How to get the best exchange rate in Thailand

Thailand is one of the best places in the world to change cash, but the rate is not the same everywhere: on the same day two booths a few streets apart can differ by 1–3%. This guide explains how the booths work and how to get the most Baht for your cash.

1. Read the board: "Buy" is what you get

Every booth shows two columns. Buying is the rate the shop pays you when you hand over foreign cash (foreign → Baht). Selling is what you pay to buy foreign currency with Baht. As a visitor you almost always care about the buying column. ThaiRate lists the buying rate by default and lets you switch to selling.

2. Big notes get a better rate

Most shops quote by denomination: a US$100 note earns more Baht per dollar than a US$20, and ¥10,000 notes are quoted separately from ¥1,000. The difference can be 1–2%. Bring the largest clean, undamaged notes you can. Torn, written-on or very old notes (pre-2006 US dollars in particular) may be refused or discounted.

3. Where the best rates are

• Dense downtown clusters — wherever a dozen booths compete within a few hundred metres, the rates are sharpest. The Pratunam and Ratchadamri area in Bangkok is the strongest in the country.
• Shopping malls — the big chains keep counters in Central, Terminal 21 and MBK. Convenient, air-conditioned and still competitive.
• Hotels and airports — almost always the worst rates. Change only what you need for the taxi. The one airport counter worth using is the Superrich Thailand desk on floor B at Suvarnabhumi.
• Quiet side streets and small towns — fewer booths means less competition, so expect a slightly weaker rate than in the nearest big city.

Rather than guessing, open the page for the city you are actually in: each of the 21 cities we cover has its own ranking for today — Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Chiang Rai and fifteen more.

4. Bring your passport

Thai anti-money-laundering rules require licensed money changers to record your passport for every transaction. A photo of the passport on your phone is usually accepted for small amounts, but carry the original to be safe.

5. Cash or ATM?

Thai ATMs charge a fixed fee of 220 Baht per withdrawal to foreign cards, on top of whatever your own bank charges, and the machine's "dynamic currency conversion" offer should always be declined. For amounts above roughly 10,000 Baht, exchanging cash at a good booth usually beats an ATM. Cards such as Wise or Revolut narrow the gap for everyday spending.

6. Check the rate before you go

Rates on the boards change several times a day, following the interbank market. ThaiRate collects the published rates from each shop's own website every few minutes, so the ranking you see is what the shops themselves are quoting right now. Always confirm the figure on the board before handing over your money — the board is final.

7. Count and keep the receipt

Count the Baht in front of the teller before leaving the window. Licensed shops always issue a receipt; keep it in case of a dispute.

Buying and selling: the two columns explained

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