Better ways to get Thai Baht

[rubenoo]

Hello,

 

i am going to thailand in one month.
I would like to know what is the best way to get thai baht.

Could you please choose the best way according to your experience

 

- Withdraw at thai ATM. Pay 200 / 220 thb fees => Not an option

 

- make a withdraw over the counter. Do you know a good bangkok branch to do that? Is it possible to use a debit card? Or is it only for credit card? I tried to do that last time but the two branchs in On Nut have refused to do it.

 

- Make a bank transfer from my euro account to my girlfiend thai account? (Good girl I trust) What do you usually use? Transfer Wise? Revolut transfer? HiFX? What is the cheaper way?

 

Thanks for your answer.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

The best way is to bring cash.

[Lannig]

Yes, and my advice would be to go exchange your foreign currency at the Superrich exchange counter on the basement level of Suwa' airport, next to the bus station.

There or one of the bank counters next to them, in my experience they seem to offer the same exchange rates. Significantly better rates than at any bank branch in town and way better than at the bank exchange desks on the arrivals floor.

I know that you can get even better rates at the Superrich main branch downtown, but that's too much of a hassle for me, so I use the counter at Suwa'.

It's kind of a pain to get back to the arrivals level after this, you have to use an overcrowded elevator and waste a lot of time. For some reason they won't let you use the ramps back to there.

 

[rubenoo]

Really?

 

If the EURTHB is at:36.98065 

Superrich exchange counter will take an exchange rate close to 36.98?

 

 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Super rich (not the kiosks inside BTS) has the best rate.... Sometimes very close to mid rates.

[tiocfaidh]

SuperRich have an app. The difference between BKK airport and head office is 0.05 baht today. Change money in Suvarnabhumi imo.

[dotpoom]

Hire a room that has a tub....sorry, couldn' t resist it.

[rubenoo]

Your answers is unanimous.
I will bring cash in EUro and go to Super rich.

I arrive in bangkok at night. Super Rich will be close at suva airport.
Do you know a good super rich brand i city (close to bts line)?
Thx

[tiocfaidh]

Download the application. It has maps locations opening times exchange rates (which vary for each branch) for all their branches. BKK closes at 22.00.
Make sure you download SuperRich green. Not orange which is a different company

[rubenoo]

Indeed.

 

Many thanks!

[Gillyflower]

17 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

The best way is to bring cash.

I agree.  I try to bring as much cash as I can get together.  Then you look at the various exchange stands.  I never go to one that has to do with a bank.  Their rates are lower than what I call the independent ones.  

 

I have just read the above replies.  I talk for CM. There is on Loh Kroh a Super Rich, BUT one even better.  It's just a few metres further on, called Super.  

Edited February 28, 2017 by Gillyflower
Read above replies that talk about Super Rich.

[Kabula]

Cash is King!

 

Put it in a separate, locked bag inside your carry on and chain the bag inside of the carry on.

 

There are many thefts of cash, gold and jewelry at airport security areas especially in the U.S.

 

Be sure you know the limits you can leave your country with.  In some countries you have to report the sum if over the limit, then it is  permissible to leave. 

[twizzian]

45 minutes ago, rubenoo said:

Your answers is unanimous.
I will bring cash in EUro and go to Super rich.

I arrive in bangkok at night. Super Rich will be close at suva airport.
Do you know a good super rich brand i city (close to bts line)?
Thx

 

Make sure none of your cash is torn or any pen writing scribbled on them as SuperRich will reject those notes.

Many normal Thai banks will not take them either.

[xerostar]

If I was to bring $10,000 Australian dollars cash and exchange it at Superich (Suvarnaphumi airport) how much Thai Baht would I get ?

and what would be the savings in comparison to changing the cash at say Bangkok Bank ?

I'm just trying to see if the difference is really dramatic, or not ..

[DSJPC]

why go to all that trouble just to save 0.9% (220 divided by 25,000)???...sounds like u are penny wise and pound STUPID!!!

[Pdaz]

18 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

The best way is to bring cash.

Yes.. That way you can buy a nice "Thai bath" in Home Pro or Boonthawaan

[lordblackader]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

Hire a room that has a tub....sorry, couldn' t resist it.

1 bath = 29,900 baht :)

 

 

[Jimeo47]

I always change my cash at the chinese bank on Sukhumvit Soi 7 near the Nana train station. Best rates in town.

[davemos]

18 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

The best way is to bring cash.

there are many exchange shops that will give you closer to the bank interchange rate

[theguyfromanotherforum]

20 minutes ago, DSJPC said:

why go to all that trouble just to save 0.9% (220 divided by 25,000)???...sounds like u are penny wise and pound STUPID!!!

 

I'm not sure who's stupid.

[Old Croc]

Join the Police force.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, xerostar said:

If I was to bring $10,000 Australian dollars cash and exchange it at Superich (Suvarnaphumi airport) how much Thai Baht would I get ?

and what would be the savings in comparison to changing the cash at say Bangkok Bank ?

I'm just trying to see if the difference is really dramatic, or not ..

 

Rates as of 5:44 today

Orange SuperRich sub branch 26.55 = 265,500
Orange SuperRich main office 26.65 = 266,500
Green SuperRich 27 = 270,000
Bangkok Bank 26.08 = 260,800

 

is 9,200 dramatic?

[sometimewoodworker]

40 minutes ago, Jimeo47 said:

I always change my cash at the chinese bank on Sukhumvit Soi 7 near the Nana train station. Best rates in town.

I haven't found anywhere that has better rates than Green SuperRich. 

 

Sometimes other places are equally good but never better. 

 

I would be happy to be proven wrong. 

[Jimeo47]

4 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I haven't found anywhere that has better rates than Green SuperRich. 

 

Sometimes other places are equally good but never better. 

 

I would be happy to be proven wrong. 

Next time I have to change some I'll try both, see what's what

[tiocfaidh]

I always change my cash at the chinese bank on Sukhumvit Soi 7 near the Nana train station. Best rates in town.

Do you mean Vasu?

SuperRich is normally better.

It's a trade off between good rates. Convenience and security.

I carried £10,000 through the streets of Bangkok and didn't feel great about it.

[joespnet]

I personally don't like carrying a lot of cash with me.  For cash during our visits I use a debit card that refunds the ATM fee back to me.  I use a debit card from Scottrade Bank and withdraw up to 20,000 Baht at a time any time from just about any ATM in Thailand.  There are other card issuers that refund the fees also.  Look around to see which ones refund international ATM fees.  When using the card, the kiosk always shows a screen, that you have to accept, that says there will be a 200 Baht fee.  But at the end of the month the debit card statement refunds back all the fees incurred during the statement period.   Very nice.
I have the debit card account connected to my regular US bank account, so I can replenish the balance in the debit card account as needed during my stay.

Edited February 28, 2017 by joespnet
clarity

[DogNo1]

This is the gazillionth discussion of how to change money on TV.  There is some risk associated with carrying cash.  I withdraw Thai Baht across the counter at Bangkok Bank with my no-foreign-transaction-fee Visa credit card and incur no fees of any kind.  Today I withdrew 20,000 Baht and got an exchange rate of 34.8 Baht per US dollar.  If my credit card is lost or stolen, a prompt call to my bank will prevent any loss.  Interest is charged on the cash advance right away so I always make a payment to my bank before I withdraw.   I always carry $1,500 in my pocket coming over to tide me over a cancellation and replacement of my credit card if necessary.  If you can't get a credit card with no foreign transaction fee, cash is probably the next best thing but, as already noted, there is a limit to the amount that you can legally carry.  Incidentally, if you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee, it is always better to make your purchases in Thai Baht.  If you charge in your own currency, you will get the exchange rate that the store, hotel, etc. uses which will usually be less than the Visa exchange rate.

[Grubster]

Tell your bank at home of your plans and raise your ATM limit to $1,000 per day. Also call the number on the back of your card to inform them you will be making large withdrawals in Thailand or they may kill your card day one.  Krugsri Bank the yellow ATMs will allow 30,000 baht per withdrawal and I have found this the best way, Yes cash is a bit better, but has an element of risk. 200 baht [ $6 ] plus your banks one dollar charge is less than one percent for hassle free banking.

[whaleboneman]

I often wonder why the crooks don't hang out at the money exchange places and then tail the vulnerable looking people with wads of cash. I went to Palawan in the Philippines a couple of years ago. I had heard that there were few atm's on the island and you need to take a lot of cash. In Manila the day before we left, I went down the road to the money changer with $3000 US and changed it to pesos. The money changers are guarded by a couple of nasty looking guards with shotguns. But once you leave the shop, you're on your own. I was a bit nervous going back to the hotel with a huge wad of pesos in my pants.

 

Glad I have a bank account in Thailand.

[Dan747]

Check the Thailand Daily exchange rates here:  https://daytodaydata.net/default.aspx