Money, Cards and ATMs in Thailand: What to Carry and What It Costs

Thailand’s currency is the baht (THB, written ?). Visa and Mastercard work at malls, hotels, chain stores and most city restaurants. Street food stalls, markets, songthaews (shared pickup-truck taxis), motorbike taxis and many island businesses take only cash or Thai QR payments. Most first-time visitors therefore carry a card for larger purchases and withdraw baht from Thai ATMs for everything else.

Thai banks charge foreign-issued cards a flat fee on every ATM withdrawal, and your home bank may add its own charges. Some ATMs and card terminals offer to bill you in your home currency instead of baht. This is called dynamic currency conversion (DCC), and it adds a markup, so you should almost always pay in baht.

Fees and limits change. The figures below carry the dates of the pages that report them.

The baht, typical prices and bringing cash in

Wise states that the baht is the only legal currency in Thailand, so there is no reason to plan around dollars or euros as payment. For rough budgeting, Travel Currency Guide used an illustrative rate of about ?35 per US$1 in its July 2026 update. Check a live rate before you leave. The same guide lists a street food meal at about ?40 to 80 (roughly US$1 to 2).

Small notes matter from the first day. Wise advises that ?100 notes are the useful denomination for street vendors and small purchases, because a stall owner may not have change for a large note. Ask for some ?100 notes when you break a larger bill at a bank, hotel desk or convenience store.

There is no limit on the amount of foreign or Thai currency you bring into the country. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand’s entry and departure rules say foreign currency totaling more than USD 20,000 (or equivalent), whether arriving or leaving, must be declared to a customs officer. The Royal Thai Embassy in Vienna gives the same threshold and states that failing to declare, or declaring falsely, is a criminal offense. Travelers bringing in more than US$20,000 can ask customs for a certified document showing the amount. Since 21 September 2004, arriving passengers no longer fill out the customs declaration form (Form 211) but still choose between the green channel (nothing to declare) and the red channel (goods to declare).

When you leave, you may carry up to ?500,000 to countries bordering Thailand and to Vietnam, and up to ?50,000 to any other country. For larger amounts the two official notices describe different routes. The airport authority’s notice requires an export permit from an authorized bank, while the embassy page says to declare the amount to a customs officer or exchange the excess into another currency before departure. Both notices have amendment dates, so check the current rule with the Thai Customs Department or the Bank of Thailand before you carry large sums of baht home. Most tourists never reach these limits.

Separately from customs, immigration officers can ask for proof of funds. Visit Thailand Today, citing the Tourism Authority of Thailand, lists ?10,000 per person (?20,000 per family) for visa on arrival and some visa-exempt entries, and ?20,000 per person (?40,000 per family) for tourist visas. Check the requirement for your own entry category before you fly.

Where cards work and where only cash does

Thaiger (updated 10 September 2026) reports that Visa and Mastercard are accepted at malls, chains, supermarkets and hotels, as well as at hospitals, pharmacies, attractions and most city restaurants. American Express is patchier, so carry a Visa or Mastercard as the main card. In Bangkok, Travel Currency Guide says Siam Paragon, Siam Center, CentralWorld and Gaysorn Village accept cards at every restaurant and food court. The same guide describes Pattaya as more card-friendly than rural Thailand, with beach-road restaurants and Walking Street bars mostly taking cards.

Transport splits the same way. Grab, the ride-hailing app, accepts cards. According to Just Landed in Thailand, the Skytrain takes cash or its own Rabbit card, and the underground takes contactless Visa. Taxis outside the Grab app, tuk-tuks and songthaews take cash.

Cash or QR only is the rule at street food stalls, all markets (including Chatuchak Weekend Market, night markets and floating markets), motorbike taxis, beach vendors, small guesthouses and most rural shops, according to Thaiger and Travel Currency Guide. Travel Currency Guide adds local restaurants, smaller shops and temples to that list, and says most island businesses need cash. If your itinerary includes islands, plan to arrive with baht already in your wallet, because the ATM on a small island may be out of service or out of banknotes.

Phone wallets work at fewer places than most visitors expect. Thailand Journey notes that Apple Pay and Google Pay need contactless terminals, which street vendors usually lack, though they work at some larger retailers and chains. TrueMoney Wallet, a Thai e-wallet, is accepted at 7-Eleven, CP Fresh Mart, Lotus’s, Makro and some small shops near convenience-store clusters, but generally not at street stalls, wet markets or independent shops. Most of the QR codes at small stalls are Thai payment codes tied to Thai bank accounts, so a visitor without a Thai account gets little use from them.

Two costs apply when a card does work. Thaiger says some small hotels and independent shops add a surcharge of a few percent, which it describes as legal and often negotiable, and Just Landed in Thailand reports surcharges of about 3% at some merchants. Ask before you hand over the card. Thaiger also says card issuers commonly charge 2 to 3% on purchases abroad unless the card waives the fee, and that the issuer sets the exchange rate. A card with no foreign transaction fee is worth having for hotels, flights booked locally and restaurant meals.

Tell your bank your travel dates before you leave. Thaiger says blocks on unfamiliar foreign activity are a common reason visitors end up without access to funds. Bring a second card from a different bank and keep it in a separate place from the first.

ATM fees on foreign cards

Thai banks charge a flat fee per withdrawal on foreign-issued cards, whatever the amount. The fee most often reported is ?220. ThailandKnowledge (updated June 2026) says all nine major Thai banks charge a flat ?220, up from ?200, and Just Landed in Thailand (fetched 12 October 2026) reports the same figure.

A bank-by-bank table at Chiangmaijao, verified 13 October 2026, shows higher fees at several banks, and the amount depends on the card network:

That page describes the Krung Thai and ttb rows as older figures, and it publishes no number for Bangkok Bank or AEON. Other sites report ?220 for Bangkok Bank and ?150 for AEON. Plan for ?220 to ?350 per withdrawal, and expect the high end if you hold a Mastercard and use Kasikornbank, Krungsri, SCB or the Government Savings Bank.

Because the fee is flat, withdrawing more at once lowers its share. A ?220 fee on a ?30,000 withdrawal costs about 0.73%, while the same fee on a ?5,000 withdrawal costs about 4.4%. Chiangmaijao advises fewer, larger withdrawals for this reason. Superagent reports that a ?30,000 withdrawal carries the same Thai-side fee as a ?10,000 one. Carrying a large amount of cash is risky, so withdraw enough for several days at a time and keep part of it in your hotel safe.

Chiangmaijao also reports that counter withdrawals cost less: Krungsri charges ?200 for a Visa at a branch counter versus ?250 at its ATM, and UOB charges ?200 for Visa or Mastercard at the counter. A branch visit takes more time and requires your passport, but it saves money if you are drawing a large amount.

Your home bank adds a second layer. Travel Cool Places notes that a home bank or card provider may charge its own cash-withdrawal fee, a foreign-transaction fee, or both. Just Landed in Thailand gives UK examples for a ?10,000 withdrawal: about £15.70 on an HSBC standard debit card, £13.22 on a Lloyds Classic, £11.72 on Barclays, and about £4.97 on a fee-free card such as Chase, Starling or Kroo. Those figures apply to UK cards only, but they show how much the home-bank portion can vary.

Some cards offset the Thai fee. ThailandKnowledge says Charles Schwab reimburses ATM fees worldwide, including the Thai fee. The Wise debit card gives two free withdrawals a month (up to about ?7,200 total) and then charges 1.75%, and the ?220 Thai fee still applies. Before you travel, read your card’s fee schedule for both foreign withdrawals and foreign purchases.

Just Landed in Thailand says the ATM screen should display the total including the fee, for example ?20,220 for a ?20,000 withdrawal. If the machine shows no fee warning, check the amount before confirming.

Withdrawal limits and choosing an ATM

Two limits apply to a withdrawal in Thailand: the one the Thai bank sets on the machine, and the one your home bank sets on your card. Chiangmaijao says each machine has its own cap and advises checking the screen. ThailandKnowledge (updated June 2026) reports these per-withdrawal limits for foreign cards:

• Bangkok Bank, Krungsri and SCB: up to ?30,000
• Krung Thai Bank and the Government Savings Bank: ?25,000 at most
• Kasikornbank and AEON: up to ?20,000

Other sites report lower figures for some banks, such as ?25,000 at Bangkok Bank, and many say ?20,000 is typical at most machines. Treat these as ranges. If a machine rejects a ?30,000 request, try ?20,000 before you assume the card is blocked.

Your home bank’s daily limit often decides how much you can take out. Asia Global Partners notes that the home bank’s daily limit is often the real constraint and that a card may carry a separate per-transaction limit. If your debit card allows only the equivalent of a few hundred dollars per day, you will pay the flat Thai fee on more withdrawals than you planned. Ask your bank to raise the limit before you travel, and find out what the limit is in your own currency.

Travel Currency Guide recommends ATMs inside bank branches, in major malls, and in the vestibules of 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stores. It advises avoiding street-facing standalone ATMs, especially in Sukhumvit, Patpong, Khao San Road and beach areas, where it says card skimming (a device that copies card data) is documented. It also says some standalone ATMs layer DCC on top of the ?220 fee. The same guide names Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, SCB, Krungthai Bank and Krungsri as bank networks with similar exchange rates and says Bangkok Bank has over 8,000 ATMs, so a machine from one of these banks is easy to find in most cities.

A practical routine: use an ATM attached to a bank branch during daytime, cover the keypad, take the receipt, and check your banking app for the debit afterward. If a screen asks you to choose between baht and your home currency, the next section explains which to pick.

Dynamic currency conversion: always choose baht

Dynamic currency conversion happens when a Thai ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency on the spot. The offer looks convenient because the total appears in dollars, pounds or euros. The exchange rate behind it carries a markup that the machine’s operator sets, and it is worse than the rate your own card network applies. ThailandKnowledge, Visit Thailand Today and Travel Currency Guide each say to decline it.

Estimated markups differ by site. ThailandKnowledge puts the markup at 3 to 7%, and Mile Asia at 3 to 5%. Just Landed in Thailand gives 6 to 9%, while Chiangmaijao reports about 4% at Krung Thai. These are rough indicators rather than fixed prices. The Thailand ATM Calculator estimates that accepting DCC on a ?10,000 withdrawal adds about US$15 to 20 on top of the fee. Travel Currency Guide says to decline every time the screen offers to charge in US dollars, and notes that some standalone ATMs stack DCC on top of the Thai withdrawal fee.

The wording on the screen varies. Mile Asia lists options such as "Decline Conversion," "No" and "Continue in THB." Whatever the label, you want the choice that keeps the transaction in baht. Card terminals in shops and hotels follow the same pattern: if the payment terminal asks whether you want to pay in baht or your home currency, press baht. Ask the cashier to cancel and re-run the payment if you accept the wrong option by mistake, since the slip is hard to reverse afterward.

News reports about a 1% DCC fee apply to a different situation. Bangkok Bank’s FAQ defines that fee for Thai-issued Visa and Mastercard cards used at foreign-registered merchants. The bank has postponed it indefinitely and says it will give cardholders at least 30 days’ notice before charging it. It does not apply to foreign cards used inside Thailand.

How much cash to carry and where to exchange it

Daily cash needs depend on how you travel. Travel Currency Guide and Thailand Journey give per-day cash estimates, with higher amounts for markets or islands. A traveler eating at stalls and riding songthaews and tuk-tuks will land at the low end of those estimates, and someone mixing stalls with restaurants and taxis will land higher. Cash is needed for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, taxis outside Grab, temples, songthaews and most island businesses.

Keep a mix of denominations. Remitly advises having small notes for simple stalls, and Wise says many smaller shops, markets and street vendors accept only cash. Pay the hotel and larger restaurants by card, and use ATM cash for the rest.

Exchanging foreign banknotes is the alternative to ATMs, and the rates vary widely. Under the Bank of Thailand’s notice on authorized money changers, changers display a Ministry of Finance permit and daily buying and selling rates that follow the average rates of authorized banks. The notice sets sale limits for travel banknotes: up to ?800,000 per day per customer at authorized changers, and up to ?200,000 for those owned by Thai nationals as sole proprietorships or partnerships. For sales under ?50,000 equivalent, the customer provides a photocopy of a passport or a certificate showing travel abroad, and from ?50,000 an ID card copy is also required. The notice does not state a spread, so compare booth rates yourself.

Where you exchange affects the rate. Travel Currency Guide says airport counters at BKK, DMK, HKT and CNX often run 5 to 10% below the interbank rate, plus per-transaction fees. It names SuperRich, Vasu Exchange and Twelve Victory as licensed Bangkok booths with tight spreads, and warns that booths in Patpong and on Khao San Road can hide markups behind "no commission" signs. It puts pre-ordering baht at home at about a 1 to 4% markup (the site has an affiliate partner, CEI Currency Exchange). Wise notes that among traveler’s cheques, only American Express ones are readily exchanged at banks and some exchange offices, so leave them at home.

For a first trip, a workable plan is to exchange a small amount at the airport for the ride into town, then switch to ATM withdrawals or a city exchange booth with posted rates.

Service charges, tips and small notes

A service charge is an amount a restaurant adds to your bill, and it differs from a tip, which a customer gives for good service. The Bangkok Post’s learning page draws that distinction. According to Springnews (3 October 2022), a service charge should be no more than 10%, which is the rate most consumers accept by international standard. The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) said, as Komchadluek reported on 3 October 2022, that restaurants must display the service charge clearly so customers can decide whether to use the service.

The consumer-protection law does not address service charges directly. The related rule is a Department of Internal Trade (DIT) announcement on displaying prices under the Price of Goods and Services Act B.E. 2542 (1999). Komchadluek adds that service charges are commonly seen at hotels, malls and larger restaurants and that some ordinary restaurants have started adding them. Read the menu and the bill: if a 10% service charge is already printed on the check, the restaurant has collected it from you. If a charge looks unclear or exceeds 10%, complaints go to the DIT price-complaint hotline at 1569. This guidance dates from October 2022, so confirm whether anything has changed if you plan to file a complaint.

A card terminal at a mall restaurant may let you add a tip, but at stalls, with tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, at temples and on songthaews the payment is cash by default. Travel Currency Guide says to give tips in small notes where cards are not accepted. This is another reason to keep ?100 notes and smaller on hand, since a driver or vendor will rarely have change for a large bill. Withdraw cash in amounts that your ATM dispenses in a mix of notes, and spend the large notes at larger shops and hotels first so the smaller ones last longer.

Key Takeaways

• Carry a card and baht. Visa and Mastercard cover malls, hotels, chains and most city restaurants. Street food, markets, songthaews, motorbike taxis and most island businesses want cash.
• Budget ?220 to 350 per ATM withdrawal. The flat Thai fee depends on the bank and card network, and your home bank may add its own charges, so take out larger amounts less often.
• Decline conversion every time. When a terminal or ATM offers to charge in your home currency, choose baht. The reported markups run roughly 3 to 9%.
• Check your limits before departure. Thai machines cap each withdrawal, and your home bank’s daily limit may be lower. Tell your bank your travel dates and bring a second card.
• Keep small notes for tips and stalls. Service charges are capped at 10% and should be displayed. ?100 notes pay for street food and tips where cards do not work.
• Use ATMs inside banks or malls and avoid street-facing standalone machines. That lowers the risk of skimming and of a machine adding its own conversion on top of the withdrawal fee.