 |
|
|
#1
20-03-2004, 00:53
|
||||
|
||||
|
Thai Currency
I know this has been asked before,but I have to arrange my Thai money next week for trip on 31st Mar.I was thinking of taking £500 in Baht and using my HSBC switch card to withdraw as and when needed.Is there a limit to the amount you can withdraw in Patong (£250 per day in UK). Also taking small amount of $ travellers cheques for use in Singapore. Is this the best way to go.Cheers for replies
 
|
| Guest Info |
|
+:+:+ Forum Headquarter +:+:+ |
|
#2
20-03-2004, 01:07
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
HI DAWSEY AT XMAS I WAS ABLE TO WITHDRAW 20000 BAHT WHICH IS ABOUT 410 EURO WHICH IS 280 STERLING IN ONE DAY....... HOPE THIS HELPS.ENJOY YOUR TRIP..AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU GOT ON... JONNY 
__________________
ROLL ON OCTOBER........
|
|
#3
20-03-2004, 01:14
|
|||
|
|||
currency
hi dawsey,if u rely on an atm card, as your only way of obtaining cash, you might get problems,ie the card doesn't work when u try to use it ---you lose the card--it gets stolen damaged--etc---i always take some Thai cash, (get it from a bureau DE change )and 2 or 3 cards,and travellers cheques(from the post office ,in us dollars)that way your covered all ways!PS £500- doesn't sound much to survive on?(dont go without insurance!and dont hire a motor bike ,on pucket, unless you've got a death-wish!
|
|
#4
20-03-2004, 02:01
|
|||
|
|||
|
to dawsey
for me it's travellers cheques all the way. only use atm cards in emergency. as a few have said if you rely on atm , they get damaged ect. loads of bureau's in patong and get better exchange rates. I never take loads of thai baht with me, only takes 5 minuts to change some on way to hotel. travellers cheques your always covered, then taking loads of cash. have a great trip baz
|
|
#5
20-03-2004, 02:26
|
||||
|
||||
|
i use credit cards cash cards or travellers cheques plus some sterling cash which i change at the airport.the best exchange is for sterling cash.dont take thai cash got from here the exchange rate is so bad that you lose a tenner for every hundred that you would of changed out there.
steve
__________________
 "Oral sex makes ones' day, but an al sex makes ones' hole weak." 
|
|
#6
20-03-2004, 02:31
|
|||
|
|||
|
Hi Dawsey,
I had a bad experience, just a few weeks ago after stopping off in Tokyo. My MasterCard had been scammed for 4000 euro, card was blocked, and I didn't realise it until Phuket. Tried to use my ATM but it was blocked, I had gone over my weekly limit. In the end the bank increased my limit so I could withdraw, thanks to a phone call!! I will always suggest that u have a reserve, you never know! Next time I will have 2 credit cards with me!
|
|
#7
20-03-2004, 03:03
|
||||
|
||||
|
Sterling
Quote:
Havent tried changing sterling cash before , i know if you have sterling travellers cheques as opposed to american dollars , they usually charge more tax , is this not the case with cash ? and do you mean change the cash at bangkok/phuket airport and not heathrow?? if its good , i will do this myself
|
|
#8
20-03-2004, 03:09
|
|||
|
|||
|
hi
i always take sterling and change it at bkk airport you will get a much better rate than in the uk this time i opened a thai bank acount to use there atm this was always very easy to access if you take your passport you can open an account for 200 baht i think i used the bangkok bank on 200 year road
|
|
#9
20-03-2004, 04:36
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
yes change it at bkk steve
|
|
#10
20-03-2004, 05:38
|
||||
|
||||
|
I would recommend VISA and MASTERCARD, I have both cards and if one card have problem you have another one as backup. I never had any problems with that strategy, also you get the best exchange rates by using the card. (You should take out 10,000 baht minimum, for smaller amounts it may be a bad exchange rate.)
|
|
#11
20-03-2004, 07:09
|
||||
|
||||
No need
Quote:
All major ATM cards work in Singapore and Phuket just check with your bank before leaving that your card has been activated for overseas use - Some banks do this automatically but better to check anyway. 500 sterling is a lot of thai baht so I would recommend bringing less for cash at the ready - Travellers checks are a good back up for an emergency. Also never go on holidays without 1 credit card preferrably VISA...
__________________
Be Like Water
|
|
#12
20-03-2004, 10:58
|
|||
|
|||
|
I take one credit card for back up and a current account visa debit card to get cash.
I opened an account with the Nationwide ( England ) solely for my holiday spending as there are no withdrawal fees or foreign currency transaction charges, when you add the two together you could be paying about 4.75% for the privilige, it soon mounts up if you hit the ATM'S regular, better in my pocket than theirs. John.
|
|
#13
20-03-2004, 18:28
|
||||
|
||||
|
Thanks for the help.Its good to see everyone has their own idea on the best way for travelling abroad with money.I think a combination of all will cover it!
So its a small amount of Thai baht, a visa and mastercard ,my own HSBC debit card and US $ travellers cheques.I 'll change the sterling at Phuket airport.Cheers again for your help. Butterfly.... I'll look out for you inT3 31/3 midday flight Singapore Airlines.You know how to recognise me!
|
|
#14
21-03-2004, 01:39
|
||||
|
||||
|
Hi Dawsey
Quote:
Hi M8te , bet your gettin excited now eh ?? Yeah i'll be lookin out for you , your the one with the 2 beautiful young daughters right ?? hehe You will find me in the large smoking room sittin in the very far corner at the back all on me lonesome
|
|
#15
21-03-2004, 02:22
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
DAWSEY. use sterling travellers cheques much better exchange rate than dollar ones.remember the british pound is very very strong at the moment.sterling all the way. steve
__________________
"Oral sex makes ones' day, but an al sex makes ones' hole weak."
|
|
#16
21-03-2004, 05:49
|
||||
|
||||
|
Currency
Sure, dolla is very low now and it's better to change poubds or euro in LOS than dollars.
I live in Belgium and this year I earn 20% regarding the change 3 or 4 years aogo. Intresting for european people ! Domi
|
|
#17
22-03-2004, 01:58
|
|||
|
|||
I always take travellers cheques from the post office (here in UK - no commission).
I never take cash - other than enough to spend at Heathrow. (Poor exchange rate for cash) Once I took travellers cheques with Arabic script on them (I was working in the middle east at the time) - showed them to a guy in an exchange booth halfway down Bangla - and he 'waved his hand' (arrogant tw*t) for me to sign them..... When he saw the Arabic script, he said 'no good' and threw them back at me. I spoke very politely and explained that I had signed them - he just f*cked me off with a very impolite "Bai!" I'd already signed the damned cheque so now I was buggered!. It was (I think) the only public shouting match I've had in Thailand in all the years I've been travelling there. I didn't get anywhere (of course) so I desperately went to another exchange booth and tried to explain things. The guy was a real gent and said it would be ok for me to re-sign them!!!! Thing is - I was so wound up from my 'shouting match' that my hands were shaking and I had to sign the reverse of the cheque around four times. I still can't believe that guy was so trusting as to believe me. (Perhaps I was shaking from trying to 'forge' a signature after all?) Hmmm - what was the point of that? Dunno - just wanted to tell y'all :o d.
|
|
#18
22-03-2004, 03:17
|
||||
|
||||
|
To Butterflyblonde
Quote:
I'll meet you in the smoking room.....I'll be the one smoking small cigars one after the other.Its a long flight without a nicotine fix 
|
|
#19
22-03-2004, 03:20
|
||||
|
||||
|
i just finished watching a holiday program about phuket.and they stressed in that how much more money people get from changing sterling at the exchange booths out in thailand.by the way the program was on itv and was about lavish v budget holidays in phuket with 1 staying at the laguna resort and the other in kata at kata resort.they seemed to enjoy phuket and there was a little bit on patong nitelife,i recognised a few of the girls and the thai owner of kangaroo was grinning from ear to ear in the program.
steve
__________________
"Oral sex makes ones' day, but an al sex makes ones' hole weak."
|
|
#20
22-03-2004, 05:56
|
||||
|
||||
|
I saw the show as well , ten mins after it finnished i had my girl friend on the phone wanting to know where abouts i was staying :o ,hmmm may be she no trust me anymore :p and £150 for a three hour massage they are havin a laugh
any how i normally take sterling travellers cheques ,small amount of thai cash , small amount of sterling should i get caught short towards the end of my stay ,2 credit cards and my debit card , but always have them locked up in the hotel safe .
__________________
Coffee for one sir ? The joys of sponsorship 
|
|
#21
22-03-2004, 06:07
|
|||
|
|||
safe in the safe??not necessarily guys!
beware of hotel safes, they may not be as secure as you thinkthey are!--they can still be robbed by hotel staff, ive read quite a few stories ,on the boards,, where the safe ,was robbed,--be it the one in your room , or the one at the reception>??!!one guy said he lost all his cash, and only got back half of it, after doing a deal with the cop he had called!
Last edited by andy50 : 22-03-2004 at 23:56.
|
|
#22
22-03-2004, 07:38
|
||||
|
||||
Current Exchange Rates in Phuket
To all the Phuket based Board Members,
What is the currrent exchange rate at the Money changers for: US$ UK Sterling Singapore Dollars I have checked here in Singapore and the best rate I have found is 23.03 baht to a sing dollar at City Plaza in Paya Lebar. I am travelling this week so need toi know whether better to change here or there - Thanxs
__________________
Be Like Water
|
|
#23
22-03-2004, 14:18
|
||||
|
||||
|
According to Bangkok Bank:
USD = 39.12 baht (50-100 USD notes) SGD = 22.98 baht GBP = 71.15 baht EUR = 47.80 baht SEK = 5.03 baht Look like most currencies is stronger now compared to one year ago, except for USD. UK Sterling was around 63-65 baht in November I think. Now you get a Singha beer for just one GBP. You can see daily rates at www.bangkokbank.com Quote:
|