Hello Fodorites! It's a pleasure to be back in our favorite city.

I wanted to let you know that there have been some changes regarding currency exchange since I was here last year. In the past, currency exchange rates at the airport have been comparable to those in town. This time, the airport exchange desk was paying just under 33.5 baht to the dollar, while an exchange in town paid just over 34.5 baht to the dollar.

Also, the ATM at the airport now has a per use charge of 20 baht.

Welcome back.

The US Dollar xchange rate is better now than it has been for quite a while.

Thanks for the info and have a great time. It's good I have lots of extra baht and an ATM/Debit card isssued on a Thai Bank so that I don't have to worry about money until I get into town. Smiles. Happy Travels!

Kathie
Glad you are back in BKK once again. Have you ever exchanged at Vasu on Sukhumvit? They seem to have better rates than the other exchange places I've tried. They are by the Nana station, around soi 7 or 9 (?) on a "corner."

I'm like guenmai. I've got baht that I brought home with me in Sept, but at a rate of 31.4 or so. I'm glad the rates are looking more favorable for US dollars these days.

Carol

We'll be there in less than a week...first time for us! Looking forward to it!

Thanks for the airport exchange/ATM info.

Kathie,
I hope you are enjoying your wonderful trip.
Please give a wave to the "We Love Our King" and "Long Live The King" boats from me.

I've read a couple time on the Fodor's message board about the ease of using ATMs in Thailand. Can somebody just enlighten me. Do all bank cards work at the ATMs there or does it only work if you have a card from a specific bank. I'll be going soon and was just curious.

of course i can't guarantee that all cards will work, but i have used a number of different cards with no problem...

ask your bank if they have any restrictions on their cards in thailand.....some debit cards do not work in asian countries except for purchases....i had trouble with one on samui at an atm...

If you have an ATM card that is connected to one of the large international networks, either Plus or Cirrus, your card will work. Just look on the ATM to see which networks it supports.

Here's our exchange rate info for two ATM transactions one day apart: first one was 34.65 baht to the dollar, second one was 34.80 baht to the dollar. Our card charges just 1% on foreign exchange and no cost for using a foreign ATM.

Brencara, if you want to use an ATM card in Thailand check with your bank on their charges, Some banks charge as much as $5 per foreign ATM use and add as much as 3% on foreign exchange. Also, make sure you bank knows you'll be using your card in Thailand (and wherever else you are traveling) or else they may turn off your card!

Carol, I haven't used Vasu, but I know that both you and Kuransuke endorse it. If I had a lot to exchange, I'd do it there. Typically, I just use an ATM card.

Ask them if you can use the card in Thailand. I tried using, in Bangkok, either a Visa or Mastercard debit card, issued by my credit union, and the card wouldn't go through.

When I got home, the credit union said that, due to Thailand being on the high fraud list, no card issued by them could be used there.

So, I couldn't pay my rent, or if I had wanted to, gotten money out of an ATM machine with that card.

I had even been to the credit union before I left to tell them that I'd be in Bangkok and they ok'd it for use.

Later, I was told by the person who'd ok'd it, that she didn't know that Bangkok was in Thailand. Good I had my AmExp card, Thai bank issued Visa debit/ATM card, and lots of traveler's checks or else I'd been up a creek without a paddle. Happy Travels!

guen...i bet you could have used it as a transaction card....my problem was with a credit union card also..

My bank (not credit union) told me that I could use my debit card at ATMs in Thailand, but NOT for making purchases, due to fraud. Just the opposite of what you are saying, Bob.

Agree with guenmai, it's good to have the AmEx plat card. You can write a check for up to 10k at AmEx office if you have the plat card. The office is about 3 minutes from Ari BTS station in Bangkok.

Carol

Interesting info, Kathie...and hope you guys are still having a wonderful vacation!

So, where, then, should I exchange upon arrival? I used to rely on the ATM at Suvarnabhumi, but it sounds like it's not as ideal anymore.

Assuming it's best to just exchange a small amount at the ATM at the airport...and then find a bank close to Dream (Sukhumvit), where we're staying, and exchange there for the rest?

there are tons around sukhumvit...i use the one at the corner of suk soi 4 just to the right of the gas station...

Filmwill, getting cash from the ATM at the airport will yield the same result as an ATM in town, except for a 20 baht charge for use of the ATM. However, consider what is happening to the exchange rate. Right now, the US dollar keeps getting stronger against the baht. So while our first ATM use gave us 34.65, the second 34.80, and the third (yesterday) 34.96. Since it doesn't cost us to use a foreign ATM, it has paid us to take out a little at a time.

I have no problems using my debit cards in Thailand. The cards I travel with have Visa and MasterCard affiliations. The card I use most often is from my credit union which pays for the first 5 ATM fees, even overseas. (The credit union also sells travelers checks without any commissions.) Take out the most you can at one whack from an ATM to avoid lots of fees for small withdrawals! You won't get stuck with Thai baht because you can change the money back to your currency at the airport when you leave for home.

One reason some cards are refused at ATMs is because the tourists fail to notify their banks or credit unions that they will be overseas. You have to tell your bank or CU where you will be and when before you leave on a trip!

My advice is to never use a credit card or debit card to pay for cheap purchases in a restaurant or small shop to cut down on any possibility of credit card fraud. Use cash for cheap purchases!

Unless something has changed in the last 2 months, I have always found that the rates charged at most of the bank money changers to be pretty close except for a few satang. If you compare rates you have to compare what is offered on the same day! Rates change daily. The rate you get today will be different on another day, either more or less - usually not by much though!

When you change small dollar denominations at any of the banks in Thailand you get a little less than what you get with $100 bills.

I have friends have been living in Thailand for years and they use cash withdrawals from ATMs to live on. They never have any problems. Since they are there for such a long time they also have local bank accounts, which makes sense.