I am in Vietnam about to come back to Bangkok with a new tourist visa. As it's my fourth one, I might be asked to show 20,000 in cash or equivalent. Anyone know if Vietnamese dong will suffice? I think the most cost effective solution is to bring over dong and change it at super rich or somewhere.

You’re unlikely to be asked, but Dong should be accepted as long as it’s the equivalent of 20K baht.

Were all your tourist visas gotten sequentially without any breaks in  between?  Did you get the 30 day extension on each one?  Just curious

The rule states 20,000+ baht equivalent in a major convertible currency. If the issue ever arose, my best guess is that Vietnamese dong would be accepted. However, I would personally not risk it.

27 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The rule states 20,000+ baht equivalent in a major convertible currency. If the issue ever arose, my best guess is that Vietnamese dong would be accepted. However, I would personally not risk it.

It would be useful if you could post a link to the rule that states it must be “a MAJOR convertible currency”.

You should have no problem with showing the money in VND according to what the rule says. That is if they ask, that will say, which is not very probable.

However, the conveniance of carrying 14M VND in my own opinion is not so appealing. Vietnam uses both US dollar and VND, so why just not chance to dollar?
That would instead mean carrying about 650 dollar. Seems more like a sensible option and also same easy coming from Vietnam.

20 000 Baht in Vietnamese Dong, is this a joke? Why should they accept it? Make someone count all that grubby stuff. You can't get dollars or Baht? What's the point of this post?

7 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Were all your tourist visas gotten sequentially without any breaks in  between?  Did you get the 30 day extension on each one?  Just curious

 There was a four-month gap when I returned to my home country.

Go to a gold shop in VN.  Change your VND to some $.

 

DOH !

3 hours ago, Get Real said:

You should have no problem with showing the money in VND according to what the rule says. That is if they ask, that will say, which is not very probable.

However, the conveniance of carrying 14M VND in my own opinion is not so appealing. Vietnam uses both US dollar and VND, so why just not chance to dollar?
That would instead mean carrying about 650 dollar. Seems more like a sensible option and also same easy coming from Vietnam.

 Unfortunately ATMs do not dispense dollars and most banks don't even hold them. So I would have to do withdraw the money in dong and then convert it into dollars and then convert those dollars into baht when I get back to Thailand. Carrying the dong would not be an issue as they are clean and crisp and I would only need 30 500,000 notes.

2 minutes ago, Juan B Tong said:

Go to a gold shop in VN.  Change your VND to some $.

 

DOH !

 Would you trust those shops not to give you any counterfeit notes?

12 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

 Would you trust those shops not to give you any counterfeit notes?

I did it for years and years.  But just keep your useless Dong in your pants if you are fearful.

4 minutes ago, Juan B Tong said:

I did it for years and years.  But just keep your useless Dong in your pants if you are fearful.

 Could you recommend one shop in particular in Saigon? 

Edited December 19, 20178 yr by edwardandtubs

9 hours ago, elviajero said:

You’re unlikely to be asked, but Dong should be accepted as long as it’s the equivalent of 20K baht.

 There were mainstream media reports in July that people were being refused entry due to not having the cash but have there been any recent reports? Maybe I am worrying about nothing. On the one hand this is my fourth tourist visa and I have a couple of visa exempts  but on the other hand I spent four months this year back in my home country so I have an obvious source of money.

1 hour ago, edwardandtubs said:

 Could you recommend one shop in particular in Saigon? 

 

Bến Thành Market area in D1.

 

 

7 hours ago, elviajero said:

It would be useful if you could post a link to the rule that states it must be “a MAJOR convertible currency”.

Well  good luck with trying to convert Laos Kip or Cambodian Riel in Thailand

and I don't see why Vietnamese dong should be any different?

3 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

20 000 Baht in Vietnamese Dong, is this a joke? Why should they accept it? Make someone count all that grubby stuff. You can't get dollars or Baht? What's the point of this post?

yes exactly  how to upset an immigration officer- by making him count 13,844,701 Vietnamese dong

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

 Unfortunately ATMs do not dispense dollars and most banks don't even hold them. So I would have to do withdraw the money in dong and then convert it into dollars and then convert those dollars into baht when I get back to Thailand. Carrying the dong would not be an issue as they are clean and crisp and I would only need 30 500,000 notes.

Ok, I know that they have high numbers on their currancy notes, but when I was in Vietnam I could easily change that in a bank in Ho Chi Minh, area of former Saigon. They handle a lot of dollars every day. But on the other hand, only 30 notes is easy too. Good Luck!

It's an Asean currency so should be acceptable.

And what's the problem with the currency exchange at the airport?

51 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

Bến Thành Market area in D1.

 

 

 I went there to get the $40 for the visa but it's a really scammy area so wouldn't want to change large sums there.

Just to point out in response to a few posts, I can easily change dong to dollars but would rather not because of the hassle and expense.

3 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

 There was a four-month gap when I returned to my home country.

thanks

Actually some money changers in Saigon give an excellent exchange rate on the Thai Baht. Why not change it directly into Baht?

8 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Actually some money changers in Saigon give an excellent exchange rate on the Thai Baht. Why not change it directly into Baht?

 Any suggestions for a place that might have 20,000 Baht available?

 

 My first stop is going to be the local branch of Bangkok Bank to see if they will let me withdraw it directly.

Edited December 19, 20178 yr by edwardandtubs

i've used this place many, many times.  change your VND to USD. 

 

Name: Hung Long Money Exchange

Address: 86 Mac Thi Buoi Street, District 1, TPHCM

Directions: near Palace hotel

Phone: 38297887

you could also go to one of the casinos, inside the caravelle or the sheraton. 

3 hours ago, midas said:

Well  good luck with trying to convert Laos Kip or Cambodian Riel in Thailand

and I don't see why Vietnamese dong should be any different?

I had no problem buying dong in Bangkok at Vasu exchange and they do list the buy/sell prices.

3 hours ago, midas said:

yes exactly  how to upset an immigration officer- by making him count 13,844,701 Vietnamese dong

Pretty easy if you can count to 30. You seem to be down on dong - have you ever been to Vietnam?

1 hour ago, edwardandtubs said:

 Any suggestions for a place that might have 20,000 Baht available?

 

 My first stop is going to be the local branch of Bangkok Bank to see if they will let me withdraw it directly.

Haven't had much luck with foreign branches of Thai banks:In Vientiane my KTB passbook and debit card were completely useless.

That could be a problem, to find a money changer that has that amount in Baht:You probably have to get a mix of Baht and dollars.

I am also curious about the dong exchange rate in Thailand, as I might be heading over there with lots of don't myself.