Dollars, Sterling, Atm, Travellers Cheques?

[seancar29]

Sorry to perhaps go over old ground but my family and I are off on hols to thailand again in december and I was hoping for a bit of advice.

We are visiting Cambodia so I will be taking some dollars with us as I understand that is their preferred currency. We will also be going to Buriram, Ranong and possibly Koh Samui or one of the islands near Ranong.

what I was hoping you could advise me on is whether to continue as we usually do with travellers cheques or to take my nationwide card and use the atm's. I am a little nervous as I have never used an atm in thailand before and am not sure how easy they are to find once outside bangkok.

Also with the dollar doing so badly at the moment I'm not sure about dollar travellers cheques, is it possible to take sterling, are they as readily accepted?

Any advice much appreciated,

Sean.

[bunple]

I can't advise on Dollars/Cambodia as I've never been there but I certainly would not put all my eggs in one basket as far as Travellers Cheques OR Nationwide card, on my last trip to Isaan I took two credit cards, one cash card, one debit card, a small amount of Baht (i think 10K) and about £200, no point going on holiday and finding yourself without money for what ever reason.

Hope you have a good trip.

[bmanly]

Sean, I haven't used travellers cheques at all when travelling in SE Asia. There are ATM's everywhere in Thailand so you will always be able to find one. I have never had problems using ATM's in Thailand or Cambodia, just obscure the key pad when entering your PIN and you will be OK. I would take at least 2 ATM cards just in case one gets swallowed up.

Depends where you are going to Cambodia but in Ko Kong Province they use Thai baht everywhere, for all other areas they use USD and the change will come back in Cambodian Reils.

ANZ Royal Bank is a part owned Australian Bank operating in Cambodia, their ATM's are spot on and they dispense USD when you make a withdrawal. For a comprehensive list of ANZ Royal Banks ATM's CLICK HERE.

*Note* ATM's are NOT everywhere in Cambodia, it's best you look at that list as guide first. There are other Banks with ATM's there too but I think ANZ Royal is the best. Take some USD cash to Cambodia to see you through until you go to the ATM.

Have a good trip.

[chiang mai]

I would not advise using travelers cheques in Thailand because the cost of converting them to cash will be too high. ATM's abound in Thailand and you should not have a problem on that front. Try to stick to using just one credit card because the rate of fraud/copying is high - Nationwide will probably give you the best exchange rate. Using USD travelers cheques in Cambodia makes a lt of sense - very few ATM's in Cambodia.

[simcity]

Sean , as i live here i get a transfer done to my Thai account , but sometime i use my Amex or visa card on ATM or purchases.

Amex block my card for security raison ( I call them, they worry about Thailand ) better to keep it as purchases , not withdraw .

For Visa they charge me 2.5 % for what they call international process fees (that is for purchases or withdraw), but the rates is good same as Telex Transfer !

As you go with family, i will think cash is good, traveller cheque too, and have a visa card on emergency.

If you worry as you travel with family, you could have a relative with fund at hand if something happen and send to your embassy in Thailand !

[stevemiddie]

Try to stick to using just one credit card because the rate of fraud/copying is high - Nationwide will probably give you the best exchange rate. [/quote

I would be interested to know where quotes like that come from? Fraud and copying is high?

I don,t believe it is as high or as sophisticated as the card cloning in Europe or the USA.

Common sense will prevail. NEVER let your card out of your sight.

Cover the ATM pad with your hand. Try to use ATM,s at banks whenever possible.

Enjoy your holidays.

[Chris.B]

I would not advise using travelers cheques in Thailand because the cost of converting them to cash will be too high. ATM's abound in Thailand and you should not have a problem on that front. Try to stick to using just one credit card because the rate of fraud/copying is high - Nationwide will probably give you the best exchange rate. Using USD travelers cheques in Cambodia makes a lt of sense - very few ATM's in Cambodia.

Yes... Bangkok Bank charge 33 baht for each cheque cashed....outrageous!

[finchy]

Sorry to hijack the thread a little but which is the cheapest of the big banks in Thailand to change up some travelers cheque's. I may well need to change up few thousand's worth in January.

[Rinrada]

I would not advise using travelers cheques in Thailand because the cost of converting them to cash will be too high. ATM's abound in Thailand and you should not have a problem on that front. Try to stick to using just one credit card because the rate of fraud/copying is high - Nationwide will probably give you the best exchange rate. Using USD travelers cheques in Cambodia makes a lt of sense - very few ATM's in Cambodia.

Yes... Bangkok Bank charge 33 baht for each cheque cashed....outrageous!

Dont forget the charge is per Cheque...

Changed some £500 single TCs last time and even at 33 bt or so I still got a better ex rate...70 to the £...so although agree its a rip off @...6 trips in a Patti Bt Bus round the loop....cant complain 2 much...

Nice lady in the Bank even asked me if i wanted to open up an account.. .maybe next time....

[azcowboy]

If you have an AMEX card you can get the American Express Travelers Cheques for free (at least in USA). You can even have those cheques in $1000 bills and not worries about lost or stolen. The main benefit to do so is because the exchange rate for a travel cheques are much higher compare to cash and unlike ATM card its fee free except 33 bath per cheque.

[eggomaniac]

a few questions about TC's.

Is this information up to date from two years ago, that is costs about 30Bhat fee to cash a AE TC?

Do they still charge the fee if being deposited into a Thai Bank account?

[Would 10 - $100 ones cost 300B and 1 - $1000 one cost 30B?]

Are Canadian TC's as negotiable, mostly, as US TC's?

My credit union, here in Canada, sells AE TC's straight across, no fees.

$1000 CA is about 32,000B.

For $1000 CA, I can $940 US TC, which comes to 31,000B.

[chiang mai]

a few questions about TC's.

Is this information up to date from two years ago, that is costs about 30Bhat fee to cash a AE TC?

Do they still charge the fee if being deposited into a Thai Bank account?

[Would 10 - $100 ones cost 300B and 1 - $1000 one cost 30B?]

Are Canadian TC's as negotiable, mostly, as US TC's?

My credit union, here in Canada, sells AE TC's straight across, no fees.

$1000 CA is about 32,000B.

For $1000 CA, I can $940 US TC, which comes to 31,000B.

I can give some of the answers:

Yes there is generally a fee for cashing foreign currency travelers cheques and 30 baht sounds about right and this is a per cheque charge.

Thailand operates a regional banking system so if you try to make a deposit at a branch of your bank that is outside your home region then there is a charge.

One of the advantages of foreign currency travelers cheques is that the exchange rate is the same as the wire transfer rate, about the best you can get on any given day.

You should have no problems with CA travelers cheques.