Traveller Cheques & Currency

[Mango1919]

Hi everyone,

I'm getting into Thailand in February, and I've asked around and done some research and have found that what I should have with me are American Express traveller cheques, American dollars, and Thai Baht, and a credit card just in case.

Although what I'm having a hard time finding out is what increments I should get of each?

I plan to do a good deal of travelling all around the country. North to Chiang Mai, south to Krabi and Ko Samui, central Bangkok, etc. I'm also looking to go to surrounding countries. The exact specifics are still up in the air.

Any recommendations on what I should do with my money? How many 20's, 50's 100's for travellers cheques should I get. That kind of thing.

Thank you!

[Mango1919]

Duh forgot to include how much money I'm looking at.

Let's say per $1000 US.

[KevinN]

In Thailand,An ATM card and credit cards and a couple hundred in cash is all you need,out of country it would be the same thing,, I do not like trav. checks.

[Pink Mist]

ATM cards are handy, see if you can get a spare.

I saw instances in Patong where machines have swallowed card and poor guys are penniless.

I only know it was machines at the top of Bangla rd, not which, but at that stage they only serviced the machine a couple of times a week.

It was lucky these guys had mates with plenty of money or a sad holiday.

I know in one instance a bar owner lent some money to a guy and said it was a not too infrequent occurrence.

This was a couple of years ago and may have changed now but just some food for thought with using ATM away from the larger centres.

Never use travellers check either, just use cash and ATM.

[TizMe]

I always just bring Amex TCs in U.S dollars $500s or $1,000s. You will get a better exchange rate than cash.

I don't trust ATMs.

My ex-wife and daughter were once standed at BKK airport because the ATM wouldn't give them money for the departure tax.

They were very lucky that they bumped into someone that we knew who bailed them out with a 1,000 Baht loan.

[lopburi3]

My ex-wife and daughter were once standed at BKK airport because the ATM wouldn't give them money for the departure tax.

As there are three terminals at BKK, each with a dozen or more atm's can only assume the card was rejected by the authorization system. That can happen but it is rare these days (five years ago was quite common). That is the reason to have a little cash or travelers checks as insurance.

[Pink Mist]

We can transfer money easily via the internet, your bank must have an overseas transfer option, my Australian Bank is Westpac and has a pretty good site.

I have transferred money to BKK bank and to my son in New Zealand so I guess pretty much anywhere in the world is posssible.

We used to do a telegraphic transfer to my sister in law from the bank,a $30 fee and takes three days.

There is a AUD$ 20 transaction fee, so make it worth your while, but is quick.

You need to have the swift code or official bank name and an account number.

These might help:

swift code BKKBTHBK***

or bank name is Bangkok Bank,

Public company limited,

Bangkok.

If you have the right bank name the swift code is cross referenced.

That's how I've done it before anyway

[andy50]

i always take my bank debit card and 2 credit cards ,a few thousand bhat in cash and us dollar trav cheques ,get high denominations if u can ,the reason being,they charge a fee for EACH CHEQUE you exchange in thailand

[KevinN]

And he said he was going to other countrys,and in Vientaine Lao they would not take either my US ATM or my Thai ATM so I got cash at BKKBank on my Visa Card. And as strange as it may seem,,I was told that they do not like US dollars.

I have nothing again the money,,It is the people that I don't like.

[Mango1919]

Thanks so far everyone!

But what would you guys say are advantages and dissadvantages of carrying and not using traveller checks?

Also what is the point of carrying around a $500 dollar traveller check?

I don't think I fully understand their purpose. Like, why would I want to cash in a 500 dollar traveller check and carry that around in actual money? Or is this the case?

Obviously I know next to nothing about them. Someone care to enlighten me?

I really can't find a site that gives me a decent idea of what increments to bring and why.

[Jeff1]

I would bring check's for $100.00

You dont want to be playing around with twenty's and cashing them in every 2 hours. It's always quite a process changing check's or even dollar's at a bank .

DONT forget your passport for the bank either. But the atm machine scare's me also. It would be real bad to have your card eaten on vacation. The smiles go away quickly for a broke farang

Jeff

[JimGant]

Bronco,

Wife has bank account with BKK bank, we can transfer money via internet if need be,

I thought the Internet transfers with BKK Bank were only intra BKK Bank accounts? I would love to be able to transfer money from my US bank account to my BKK Bank account(s). But I wasn't aware I could do this--------.

[Pink Mist]

No problem for me, my bank Westpac in Oz has good internet banking options. As long as you got your codes right can transfer no probs

[Roger13]

In My Opinion

Travellers Checks are a Thing of the Past

I rely on MORE than ONE ATM card

That is Credit/Debit Cards

and for Emergency carry some $100

Dollar Bills ($500 to $1000 depending on the Journey)

Of course it is possible to have problems with ATM cards

- systems down / machines empty ...

- BUT you should never let your Pocket Run Dry

- when travelling you must plan ahead.

If you are paranoid about ATM machines chewing Cards

you can always go inside the Bank to

have a Cash Advance from a Credit/Debit Card

Travellers Checks do have Refund facilities

- but this is of little help while Travelling

You still need to prevent their loss / theft

so I choose to carry cash with the same amount of care.

The time I lost my Credit Card (ATM Card) in India

- I had Cash in my hand the following morning.

The Issuer was Barclaycard in UK - I e-mailed them

in the evening - and they phoned me early next morning

and sent me a Remittance

through Western Union for me to collect immediately.

(Western Union remittances take only seconds)

Roger

[Pink Mist]

Jim I just updated a post ad updated the wrong one have a look at the previous one

[Pink Mist]

I mentioned these ATM's in patong because they aren't attached to any bank, truly holes in the wall attached to small money changing joints, top of Bangla rd any one know them?

[KevinN]

JIM GANT,check my post in VISA,RES.and WORK permits,post RETIREMENT DEPOSIT, it tells how I transfer money from my US checking acct to my Thai bank acct. for a very small fee of 60 baht. using my ATM/CHECK debit card.

[lopburi3]

I would love to be able to transfer money from my US bank account to my BKK Bank account(s).

Believe what he is doing is just a normal wire transfer (SWIFT) but using his computer to provide the information. Most US banks seem to prefer use of a telephone call to do a transfer (where they can record your instructions).