cheap tour and takes you to commission-paying shops instead. The Grand Palace is genuinely closed on some occasions; check at the official entrance, not with a driver.
• The gem or tailor shop detour, where the tuk-tuk fare is low because the shops pay the driver.
• Jet ski and motorbike damage claims on the islands, where you are accused of damage on return. Photograph the vehicle thoroughly, or rent from a hotel.
• Scooter rental without a licence, where the passport is held as a deposit and a police stop becomes expensive. Never leave your passport as security.
• The "lucky" card or dice game on the street, which is always rigged and sometimes a prelude to a pickpocket.
• Anything involving a person who approaches you unprompted with an offer that is too good. Genuine Thai hospitality does not work that way.