Bringing Cash Into Thailand

[lennya12threh]

Is there a certain limit as to how much cash I can bring in before I have to pay some penalty, tax or get some sort of hassle?

Like what if I brought 6,000 CAN in the bag I carried on me(about 180,000 baht)?

I'm speaking of entering Thailand through Swarnabumi, coming from Canada, on a student visa.

[Jingthing]

Why do you have that much baht in Canada? I hope you aren't converting to baht in Canada; you would do much better to bring in dollars and convert here. Also, why not traveler's checks? Anyway, another good way to move money would be for you to open a Thai bank account once you are here and have a relative wire the funds directly into Thailand (as dollars) and they would convert to baht in Thailand.

I know I haven't answered your question. Someone else will. It just sound a little crazy to carry that much cash in.

[moe666]

I would get a good money pouch under your pants to keep that much cash. I brought in $5,000.00 dollars US in Feb. and 600euros no problem. They willl not ask you how much money you have. I was asked by US Customs, boarding the plane in LAX,. how much cash I was taking out of the country. I explained I was staying in Thailand for 3 months and would need this amount to live, no problem.

Get yourself a bank account to deposit your money soon afte arrival

[seanocasey]

10,0000 $ that is the amount

[Naam]

10,0000 $ that is the amount

there is no limitation on taking foreign currency to Thailand. however, if the amount exceeds US-Dollars 20,000 a declaration to customs is mandatory.

[sokal]

10,0000 $ that is the amount

there is no limitation on taking foreign currency to Thailand. however, if the amount exceeds US-Dollars 20,000 a declaration to customs is mandatory.

and what do they do upon declaration ?

[eggomaniac]

Did everything work with bringing your lady to Canada as a guest?

[dave111223]

10,0000 $ that is the amount

there is no limitation on taking foreign currency to Thailand. however, if the amount exceeds US-Dollars 20,000 a declaration to customs is mandatory.

and what do they do upon declaration ?

Take half of it away

[TerryLH]

"Like what if I brought 6,000 CAN in the bag I carried on me(about 180,000 baht)?"

If you declare more they'll question you about it.

They're looking for money laundering / drug money.

If you have a reason to be carrying more, you should be fine.

[Tod Daniels]

When I first moved here I brought several plastic pill bottles with 10's of thousands of US dollars rolled up inside them in my carry-on bag.

I was detained by US customs even though the cash declaration letter was filled out correctly and the cash matched the amount in letter to the cent. They questioned me quite extensively, and held me until my flight was boarding, before taking me in a motorized golf cart to the gate. Sad really.

When I got here; I had no problem entering thailand, and when I went to the 'things to declare' counter they waved me thru with only a glance at my paperwork, even though I had it written in thai that I was bringing in a pile of US money.

Here’s what the US cash declaration form looks like, although you’re comin’ from Canada so I guess what the US form looks like is a moot point.

Cash Declaration Form.pdf

[KIWIBATCH]

Stick in your pocket...walk on through the exit/entrance gates Canada/Thailand...forget the declaration and paperwork nonsense.....why even bother filling it out...you are only highlighting the fact that you are carrying money....arent we all on arrival Thailand. I bought 37000 NZ dollars into Thailand stuffed in several of my pockets....some in my check in luggage and carry on backpack....it wasnt deliberately hidden (it just wouldnt all fit in my pockets)...i had no problems...the limit is 10k before you have to declare it...nobody checks NZ/Thailand (I cant vouch for Canada)....in the case of the NZ exiting Customs procedures if you are carrying more than 10k you are supposed to declare it and advise the customs 2 hours before you board... all NZ Customs do is call you aside, count the money...record it in their files.....and away you go....behind the scenes they advise the NZ Police Dept so that a check can be made by them...as one previous poster has already advised...as to whether you are money laundering (dont know how they would check that out)....or whether it "could" be drug money.....if you have a clean record apart from the minor infractions us humans sometimes accrue then thats the end of the matter....I am positive this is an "international standard" amongst the Customs Depts worldwide......upto you....but if you are a nervous person, and suffer from the jitters when you know you are doing something wrong, and start reading magazines in the departure lounge with the pages upside down...declare it...!!

[leemo]

I don't know the amount you are obliged to declare, somebody mentioned $20k, but you can still make a voluntary declaration for smaller amounts (e.g. for insurance purposes, or if it is going towards buying property, where funds need to be transferred from abroad or otherwise imported).

To make a declaration, tell customs on arrival and they will direct you to a uniform will fill out and stamp a form after you show him and count the cash. This form will be your proof of cash brought in, for insurance, by your bank, and any gov agency.

[JusMe]

Why carry that kind of cash anyway?

As Jingthing suggested, open a bank account here - very easy to do on just about any kind of visa - and have someone SWIFT the money to it for you.

Carry only the amount of cash you'll need for maybe a week.

Safest, and most efficient.

[jay1980]

I have entered with 6-7K in GBP never had any problems.

[malcolminthemiddle]

10,0000 $ that is the amount

there is no limitation on taking foreign currency to Thailand. however, if the amount exceeds US-Dollars 20,000 a declaration to customs is mandatory.

and what do they do upon declaration ?

They give you an official paper confirming legal import to support any future export to demonstrate the currency being exported was not generated illegally while in Thailand.Thailand welcomes the import of foreign principal currencies.

[BillR]

edit: wrong topic

Edited July 15, 2010 by BillR

[coolhandjoe]

I think the limit is 20k, there are other considerations though...

A large amount of paper cash will have a percentage that has been used for sniffing drugs and will still contain traces, a few notes may not warrant attention from sniffer dogs a high concentration of notes might.

Also...

Dogs at airports are trained to sniff for cash because of strict money laundering legislation.

[jackr]

Why carry that kind of cash anyway?

As Jingthing suggested, open a bank account here - very easy to do on just about any kind of visa - and have someone SWIFT the money to it for you.

Carry only the amount of cash you'll need for maybe a week.

Safest, and most efficient.

Yep, and better still, if you have web access to your account, SWIFT it to your newly-acquired Thai account, easy peasy. You guys must be nuts carrying through such dosh, whether it's a small amount to you or not.

[bartender100]

$6000 Can, that's 3 week holiday cash for a lot of people, just silly to carry it around in cash, Thai customs would not blink an eye.

[yabaaaa]

I think the limit is 20k, there are other considerations though...

A large amount of paper cash will have a percentage that has been used for sniffing drugs and will still contain traces, a few notes may not warrant attention from sniffer dogs a high concentration of notes might.

Also...

Dogs at airports are trained to sniff for cash because of strict money laundering legislation.

How does the dog decide if you are carrying $100 in the amount of $20000 or $1 bills to the amount of $20000?

[yabaaaa]

Why carry that kind of cash anyway?

As Jingthing suggested, open a bank account here - very easy to do on just about any kind of visa - and have someone SWIFT the money to it for you.

Carry only the amount of cash you'll need for maybe a week.

Safest, and most efficient.

Yep, and better still, if you have web access to your account, SWIFT it to your newly-acquired Thai account, easy peasy. You guys must be nuts carrying through such dosh, whether it's a small amount to you or not.

You get a much better exchange rate bringing cash into Thailand , no rip off swift fees or balls ups saying you wanted to send £ and then the UK bank converting it to Thai baht by mistake before they send it (oh really) I often bring cash.

[lennya12threh]

Why carry that kind of cash anyway?

As Jingthing suggested, open a bank account here - very easy to do on just about any kind of visa - and have someone SWIFT the money to it for you.

Carry only the amount of cash you'll need for maybe a week.

Safest, and most efficient.

Yep, and better still, if you have web access to your account, SWIFT it to your newly-acquired Thai account, easy peasy. You guys must be nuts carrying through such dosh, whether it's a small amount to you or not.

You get a much better exchange rate bringing cash into Thailand , no rip off swift fees or balls ups saying you wanted to send £ and then the UK bank converting it to Thai baht by mistake before they send it (oh really) I often bring cash.

You must know all about bringing cash and staying away from bank acounts. Your name is yaaabaaaa.

Edited July 17, 2010 by lennya12threh

[jc7]

So to save money you should take US dollar or GBP in yourself then change it over there?

Of course, you have to be extremely careful - even at customs - you have to extensively watch

[coolhandjoe]

I think the limit is 20k, there are other considerations though...

A large amount of paper cash will have a percentage that has been used for sniffing drugs and will still contain traces, a few notes may not warrant attention from sniffer dogs a high concentration of notes might.

Also...

Dogs at airports are trained to sniff for cash because of strict money laundering legislation.

How does the dog decide if you are carrying $100 in the amount of $20000 or $1 bills to the amount of $20000?

:DThose muts have got a nose for the stuff.

[tlsdk]

Currency rules

Currency Import regulations:

Local currency: up to THB 50,000.- per person or THB 100,000.- per family holding one passport.

Foreign currencies: unlimited. However, amounts of foreign currency exceeding USD 20,000.- (or equivalent) must be declared to a Customs Officer upon arrival by all travellers

http://www.iatatrave...ons-details.htm

[kevozman1]

Just a couple of questions...................

What do you look like and when did you say you was arriving at the airport agian????????/

[yabaaaa]

I think the limit is 20k, there are other considerations though...

A large amount of paper cash will have a percentage that has been used for sniffing drugs and will still contain traces, a few notes may not warrant attention from sniffer dogs a high concentration of notes might.

Also...

Dogs at airports are trained to sniff for cash because of strict money laundering legislation.

How does the dog decide if you are carrying $100 in the amount of $20000 or $1 bills to the amount of $20000?

:DThose muts have got a nose for the stuff.

Can the dogs count to $20000 if so how does it know if you have a lot of $1 or $100 I doubt it can tell the difference. Dogs can smell money but if u r carrying it in $1 bills there will be a lot but in $100 a lot less hence the recent scrapping of the €500 in the UK as it was easy to take out lots of cash using them.

[crazygreg44]

Why carry that kind of cash anyway?

As Jingthing suggested, open a bank account here - very easy to do on just about any kind of visa - and have someone SWIFT the money to it for you.

Carry only the amount of cash you'll need for maybe a week.

Safest, and most efficient.

there s a limit to SWIFt transfers ! Most countries ask for a money expediture declaration if you SWIFT more than 5000 US Dollars !

[crazygreg44]

your question means you are not trying to launder money. you are a citizen in good standing, and you are obliged to carry a certain amount of money on you when you EXIT Canada ! Ask Canadian customs on the rules !

The Thai don t mind how much you bring into the country . The more, the better for them !

Nobody in a Thai bank will ever ask you where the money is from. Money laundering is not an offense in Thailand, it seems !

just don t bring 1 million into the bank in one time, Allow yourself to pay into your Thai account time by time. KYAC !

If you need advice for money launadering This Thai Visa Forum is not a good place to ak for.

You can buy gold in Canada for xxx Million Canadian Dollars, and carry it in your handcarry, nobody will bother you.

You can sell the gold in the Bangkok Mint any time you like to see cash flowing.

you have to act fast, because Big Brother is going to abandon money bills in favour of credit cards . Once there is no more CASH bills

in people's hands, it is 1984 for sure !!

I ask you to boycott cards. . the longer you do, the longer cash paper bills will be accepted currency ! JU

[bifftastic]

I think the limit is 20k, there are other considerations though...

A large amount of paper cash will have a percentage that has been used for sniffing drugs and will still contain traces, a few notes may not warrant attention from sniffer dogs a high concentration of notes might.

Also...

Dogs at airports are trained to sniff for cash because of strict money laundering legislation.

How does the dog decide if you are carrying $100 in the amount of $20000 or $1 bills to the amount of $20000?

:DThose muts have got a nose for the stuff.

Can the dogs count to $20000 if so how does it know if you have a lot of $1 or $100 I doubt it can tell the difference. Dogs can smell money but if u r carrying it in $1 bills there will be a lot but in $100 a lot less hence the recent scrapping of the €500 in the UK as it was easy to take out lots of cash using them.

I think the dogs just do the sniffing bit and the men attached to the dogs do the 'excuse me sir would you mind coming with me?' bit, then you're in a room with people who want to know where you got the money from, I believe, from the UK you can take up to £10,000 out but if it's more, they want you to prove it's yours or they keep it till you can.

I've only ever taken small amounts, like £500 in cash but, i see what you mean, how do dogs know the difference between £500 and £5,000? my mate always brings about £3,000 with him and hasn't had a sniff up from the doggies, guess it's just luck.