Baht Or Dollars To Pi Pesos?

[PaulDee]

When visiting Angeles City, is it better to take cash in baht or US dollars? And where is the best place to exchange currency into pesos? Or is it even better to rely on ATMs? If using ATMs is better, is the exchange rate at the Manila airport similar to those of ATMs in Angeles? And would it be a good idea to make ATM withdrawals from my US bank rather than from my Thai bank?

Thank you for any suggestions and help.

[bubba]

USD will definitely get you a better rate than THB. You will have to look at your home bank charges for ATM withdrawals. I have a no-charge ATM card, and I get a slightly better rate using that in the Philippines than doing a cash exchange. All ATMS will have the same exchange rate since they all clear through the same central bank in Manila. Fortunately, Philippine banks don't have that nasty 300 baht foreign ATM card surcharge that the Thai banks have.

I've never been to Angeles, but if you want to do a cash exchange, I would expect that rates will be the same as at MNL if you use a bank exchange counter.

Not sure why this is posted to the Apple forum, but the moderators might want to move it....

Edited March 4, 2010 by bubba

[nonthaburial]

definately take US$ as for Baht they try to offer 1-1 when in fact 1 Baht is 1.4 Pesos. The Baht is not a currency FE dealers want in the Phils

[PaulDee]

Thank you Bubba and Nanthaburial.

Dollars and US bank ATM card (fee free) it will be.

BTW, Bubba, Thai bank ATMs charge 150 baht for withdrawals on foreign accounts.

Thanks again

[bubba]

Thank you Bubba and Nanthaburial.

Dollars and US bank ATM card (fee free) it will be.

BTW, Bubba, Thai bank ATMs charge 150 baht for withdrawals on foreign accounts.

Thanks again

Thanks for the correction on that bank charge typo that I made, Paul. A charge of 300 baht for an ATM withdrawal would be painful indeed!

[crev]

For those wanting a better rate for their USD, try money exhange in Robinson Malls (inside the department store) as I find their rates to be higher than banks. Or the money exchange booths you find in some low class malls. Definitely they are higher than banks.

[tropo]

You'll get a better rate for USD at money changers in Angeles City than at the Manila airport. Don't bring baht.