Meet: Thailand’s currency is called the “baht” (THB for short: ฿)
Cash in Thailand comes in bills of 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 baht, plus coins of 10, 5, 2, and 1 baht.
What’s the exchange rate from euros to Thai baht?
For Europeans, the exchange rate is 1 Baht to about 37 Euro
For example: a pineapple shake usually costs around ฿40. In euros, that comes out to about 1 euro. (Exact calc: 1.07 EUR).
What does Thai money look like?
All official banknotes feature the always-smiling King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The 20-baht bill also includes the king’s beloved dog, Korat :-).
The other side of the bills shows major Thai cultural sites, like the Grand Palace in Bangkok and the Emerald Temple.
Heads up: In Thailand, you’re not allowed to damage money or step on it – it’s illegal.
Thai money tip – it’s a good idea to arrive with enough cash for your first couple of days!
So you can grab a taxi and buy food right after landing, and have a backup just in case your credit card acts up, or the exchange booths are closed.
ATMs in Thailand (ATM)
Thailand still runs a lot on cash, especially at markets, local shops, and street-food stalls.
ATMs are everywhere, so you won’t have trouble finding one. The max withdrawal limit is 20,000 baht (around 535 EUR) at most ATMs, and the withdrawal fee is 200–220 baht (about 5-6 EUR) per withdrawal.
Most of the time you’ll get the money in 1,000-baht bills. Just keep in mind those are pretty big bills, and market vendors aren’t always thrilled to take them… (sometimes they’ll even put up a sign asking you to pay with smaller bills).
Paying by credit card in Thailand
Most popular cards (mainly Visa and Mastercard) are accepted at hotels, restaurants, and malls, but cash still rules the streets and the smaller markets.
In some stores, you can only pay by card starting from a certain amount (for example, at Seven Eleven you can pay by card only if the total is over 200 baht).
Local payment apps work great and are super popular, but for tourists, only Google Pay will work.
Since we already mentioned apps…
There are a few apps you can link your credit card to, which makes using them way easier. This includes taxi apps (like Grab or Bolt), food delivery (Food Panda), and also booking different public transportation tickets via 12GO.
*Note: to use some of these apps, you’ll need a local phone number.
Money exchange options in Thailand
Money exchange booths—and exchange machines (they look like ATMs)—are conveniently spread around, so swapping currency is usually easy. Choose dollars over euros. You can’t exchange shekels.
Tip: Always double-check that the clerk gave you the correct amount based on the exchange rate.
It’s also a good idea to download an app that shows live currency conversion rates. It’ll really help when you’re buying pricier stuff.
Another tip: In some hotels and guesthouses, you can sometimes exchange foreign currency. They’ll often give you a better rate :-).
Fun fact – the number five 🙂
In Thai, the number five is pronounced HA. That’s why Thais use it in texts to show laughter… they’ll write: 555.
How do you handle money safely and smartly?
- For day-to-day spending, use ATMs to withdraw cash—take out the maximum amount.
- That said, we recommend not walking around with large amounts of cash on you, ever.
- It’s smart to keep 2,000–3,000 baht in cash easily accessible (or even less—whatever you feel comfortable with) and stash the rest in your room or the hotel safe.
- Keep in mind that paying by credit card may come with an extra fee (not always, but usually) of 3%–4%.
- Also keep some amount in US dollars that you can exchange if you need to.
Watch out for scams!
Like in lots of touristy places around the world with a local currency visitors don’t really know, there are sketchy money changers who try to pull tricks. And before you even notice, they’ll swap your bills with one fewer zero, or hand you outdated bills that aren’t relevant. Before you exchange, do the math on how much you should be getting, check what the bills look like, exchange only at places that look familiar, organized, and central, and count the cash right in front of them the moment you receive it.
How much cash should you bring to Thailand?
To start, it’s good to have 10K–20K in local currency on you. You can bring it from home, exchange it at the airport (dollars or euros only), or just withdraw it directly from the airport ATM after you land.
Is tipping common in Thailand?
In general, it’s a custom that’s picking up speed in Thailand, and there are places that will expect it (for example, massage and body-treatment spots). But right now, it’s definitely not mandatory. It depends on how you feel.