Currency Exchange Options

[BAKABAS]

Hi All,

Havent posted for a while, but been reading topics now and then . Life is unbeleiveable with my new Thai family here is Australia. Everthything going great. Thai Wifes make the best partners!

We are travelling to LOS in July for out Thai wedding. We are married here in Aus but it was a quick ceremony in the SyneyOfiice.

Due to the rise in the Aus dollar against the U.S dollar, i was wondering what your thoughts are to get as much Baht for my buck.

I could do as normal and take out Baht from teller machines in Thailand, but there must be a better way?

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

For example, due to the rise of the Aus dollar against the American Dollar, should i exchange Aus cash for U.S Cash? or has the American dollar fell in Thailand, so it would make it not worth it.

should i but travellers Amex Chqs ?

etc, etc, after the banks gobble up part of the exchange rate, it doesn't seem i am getting the best deal.

I would be very gratful for some advice.

BAKABAS.

PS: i hope everthing is well with you and your familys.

// I deleted the double post to cleanup the threat.//

Edited April 20, 2008 by Reimar
delete double post

[YoungFarang13]

are you sure your aussie dollar has been beating the baht? the usd has no meaning in the equation.

[cheynewalk]

I withdraw money from an atm using my Australian card. The exchange rate is slightly better that way, though I pay a $4 fee each time I use it. I withdraw the maximum 20,000 baht in one go. I don't think there are any Australian banks that are "fee free".

[wamberal]

Under no circumstances should you exchange AUD for USD. Every time you change currencies, you lose a margin - that is how currency exchanges make their profits.

We either take Aussie dollars (in bank notes) and exchange them at one of the many, many, currency exchanges, or we simply remit Aussie dollars to a Thai bank account (either my wife's, or my sister-in-law's).

Do not buy Thai baht in Australia, send Aussie dollars, or take Aussie dollars, and exchange them in Thailand.

Edited April 21, 2008 by wamberal

[naka]

are you sure your aussie dollar has been beating the baht? the usd has no meaning in the equation.

He did not say that ... But anyway it has.

Naka

[BAKABAS]

Thanks for the input,

i guess it comes down to doing what i normally do ( like cheynewalk does ) so long as i don't try ATMs around public holidays etc . In my town , they are empty by the 2nd day.

I'll be hitting the atm hard for the first week for SinSot. never mind , it's all worth it. )

at lease i take comfort from Naka. Good to hear the aus dollar gets more now.

cheers all, make you all find what your looking for.

BAKABAS

[lannarebirth]

are you sure your aussie dollar has been beating the baht? the usd has no meaning in the equation.

There is no direct market between the THB and any other major currency, save for the $USD. Most other exchange rates are extrapolations from that trade.

[jstumbo]

Really depends on the currency exchange shop. Some offer better rates than others. I know that when my wife brought some Chinese currency over in December, we checked at the airport and it was about 3.5baht/rmb. We found a place down near central world that was around 4.5baht/rmb. That was a pretty big difference. Probably would not be able to find that much of a difference for AUD.