Phuket Thailand

magy · #1 02-03-2006, 20:22

Hi all ..
i've always noticed in the past whenever i go abroad that the rates displayed on websites like XE or those given by UK banks are never the same as waht you actualy get when changeing money localy, (in this case in phuket)
have read the forums .. and it does seem advised to excahnge in LOS but sjut wondering about todays rate (assume it fluctuates)

so can anyone tell me what phuket exchange shops are currently offer per £ .. or how many Bhat for £100 .. .. my bank will give me in the UK atm
Thailand Baht (THB) 6304.3 = £100 (lloydstsb)

where as XE quotes 6,743 THB = 100 GBP

LivinLOS · #2 02-03-2006, 20:36

xe is interbank rates.. doesnt include bid offer spread...

I find Thailand is better rates on GBP / USD and EURO than any of those places give on THB probably due to volume.. For less common currencies it may be better to change at home..

There was a link posted ( think by SteveM for seraching) that gave the days bangkok bank rates..

Sirgezza · #3 02-03-2006, 21:07

XE will be very close to what you will get from the exchange booths/bank cards in LOS.

Talbotman · #4 02-03-2006, 21:54

Hope the rate for the bhat goes up before i arrive in July its low at the moment !

stevem · #5 03-03-2006, 06:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

There was a link posted ( think by SteveM for seraching) that gave the days bangkok bank rates..

Just goto the bangkok bank website and drill down from there

http://www.bbl.co.th/Bangkok+Bank/main.htm

JohnP · #6 03-03-2006, 09:42

Here is a good aggregation of Thai bank exchange rates.

http://www.phuketbb.com/BuySell.aspx

sandymellis · #7 14-03-2006, 16:41

whatever the rate is a small variation will not make a great deal of difference to overall prices. Lets face it unless your exchanging £thousands, what's the big deal?

COOPS · #8 14-03-2006, 19:18

As a Jock I cannot believe you said that

When I went to LOS in November I could get 72 to the pound now its only 65,that`s a big difference whichever way you look at it. Multiply that by the £1300 I am expecting to spend on my next trip thats 9100 THB less to spend so your comment doesn`t hold water with me I`m afraid old son.

LivinLOS · #9 14-03-2006, 21:04

Today your looking at 67.2 hardly a huge difference..

Currencies move and the baht has closer ties to the USD than the GBP.. I would not be surprised to see well over 72 when the dollar keeps heading south..

dizbuster · #10 14-03-2006, 21:40

Over the last few years the rate of exchange between GBP and THB has ebbed and flowed a little...

8th March 2002 = 61.80
8th June 2002 = 66.15
8th Sept 2002 = 66.00
8th Dec 2002 = 68.60
8th March 2003 = 68.30
8th June 2003 = 69.25
8th Sept 2003 = 64.75
8th Dec 2003 = 69.20
8th March 2004 = 72.65
8th June 2004 = 74.70
8th Sept 2004 = 74.00
8th Dec 2004 = 76.14
8th March 2005 = 73.47
8th June 2005 = 74.40
8th Sept 2005 = 75.40
8th Dec 2005 = 72.00
8th March 2006 = 67.90

sandymellis · #11 14-03-2006, 23:36

I still maintain that the small difference in the exchange rate is really going to make a huge overall difference to anyones 2 weeks holiday in LOS

COOPS · #12 14-03-2006, 23:42

I respect your opinion Sandymellis but it all depends on your personal finances.I do not know yours,but that difference I mentioned earlier works out at £140

,hardly an amount to be sniffed at unless of course you have money to burn. I do not so that is two days personal expenditure(does not include hotel) that I have to find for my trip.

sandymellis · #13 14-03-2006, 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by COOPS

I respect your opinion Sandymellis but it all depends on your personal finances.I do not know yours,but that difference I mentioned earlier works out at £140

,hardly an amount to be sniffed at unless of course you have money to burn. I do not so that is two days personal expenditure(does not include hotel) that I have to find for my trip.

yeah but its nearer 68 than 65 is'nt it?

COOPS · #14 14-03-2006, 23:57

Wish it was,Travelex who guarantee best rates is just a smidgen over 65,65.0921 to be precise.

sandymellis · #15 14-03-2006, 23:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by COOPS

Wish it was,Travelex who guarantee best rates is just a smidgen over 65,65.0921 to be precise.

According to this it's 68

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

COOPS · #16 15-03-2006, 00:02

Unfortunatley that`s the rate the boys in the Financial markets around the world go by,not the holiday rate.Wish it was though, I cannot believe there are two sepaprate rates,very confusing.

faultytowers · #17 15-03-2006, 01:13

I guess you're not going to cancel your holiday because of the exchange rate , so it really does not matter what it is today. I fly out in just over 2 weeks and will wait till I arrive and then see how much I get for my £££££. If I get a "lower" rate , I have the option of spending less (not a hope , I'm on holiday!!!!!) , or using my credit card and facing the consequences when I get back.

Either way , I'm going to have one hell of a time.

Sirgezza · #18 15-03-2006, 01:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by COOPS

Unfortunatley that`s the rate the boys in the Financial markets around the world go by,not the holiday rate.Wish it was though, I cannot believe there are two sepaprate rates,very confusing.

The rate you get in LOS, is pretty close to the rate quoted on XE. The holiday rates in the papers etc. are lower than the rate you get in LOS.

A drop from 74 to 68 baht to the pound is about 8%, which on a holiday spending of £2,000 is £160. Not to be sniffed at in my opinion, but I am a tight@****.

Allybabba22 · #19 15-03-2006, 03:34

At Songkran last year I was getting just over 50.00 but this Xmas/New Year it was down to about 46.00, Now when you change over 4000euro's, Thats a loss of 300euro or 15,000bt... So there is a big difference, Hopefully it will get back up towards the 50 mark for June/July....

LivinLOS · #20 15-03-2006, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by COOPS

Unfortunatley that`s the rate the boys in the Financial markets around the world go by,not the holiday rate.Wish it was though, I cannot believe there are two sepaprate rates,very confusing.

The links from Stevem and JohnP above are the rates you get in Thailand.. You always get better rates hereas obviously a bank charges less to turn a major traded currency into domestic and readily available currency than a bank would charge to change domestic into a harder to get and rarely traded currecncy like THB back in the west.

I dont see how you find it hard to understand there is an exchange rate and a spread around that rate for the currenct exchanger to make a profit margin. Obviously the margin changes depending on hgow easy or difficult the trade is (easier in Thailand for major currencies as I say)..