Coming over from the UK, which currency would be best to bring?

In the UK you can get commision free $US travellers cheques, so would I be best to bring $US or £?

What do you guys think? which is stronger against the Baht when in Thailand?

Cheers.

Euros appear to have the edge at the mo...

Coming over from the UK, which currency would be best to bring?

In the UK you can get commision free $US travellers cheques, so would I be best to bring $US or £?

What do you guys think? which is stronger against the Baht when in Thailand?

Cheers.

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The u.s dollar has been falling for some time and is at record low values - i'd bring sterling.

The pound is about 74-75 baht at the moment. I wouldn't get the dollar. A bit up and down at the mo. Go with the pound.

You don't get so many Bahts for the Dollar that is true, but the good thing is that you get many Dollars for the Pounds.

You don't really need to bring loads of cash or travellers cheques. Just carry a credit card and a few Pounds to see you through your travels until you reach one of the many ATM's. Keep a little bit of cash stored in the hotel safe as a back up in an emergency.

In the current situation with the US$ performing badly, I suggest carrying Sterling.

I've found I get a good exchange rate through Visa card and use that all the time. No problems for over 20 years.

I don't know if it still applies, but if you are travelling overseas for the first time with a credit card, you may need to have the card activated for use overseas. Just check with your bank prior to Travelling.

NL

Edited December 14, 200421 yr by NarrLing

Without a shadow of a doubt, bring GBP.

Sterling

Pounds without a doubt. For added security bringing Sterling travellers cheques is good and you also get a better exchange rate than for cash. The exchange rate for plastic isn't good and you get hit with cash withdrawal fees as well. There's no point in bringing dollars as you'll need to pay the exchange rate going from Sterling to dollars and then a second time going from dollars to baht.

Definitly sterling better rate , iv got to survive with € EUROS.

I agree - it's got to be £££ at the mo'

Bring your UK bank ATM / cashpoint card and a credit card (make sure you have a PIN for the latter)

Cashpoint card should work at virtually all Thai ATM's. No withdrawal fees (at least not with my bank). You may lose very slightly on the FX rate but then you only withdraw what you need so no re-conversion of unused travellers cheques when you get back to Blighty.

Keep your credit card in the safe as back up. It will also work in the ATM's but, as noted previously, you get charged £2 (I think) per cash withdrawal.

No need to bring cash at all IMHO - there are 3 ATM's in front of you as soon as you clear customs at Don Muang, and the whole country is littered with the things!

HTH - enjoy your trip

What difference does it make? Bring the currency that you can most easily convert to baht. If you are in the UK why change pounds to dollars and pay a fee. Keep currency transactions to a minimum and reduce the fees. Why all this advice about using atm. Isn't there a fee or 2 every time you withdraw from an oversea account. I suggest travelers cheques.

Why all this advice about using atm.  Isn't there a fee or 2 every time you withdraw from an oversea account. 

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Not always. For example (as covered on this forum), with Nationwide BS from the Uk, there is no withdrawal fee at all at Thai ATMs. They also take nothing on the exchange rate. Saves about 4% in total against normal credit/bank cards. If you can get sterling travelling cheques for no fee, that will also be a good deal - Thai banks give a good rate of exchange, although there is a small fee for cashing the cheques. Exchange rate with Nationwide bank is slightly better than rate for cashing TCs with Thai banks.

The dollar is plunging. Japan has threatened to dump USDs if the US Gov doesn't support the dollar. China has recently chastened the US for its trade deficient and has basically said get your economic house in order or we too witl dump dollars.

The US needs a weak dollar for export purposes. And higher interest rates will kill the economy.

OPEC has been quietly moving out of USDs for the last few years. Russia has said they will now take payment for their resources in the Euro.

A day of reckoning is close at hand.

Hey this is easy. I assume that all of your money is in Sterling.

So bring Sterling. You can get exchange Sterling to Baht pretty easy.

If you bring dollar, you loose exchange twice.

First Sterling to Dollar

then Dollar to Baht

The dollar is plunging. Japan has threatened to dump USDs if the US Gov doesn't support the dollar. China has recently chastened the US for its trade deficient and has basically said get your economic house in order or we too witl dump dollars.

The US needs a weak dollar for export purposes. And higher interest rates will kill the economy. 

OPEC has been quietly  moving out of USDs for the last few years. Russia has said they will now take payment for their resources in the Euro.

A day of reckoning is close at hand.

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