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  • ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand: bunq Community Travel Tips

Hey bunqers ๐ŸŒˆ

Heading to Thailand? We've gathered some tips from the bunq community to make sure your trip is the smoothest it can be.

Check them out below ๐Ÿ‘‡


Using your card

๐Ÿ’ณ Do I need cash in Thailand, or can I use my card everywhere?

Cards are widely accepted in hotels and restaurants. Most market stalls and small shops are cash only, so it's important to have cash on you.

๐Ÿ’ฐ What currency do they use here?

The currency here is Thai baht. The symbol is เธฟ or THB.

๐Ÿง Which ATMโ€™s can I use for free?

The bunq community hasn't reported reported any free ATM's here yet. If you find one, help other bunqers by sharing it here!

๐Ÿ’ต If I want cash, how much should I take out of an ATM?

2 000 - 5 000 THB should be enough for a few days.

๐Ÿ’ณ Should I choose local currency or Euros when paying?

If you're asked to choose between local currency and Euros, always choose local currency.

That way bunq does the conversion for you, and you get to take advantage of the best rates with bunq ZeroFX.


Staying connected

๐Ÿ“ฑ Can I roam, or should I get a local SIM?

Most EU mobile plans will charge you for roaming.

Wifi is readily available, especially in coffee shops.

If you want to get a local SIM card, you can learn about your options here.


Useful things to know

๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธ How does tipping work?

Tipping is not mandatory. but you can round up the bill if you received good service.

๐Ÿบ How much does a 0.5L beer cost?

โ‚ฌ2,00

๐Ÿฝ How much does an average meal cost?

โ‚ฌ1,75

๐Ÿšจ Whatโ€™s the emergency number?

There are different numbers for the different services here.

  • ๐Ÿš“ Police: 191 or 911
  • ๐Ÿš‘ Ambulance: 1669
  • ๐Ÿš’ Fire: 199

๐Ÿ”Œ What type of plug do they use?

This one! Itโ€™s the standard American plug.

๐Ÿš— What side of the road do they drive on?

They drive on the left side of the road here.

๐Ÿ—บ How do I navigate my way around?

Google and Apple Maps both work well here.

Otherwise, we recommend Rome2Rio as the best way to find out how to get anywhere. It even tells you the cost of each option. ๐Ÿ™Œ

๐Ÿ‘€ Any other good tips?

  • Enjoy the traditional Thai cuisine. Pad Thai, Som Tam, Panang... Delicious!
  • Be aware: Thai Law requires tourists to arrive with a minimum of 10,000 Baht per person or 20,000 Baht per family, in cash. While they don't always check, it's worth taking those funds to not be caught out.

Travel Perks

๐ŸŽข Visit famous attractions with 10% off

We've partnered with Tiqets to bring you discounts on attraction tickets in Thailand ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ. To get your discount, simply follow the link here and use our coupon code BUNQTIQETS10 at checkout. That's it! ๐ŸŽŠ

Travel hands-free with a 20% discount on Stasher

Our partnership with Stasher will allow you to enjoy your destination to the fullest without having to worry about your luggage. Youโ€™ll be able to drop off your bags at trusted shops and hotels in Thailand with a 20% discount through this link ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป.

If you've been to Thailand ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ share your experience! The following would be really useful for other bunqers to know:

  • Which ATMs are free to use?
  • What card should I use and where?
  • Any other info you think may be useful.

Share your experience with us in the comments below! ๐ŸŒˆ ๐Ÿ‘‡

    3 months later

    @bunq#119227 ๐Ÿ”Œ What type of plug do they use?
    This one! Itโ€™s the standard American plug.

    This is wrong: in Thailand almost every plus can be used only UK plug doesn't fit. So there is not really a standard.

      7 days later

      I got to withdraw money without atm fees in Krungsri (Yellow) bank at the counter

        12 days later

        I try yellow bank but charged me 220 Baht

          14 days later

          All banks charge 220 THB for cash withdrawal at an ATM. 2000 - 5000 THB should be enough for a few days. However, if you are planning to stay longer, consider taking out more to avoid paying 220 every time. (If you take out more, just be sure to devide the money over your bags&persons, just to be safe)

            a month later

            @Oskar-Magenta-Akita#136043 Kann ich bestรคtigen, Reisepass ist dazu aber erforderlich.

              a month later

              @bunq#119227 MasterCard is widely accepted, most places also accept Visa and there is a pretty decent coverage of Maestro even.

              But still, cash is king in Thailand, no way around that.

                You can only withdraw 500 euro of Thai baht with a bunq card. And youโ€™ll have to pay 220 baht for each withdrawal.
                It might be worth using a different bank and a higher exchange rate if you plan on staying some time, and can withdraw a higher amount. This way you can avoid the 220baht fee for a couple of times.

                  6 months later

                  Thai ATMs accept Mastercard, Visa and some even Meastro.
                  Cash is king and a Thai Bank will charge you 220THB per use for foreign ATM cards. Some ATMs have a maximum withdrawal of THB 20,000 some have 30,000. When you plan to use the money withdraw the highest possible amount to avoid paying the 220THB more times than necessary.

                  While cash is king Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted to pay with in shoppingmalls, larger supermarkets and uprange restaurants.

                    5 months later

                    Man zahlt fast an jeden Automaten 220THB Gebรผhren(maximal 20.000THB pro Abhebung). Ich wรผrde lieber etwas Euro-Geld mitnehmen und bei SuperRich wechseln(dort bekommt man den besten Wechselkurs in Bangkok). Mit Karte wรผrde ich nur im Einkaufszentrum oder ร„hnliches zahlen. Bares ist wahres.

                      a year later

                      The maximum amount you can take out with bunq is 500โ‚ฌ, which is about 18000 baht. You'll pay 250 baht on most ATMs, which is about 7 euro.

                      It pays to take out the largest possible amounts, which is more like 30k baht, but with bunq you'd have to pay 7 euros twice.

                      Not a nice experience. It would be great if bunq allows you to withdraw bigger amounts.

                        3 months later

                        Les guichets ATM de la banque AEON ne prennent que 150 THB de frais ร  chaque retrait au lieu des 220 THB habituellement, je vous conseil donc de vous diriger vers un ATM de AEON.

                          7 months later

                          @bunq#119227 What are the fees per transaction of you pay something with card ?

                            @New-Aquamarine-Jackal-373676116#276310 There are two things to consider:

                            • Fees from bunq: If you're using Easy Green or Easy Money, there is a total of 0.5% fees for transactions in non-Euro currencies (ZeroFX + 0.5% network fee). More info at https://together.bunq.com/d/4952 and https://together.bunq.com/d/45500 If you're using Easy Bank, then the total fee is 2% (1.5% + 0.5% network fee).

                            • Fees from the merchant or ATM: The merchant or ATM might charge you extra when using your card, and apparently most ATMs in Thailand charge you เธฟ220 per withdrawal, if you read through this thread. Merchants on the other hand seem to not charge anything extra, but generally card payment are not accepted everywhere.

                              wij zijn net drie weken in thaland geweest.
                              pinnen bij de atm pinautomaat kost 220 bath extra ( 5,95 )

                              normaal rrekenen winkels geen extra pin kosten, maar bij sommige winkels rekenen iets extra met pinnen. dit is veelal niet meer dan een omgerekend een euro.

                              wij hebben veelal een revold visa kaart gebruikt en in Nederland eenmalig euro's gewisseld voor Thaise bath om dat bunq de Thaise bath niet aanbied als vreemde valuta.

                              houw er rekening mee dat het meeste in cash gaat in thailand, de grotere winkels kam je wel pinnen maar ga hier niet vanuit.

                                10 months later

                                Most ATMs have a withdrawal limit of 10-20k THB, this varies per bank. If you need more and/or want to avoid the 220THB walk inside the bank to withdraw over the counter.
                                Always withdraw the maximum so you don't have to pay the 220THB each time.

                                Bank ATM limit list (31-1-2024)
                                30.000THB
                                Krungsri Bank

                                25.000 THB
                                Bangkok Bank

                                20.000 THB
                                All other banks

                                  3 months later

                                  I'm traveling to Thailand soon.
                                  What is more convenient? Put a euro account on holiday mode? Or create an account in the bunq app with Thai currency?
                                  I have an Easy Money account.

                                    @MrJvG#292369 Doesn't really make a difference in practice. Only difference is the moment of converting currencies: when using a Local Currency account, the timing of conversion is when you convert money from EUR to THB. If you're paying from a EUR sub-account (without creating a Local Currency account) timing of conversion is when you make the payment. Both options use the same Mastercard exchange rate and have the same 0,5% fee.

                                      @MrJvG#292369 Leuk dat je gaat!
                                      Heb zelf THB account aangemaakt, want ontvang ik ook cashback in THB..vind ik leuk! :) ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŒˆ
                                      Daarnaast denk ik dat het voordelen heeft in kosten omdat handelaren dan een THB rekening herkennen en geen EUR. Ik las in een andere post dat sommige (!) handelaren extra kosten berekenen wanneer met EUR account/kaart wordt afgerekend. Met een THB account verwacht ik meer een โ€˜bankieren als een localโ€™ ervaring ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
                                      Experimenteer ermee zou ik zeggen!
                                      Tot slot is de EUR -> THB koers erg gunstig op het moment. Geen idee wat de koers bijvoorbeeld volgende maand doet (blijft gokken..).

                                        wij zijn 2x 2,5 week naar thailand geweest.

                                        heel veel gaat er cash, maar er kan ook steeds meer met de betaalkaart betaald worden.
                                        met de kosten geen idee. de eerste keer hebben wij bij revelut een THB rekening geopend en dit jaar via bunq omdat revelut best veel gedoe had bij afrekenen. hert voordeel is dat je eenmalig euro naar thaise bath kan omzetten. als je dan bijvoorbeeld bij de 7-eleven boodschappen doet ( minimale besteding 250THB trouwens om met de kaart te betalen ) dan doe je dit met je thaise bath. als je bij de atm geld haalt kost dit best veel thiase bath. daarom hadden wij dit jaar veel cash mee. heel veel gaat met cash in thailand, hou hier rekening mee