Thailand
Currency in Thailand: what to use and how to exchange
Thailand uses the baht (THB, ฿), with notes from ฿20 to ฿1,000 and satang coins. Bring some cash in major currencies, change it at a bank or a licensed booth in a mall, and use ATMs for top-ups. Cards work in hotels, malls and hospitals, not at markets or small guesthouses.
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GuideThailand
Key facts
- Currency
- Thai baht (THB, ฿); notes ฿20, ฿50, ฿100, ฿500, ฿1,000
- Cash vs card
- Carry cash for markets, street food, songthaews and small guesthouses; cards are widely but not universally accepted (check)
- ATM fee
- Most Thai ATMs charge a flat withdrawal fee per use (2026 estimate, check)
- Exchange rates
- Compare two or three counters on the day; rates differ by outlet and change daily (check)
- Cash declaration
- Large cash amounts may need declaring at customs; check the current Thai Customs rule before you fly
- Tipping
- Not required; round up, tip massage staff and guides
Details
The baht is written THB or ฿. Banknotes run ฿20, ฿50, ฿100, ฿500 and ฿1,000; coins go down to satang, though the 1, 5 and 10 baht coins are what you actually handle. Shop prices are fixed, so the only decision you make is how to get cash and how much to carry.
The practical plan is a mix. Keep some cash in a major currency for backup if that suits you, change a small first batch on arrival for transport and the first day, then compare rates in town before changing more. Use an ATM when you run low, and keep a card for hotels and larger bills. Treat the airport-versus-town rate difference as something to check at the counter, not a rule.
Where you change matters. Banks and dedicated exchange booths in malls and on main tourist streets post their rates on a board, so you can compare two or three before committing. Airport counters and hotel desks are convenient; whether they are weaker varies by outlet and by day, so read the board rather than assuming (check).
ATMs are common in cities and tourist areas and thinner on islands and in national parks. Most charge a flat fee per withdrawal on top of whatever your own bank charges, so taking out larger amounts less often usually costs less. Your home bank may also add a foreign transaction fee and its own exchange margin; check both before you travel, because the Thai fee is only half the cost.
Card acceptance varies by business. Hotels, shopping malls, hospitals, chain restaurants and larger tour operators commonly take cards; street stalls, most markets, small guesthouses, songthaews and many family-run shops often do not. Some places add a surcharge, and some terminals offer to charge you in your home currency at a poor rate — choose to pay in baht if you are given the choice. Carry enough cash that a declined card does not change your day.
Carry a mix of denominations. A ฿1,000 note is hard to break at a ฿40 noodle stall early in the morning, so keep smaller notes for food, transport and entry fees. Keep cash split between bag and pocket, and use a hotel safe for the rest.
Summary table
| Item | What to expect | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Thai baht (THB, ฿) | Notes ฿20–1,000 |
| Bank or mall exchange booth | Rates posted on a board | Compare two or three on the day (check) |
| Airport exchange counter | Convenient for a first small batch | Rate varies by outlet (check) |
| Hotel exchange desk | Convenient if you are stuck | Rate varies by outlet (check) |
| ATM withdrawal | Flat Thai fee per use (2026 estimate) | Plus your own bank's fees (check) |
| Card acceptance | Common at hotels, malls, hospitals, chains | Variable at small businesses; carry cash |
| Cash needed for | Street food, transport, markets, park fees, tips | Keep small notes |
| Tipping | Not required; round up, tip massage and guides | Parent country facts |
Rates and fees move; confirm at the counter or on your bank's app on the day.
Tips
- Decline the ATM's offer to convert to your home currency — take the withdrawal in baht.
- Check notes before you leave the counter; torn or heavily marked notes can be refused later.
- Keep ฿20 and ฿50 notes for songthaews, ferries and market food.
- Photograph your card and bank's emergency number before you fly.
- Tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires it, and carry a second card separately.
- On islands and in remote parks, take enough cash for two or three days.
- Read the rate board at two or three counters before changing a large amount.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Thailand?
The Thai baht, written THB or ฿. Banknotes come in ฿20, ฿50, ฿100, ฿500 and ฿1,000, with coins down to satang. Shops quote fixed prices, so you only decide how to obtain the cash.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Thailand?
Banks and dedicated exchange booths in malls and on main tourist streets post their rates on a board, so you can compare two or three before changing a large amount. Airport counters and hotel desks are convenient; whether their rates are weaker varies by outlet and day, so check the board.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Thailand?
Cards are common at hotels, malls, hospitals and chain restaurants, but acceptance is variable at small businesses, markets and street food, so carry cash as well. ATMs fill the gap, but each withdrawal carries a flat Thai fee plus your own bank's charges.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBank of Thailand
- officialTourism Authority of Thailand
- officialThai Customs Department
- secondaryWikivoyage – Thailand