Thailand

yanto2134

Hi all
My wife are visiting Thailand in September. Looking to take approx £3000 in spending money. Are sterling travel cheques the best way to go? For Thai baht, where are best rates available? In UK or in Thailand itself? Any tips very much appreciated. Ian

VfM4meplse

Lucky you, I hope you have a great time!

I don't have the answer, but £3k will buy one heck of a lot in Thailand. Do you really need that much?

yanto2134

Thanks. Im sure we will. My wife is Thai. We have a small house over there and we are doing some work. Hence the extra money.

zagfles

Over there you'll get much better rates, but best it to use one of the best cards eg Halifax Clarity, MetroBank, and withdraw from ATMs, see the article on the main site and watch out for dynamic currency conversion.

I presume the £3000 includes paying for hotels etc, otherwise it seems a lot unless you're going for a couple of months...

VfM4meplse

I have travelled extensively, and have found almost w/o exception that currency deals are better outside the UK, as sterling is highly prized outside of the UK. I haven't been to Thailand for a long time (my planned trip to last Christmas was a casualty of the Heathrow closure) but have noted that in marked contrast to the UK, the best rate for rupees in India can be found at the airports! I don't know if you're wife is part of a community here that might have some experience to share?

yanto2134

zagfles - we will only need to pay for maybe a weeks hotel rooms, as we will stay at our own house. Doing some work at the house, hence the extra money. The cards you mentioned, are the credit cards? I dont use them.

yanto2134

VFM - Many thanks. She does have a few Thai friends here in UK. Will ask. I have always taken sterling travel cheques with a small amount in baht for the first day or so. But it seems that the rates are better over there

stilltheone

yanto2134 wrote: »

VFM - Many thanks. She does have a few Thai friends here in UK. Will ask. I have always taken sterling travel cheques with a small amount in baht for the first day or so. But it seems that the rates are better over there

If you bank with Lloyds in the UK, you can get the AmEx Sterling TCs for free if you order online and pick up in branch.

Of course you should try to get them in the largest possible denominations to save on the per cheque charge.

No need to take any Baht with you. Just take some Pounds in cash for changing at the Thai airport if you need cash for the first day or just change one of your TCs.

Metro Bank card is a no charge debit card, but of course you will still get the 150 baht ATM charge(unless you find an AEON ATM). Not too bad if you are making large withdrawals.

shaunskankdog

. I pop over to Thailand every year for a few weeks or months and take my pre paid credit cards...caxton fx and mycashplus....not for any real reason as I cant be bothered working out the small differences in savings. I also take $ US and £ GBP, normally in 20 denoms. Also, I just change about a tenner in UK for THB, just to get me through airport if I need food or taxi etc. Last time I went I took several pre paid as I lose them through alcohol , but the exchanges are better over in amazing Thailand. So jealous. Just in case but I am sure you are sorted....visas for over 30 or 60 days. Wow you get me so jealous. Enjoy and watch the monsoon lol. PS...I think they charge for sterling cheques etc.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

yanto2134 wrote: »

Hi all
My wife are visiting Thailand in September. Looking to take approx £3000 in spending money. Are sterling travel cheques the best way to go? For Thai baht, where are best rates available? In UK or in Thailand itself? Any tips very much appreciated. Ian

Travelers cheques will cost more int he long run than using a credit/debit card in an ATM.

For rates look around when you get there, you'll find they are more or less all the same.

stilltheone

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK wrote: »

Travelers cheques will cost more int he long run than using a credit/debit card in an ATM.

For rates look around when you get there, you'll find they are more or less all the same.

Your comments are too generalised to be of any use.

The are far too many variables for your generalised statement to be at all accurate.

Example. If both TCs and Debit/Credit cards were zero rated:

£100 TC = 4780 baht minus 33 baht. 4747 baht
£100 DC = 4785 baht minus 150 baht(ATM Withdrawal charge). 4632 baht

There goes your theory.

In practice, he might pay for his Sterling TCs and the DC/CC available may have charges attached or interest to be paid.
He might be close to AEON ATMs or he might not.
Exchange rate at the airport is lower than in town.