Buying ringgit

[islandguy]

Tuesday I fly to Changi in Singapore and them on to Kuala Lumpur. It is not convenient to go to a bank once I get to KL, but I need to make a payment in ringgit the first morning. What is the best way to convert baht to ringgit in this situation?

 

1) Buy ringgit in Samui (not going by way of Bangkok, direct flight to Changi). The rate looked surprisingly good, but banks have limited amounts on hand

 

2) Sell baht and buy ringgit in Singapore. Usually fair to good rates, but commission will be taken twice (first sell baht, then buy ringgit).

 

3) Airport in KL (this is almost certainly worst option).

 

Thanks for any suggestions by those who know the ins and out of this situation. The rest of you I hope will show more wit than inebriation ?????

 

 

[notmyself]

ATM in KL airport

[siam2007]

If you don't leave the transit area in SIN, I don't think there will be great options to change your Baht.

In KL where will you be going? As "notmyself" has mentioned, there are several ATM's right next to the area where you arrive after passing immigration  (Maybank ATM is usually most reliable and accepts virtually all cards). If you go to downtown KL by KLIA EXPRESS, you can pay your ticket via credit card if you buy it at the ticket booth just before you enter the arrival hall after immigration.

At KL SENTRAL, there are several private money changers in the station hall (but hidden in a small lane behind McDo), don't change at bank counters that can be found  there too, they offer poor rates. The private changers will have a spread of at least 3% for the Baht.

If you want to change a LARGE amount, head to the NU SENTRAL Mall which is directly connected to KL SENTRAL, go to the basement floor, there is a very good money changer offering the lowest spreads in this area. As of today, they buy for 12,74 and sell for 12,79 at their MAIN BRANCH, though at the small NU SENTRAL booth the rates will be slightly poorer. This is basically the "Superrich" of KL.

http://www.spectrumforex.com.my/

[islandguy]

Bought today on Samui for 8.04. Squeaked by on availability.

 

Thanks for thorough post, will be using it in the future.

[islandguy]

This turned out to be a much better deal than what was available in Singapore and KL. I suspect it may have been a private side deal the bank manager facilitatied, but mostly because the rate was so much better. Light blue bank at Central.

[churchill]

52 minutes ago, islandguy said:

This turned out to be a much better deal than what was available in Singapore and KL. I suspect it may have been a private side deal the bank manager facilitatied, but mostly because the rate was so much better. Light blue bank at Central.

I have also found that changing currency in Thailand is better than changing abroad ... Overseas ATM's charge withdrawal fees along with a worse rate .. and overseas banks generally charge a worse rate than on Samui ... We recently went to Siem Reap and the USD rate was about 20% worse .. although if you could find a street dealer a better rate was possible .. but still worse than Samui .

 

Same for GBP .. Much better rates here .