Currency, ATMs, and card payments

The Thai baht (THB, ฿) is the local currency. Approximate USD: 1 USD ≈ 35 THB (varies; check xe.com the day of travel). For mental conversion: a 100-baht note ≈ $3 USD; a 1000-baht note ≈ $30 USD.

How much cash to carry

Bangkok runs on a mix of cash + card. You need both:

• Cash for: street food, small markets, tuk-tuks, small taxis, temple donations, small spas/massage shops, tipping, some smaller hotels.
• Card for: mid-range and upscale restaurants, hotels, malls, Grab/Bolt rides, big tourist sites, pharmacies, 7-Elevens (now widely card-accepting).

Rule of thumb: carry 2,000–3,000 baht ($60–90) in cash daily; the rest on card. Top up cash at ATMs every 2–3 days as needed.

ATMs

Thailand ATMs charge a 220 baht fee per withdrawal for foreign cards. It's the same flat fee whether you withdraw 500 baht or 30,000 baht — so withdraw the maximum your card allows in one go to amortize.

• Maximum withdrawal per transaction is usually 20,000–25,000 baht (about $600–750), depending on the bank.
• Currency conversion: the ATM will offer to "lock in" the exchange rate (DCC — Dynamic Currency Conversion). Always decline ("continue without conversion" / "decline" / "no, charge in THB"). DCC adds 3–8% on top of the fair rate. Let your home bank do the conversion at interbank rates.
• Best ATMs: all bank-branded ATMs are equivalent (Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn, SCB, Krungsri, KTB) — the 220 baht fee is set nationally. The freestanding non-bank ATMs at convenience stores (e.g. inside 7-Eleven) sometimes charge a higher fee — avoid.
• AEON Bank ATMs are an exception — historically charged a lower foreign-card fee (~150 baht) and sometimes had no fee for certain partner banks. Find at AEON malls. Worth seeking out if you're withdrawing often.

Best place to exchange cash

• Don't exchange at the airport. Rates are 5–10% worse than in town.
• Don't exchange at hotels unless it's an emergency. Same — bad rates.
• Use SuperRich branches around BTS Asok, Phaya Thai, Chidlom, Ratchadamri. Best retail rates in Bangkok by 2–3% over banks. No fees, just spread.
• Bring USD or EUR or GBP if exchanging cash. Other currencies (AUD, CAD, JPY, SGD) get worse rates; better to ATM.
• Don't carry more than $300 USD cash. ATMs are everywhere; large cash carries are risk for no benefit.

Cards

• Visa and Mastercard widely accepted. American Express less so — many small restaurants don't take it. Discover / JCB rare outside Japanese-tourist zones.
• Tap-to-pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay) common at major retailers, malls, hotels. Less so at small restaurants — bring a physical card too.
• PromptPay (the QR-code payment system) is Thailand's local equivalent of Singapore PayNow / Indian UPI — used by Thais for everyday small payments. Tourists can't normally use PromptPay without a Thai bank account. Skip.
• Foreign-card fees: your home bank may charge 1–3% foreign-transaction fee. Use a card without one (Schwab, Wise, Revolut, Chase Sapphire, etc.) to save.

Tipping (no expectations, but appreciated)

Thai tipping is light: - Restaurants: 10–20 baht per meal, or round up. No 15–20% US-style. - Hotels: 20–50 baht per bag for porter, 50 baht for housekeeping per day if pleased. - Spa / massage: 50–100 baht for an hour-long treatment. - Taxi / Grab: round up to nearest 10 baht. No expectation; small tip if pleased. - Hair / barber / nail: 50 baht is generous. - Service charge is added at upscale restaurants (10%) — that is the tip. No additional needed.

Common mistakes

• Tipping too much — Thai tipping culture is much lighter than the US. 20% would be confusing-large.
• Not breaking 1000-baht notes early. ATMs dispense 1000s. Smaller stalls and taxis won't have change. Buy something at 7-Eleven on day 1 to break a 1000 into smaller notes.
• Trusting hotel ATM-conversion rates — same as airport. Bad. Use a regular ATM nearby.
• Carrying all cash in one place. Split between hotel safe, wallet, daypack pocket. Bangkok is generally safe but pickpocketing in dense crowds (Khao San, BTS Mo Chit on weekends) is the risk.
• Forgetting to notify your home bank — some still flag foreign Thailand transactions as fraud. Quick call before traveling avoids the freeze.

Practical Day-1 sequence

1. Land at BKK.
2. Skip the airport money exchanges — bad rates.
3. Use an airport ATM (basement level, near ARL) to withdraw 10,000–15,000 baht. Decline the conversion offer.
4. Buy your ARL ticket (45 baht) with cash.
5. Once in town, top up at SuperRich for any remaining USD/EUR you brought.

When the agent should reference this

Any first-time visitor planning question, any "how much money should I bring" question, any user asking about specific payment scenarios (street food, taxis, tipping). Brief mention helps; full detail can be linked rather than dumped.