Where to buy Thai Bahts when traveling from New Zealand to Thailand?
- By
- Aparna Patel
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- 20 Jul, 2023
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One way to avoid the 150 baht ATM charge (actually two ways…) are:
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Go to the bank and use the card to withdraw money over the counter – they will simply charge the VISA Debit etc from your card (assuming not just an ATM card – most these days have debit card abilities). This will save the fee in Thailand (and the rate will be just as good).
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Use a NEON ATM machine (this is a Japanese loan company that is very popular here in Thailand) – they also allow ATM withdrawals but do not charge the 150 baht like Thai banks do). You can find these in shopping malls.
Avoid ATMs. Almost all will charge 150 baht transaction fee, and your home bank will likely charge another 150 baht fee. That is a lot.
Just use currency exchange place at the BKK airport. They have pretty good rates. Not the best, but they don’t completely rip you off like at most other countries’ airports.
Airports give low exchange rates so I advise you to just exchange the minimum required currency initially. You can get the best exchange rates at malls while shopping.
ATMs at the airport are numerous and easy to find. In Thailand, ATMs give you a better exchange rate than changing cash, especially for less-popular currencies like NZD. However, you need to be aware of the fees your home bank may charge (fixed fee + percent commission). On top of this, almost all ATMs in Thailand charge an additional 150 THB fee for international transactions, so it’s better to withdraw larger amounts. Citibank ATMs near Asoke/Sukhumwit BTS Skytrain station do not charge the 150 baht fee (as of Jan 2012).
Second best is probably changing cash to THB in Thailand. Rates at the Bangkok airport are reasonable, but some places in the city offer better rates.
Exchange rates for THB in your home country are probably significantly worse than in Thailand (due to currency export controls).
I would use the ATMs at the airport. I never had problems with that and the conditions should be the same as for any other ATM in Thailand. The rates should be better, unless you pay high fees for ATM withdrawal, this depends on your card and bank.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘