SE Asia Currency - Please Help

geordiestory

I'm spending three months in SE Asia from January to April next year.

Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

I know the pound is !!!!!! right now, but some banks say it could fall a further 8%.

Should I try to sort out holiday money now, or just sit tight?

Obviously it's hard to get Vietnamese Dong and Lao Kip here, but could stock up on Malaysian/Thai currency and USD for Cambodia.

What do you think?

PeacefulWaters

I'd not bother trying to be a currency speculator.

Focus on keeping transaction costs down.

Halifax Clarity, Revolut are examples of how to achieve this.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/travel-credit-cards

geordiestory

Cheers I'll take a look.

A_T

Could hedge your bets and buy some US dollars

Voyager2002

Buying cash is a mug's game: use the right cards.

In Thailand, get cash from an ATM offered by Citibank to avoid the steep fee for cash withdrawals (they have three in Bangkok, so look up the location in advance). Alternatively, bring cash in pounds and change there;

In Cambodia, look for a branch of Maybank to avoid the local ATM fee charged by other banks;

In Malaysia everything is easy. Just don't take the very expensive train from the airport to the city centre.

NiftyDigits

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Buying cash is a mug's game: use the right cards.

In Thailand, get cash from an ATM offered by Citibank to avoid the steep fee for cash withdrawals (they have three in Bangkok, so look up the location in advance). Alternatively, bring cash in pounds and change there;

In Cambodia, look for a branch of Maybank to avoid the local ATM fee charged by other banks;

In Malaysia everything is easy. Just don't take the very expensive train from the airport to the city centre.

Crazy advice. Simply take your Clarity or Creation Everyday CC and passport into a bank.
Thailand is not Bangkok. Likely the time and money spent getting to a Citibank ATM will negate any saving.

Voyager2002

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Crazy advice. Simply take your Clarity or Creation Everyday CC and passport into a bank.
Thailand is not Bangkok. Likely the time and money spent getting to a Citibank ATM will negate any saving.

Hardly!

I used the Citibank ATM at Asoke, right by my hotel, and that was enough cash for all my needs.

I have no idea whether the fee for a cash advance from inside a bank is any lower than that for ATM use, but it seems unlikely. What I do know is that dealing with a bank is time-consuming, and most people have better things to do with their holiday time.

The main point is that money-changers in Thailand operate on wafer-thin margins and give efficient service, so bringing cash in sterling is a good option. Obviously this makes it important to choose an insurance policy with good cover for cash.

NiftyDigits

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Hardly!

I used the Citibank ATM at Asoke, right by my hotel, and that was enough cash for all my needs.

I have no idea whether the fee for a cash advance from inside a bank is any lower than that for ATM use, but it seems unlikely. What I do know is that dealing with a bank is time-consuming, and most people have better things to do with their holiday time.

The main point is that money-changers in Thailand operate on wafer-thin margins and give efficient service, so bringing cash in sterling is a good option. Obviously this makes it important to choose an insurance policy with good cover for cash.

You don't need me to tell you that there is more than one area and hotel in Bangkok....and Bangkok does not cover the whole of Thailand.
Furthermore, there is no fee for withdrawing over the counter, so your knowledge on the subject is clearly not comprehensive.
Are you suggesting that the OP stays in your former hotel in Asoke in so that he has access to a Citibank ATM??
This definitely qualifies as one of your most ridiculous posts in a while.
The travelling to a Citibank ATM from anywhere in Bangkok other than if you stay next door to an ATM will definitely take longer than a withdrawal over the counter using the closest bank....which takes around five minutes. Certainly less time consuming than travelling and searching for one of three Citibank ATMs in the whole of Thailand.

Taking cash and changing it there is cost effective and convenient, but again, in order to get the best rates you'll need to go out of your way to find a SuperRich(though there is one at the airport) or similar....and you may even have to go out of your way to get to their airport branch if you aren't travelling via the Airport Link.

I maintain that over the counter is infinitely more sensible and convenient than travelling around Bangkok to find a Citibank ATM....and what happens when you leave Bangkok?

eDicky

NiftyDigits wrote: »

find a SuperRich(though there is one at the airport) or similar....and you may even have to go out of your way to get to their airport branch if you aren't travelling via the Airport Link.

Where exactly is the SuperRich Exchange at Bangkok airport, Nifty? I always arrive with baht from my previous visit, but it would be useful for others because the bank counters give terrible 'airport' rates I believe.

NiftyDigits

eDicky wrote: »

Where exactly is the SuperRich Exchange at Bangkok airport, Nifty? I always arrive with baht from my previous visit, but it would be useful for others because the bank counters give terrible 'airport' rates I believe.

Airport Rail Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnDz7TYEzpw