Money in Thailand: currency, exchange rate, exchange, cards — personal experience and up-to-date tips

Frequently asked questions

We've gathered the most complete and reliable information about money and currency in Thailand in one place, based on our own experience and the experience of other travelers. Read it, and you'll know everything. Here are brief answers to the most common questions to start:

• Are old series US dollar bills accepted in Thailand?
  Yes, they are accepted. Not everywhere, and sometimes at a slightly lower rate than new ones, but overall, you can always exchange them. But important! They must be in perfect condition.
• Can you take euros or yuan instead of dollars to Thailand?
  Yes, you can. The exchange rate is acceptable, and considering the discount on old dollar bills, there's almost no difference. See the calculation below.
• Are rubles accepted in Thailand?
  Yes, cash rubles are accepted, and exchange is done via bank transfers. But the rate is significantly less favorable than exchanging through dollars, euros, or yuan. Again, there's a calculation below.
• Which currency is best to take to Thailand?
  Based on our practice and calculations, we stick to the rule that you can take dollars, euros, or yuan (the difference is small), and under no circumstances take rubles. See the detailed calculation below.
• Do Mir or UnionPay cards work in Thailand?
  Mir doesn't work at all. UnionPay cards from non-sanctioned banks (e.g., Rosselkhozbank and ATB) are still working for now.
• Is the exchange rate at Thailand airports normal, is it worth exchanging there?
  From our own experience, we know that an excellent exchange rate is only available at certain exchange offices at Suvarnabhumi airport (which ones, read below). In all other airports, we've only seen rates that are 0.5-2 baht lower than in the cities.
• Can you use cryptocurrency in Thailand?
  Yes, you can, within the framework of the experimental TouristDigiPay regime, but only for payment (conversion to cash is not available), and there are major difficulties for Russians. There are options to exchange for cash through 'gray' exchange offices on the ground, but that comes with risk to your money. Read more about cryptocurrency in the relevant section of the article.

What currency is used in Thailand: baht, banknotes, and coins

The currency of Thailand is the baht (THB, Baht). One baht is divided into 100 satangs. Coins in circulation are 25 and 50 satangs, 1, 2, 5, and 10 baht; banknotes are issued in denominations of 10 baht, 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht, and 1,000 baht. Satangs have practically gone out of circulation and are rarely seen.

In Thailand, only local currency is accepted for payment. Payments in dollars or euros are not made, except perhaps for excursions and other services paid directly to tourist guides.

Thai baht exchange rate to ruble, dollar, and euro today

Over the years of crisis and the fall of the Russian economy, the Thai baht has caught up with the ruble in value, and then significantly surpassed it. Now the ruble is much cheaper than the Thai baht, and the one-to-one conversion, which was possible a few years ago, is unacceptable. For a rough conversion of an amount in Thai baht to rubles, you need to multiply the amount in baht by about 2.5. For example, 100 baht is roughly equal to 250 rubles, and 500 baht is 1250 rubles.

You can check the current real currency buying and selling rates at different banks in Thailand on this website http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net, and here are the current exchange rates and a currency converter:

Market exchange rate (Thai baht) for today (31/05/2026)

• 100 бат (THB) = 217,96 rubles (RUB)
• 1 US dollar (USD) = 32,64 THB
• 100 rubles (RUB) = 45,88 THB
• 1 euro (EUR) = 38,07 THB

Real currency exchange rate *

• 1 US dollar (USD) ≈ 31,99 - 32,57 THB
• 1 euro (EUR) ≈ 37,31 - 37,99 THB

* - The real exchange rate is calculated taking into account the fees charged by exchange offices and banks for the exchange. It can also be higher than the calculated one, but if you are offered an exchange rate lower than this, it's a reason to think about finding another place to exchange.

Currency Calculator*

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* The calculator converts amounts based on official world currency exchange rates. When exchanging currency at exchange offices, the rate will differ slightly depending on the exchange office's commission.

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* - With the widget enabled, the exchange rate of the selected currency will be displayed in the right sidebar on every page of the site until you disable it yourself.

All about cash currency

• Which currency to take to Thailand: dollars, euros, yuan, or rubles

  It's best to take cash dollars, euros, or yuan to Thailand; there won't be much difference in the final amount after exchange between these currencies (see the calculation below). The exchange rate for large dollar bills (50 or 100) is higher than for small bills, so it makes sense to take large bills. You won't need small dollars for payments here, as all transactions in the kingdom are only in Baht. Here, for example, the rate at one exchange office in Thailand for bills of different denominations:

  • $1-$2 - 34.18 baht
  • $5-$20 - 34.78 baht
  • $50-$100 - 35.18 baht

  From this, it follows that when exchanging 100 dollars in small bills, you will lose 100 baht (about 3.06 USD).

  Besides the dollar and euro, for a trip to Thailand you can now take any world currency you have on hand; almost everything is accepted for exchange, including Chinese yuan and even Russian rubles. But most often, travelers choose between dollars or Chinese yuan, because both currencies can now be freely bought at bank exchange offices and broker counters.

  To help you decide, we made an accurate calculation at one moment in time of the real exchange rates at exchange offices in Russia and at the Superrich chain in Bangkok, which traditionally offers the best rates, to estimate the difference. The calculation was made in March 2026 for an amount of 100,000 rubles to see how many baht we would get in the end:

  Comparison of exchanging 100,000 RUB to THB (March 2026)

  Exchange method	Currency purchase rate in Russia	Intermediate currency received	THB rate in Thailand	Final amount in THB	Difference from USD in baht	Difference from USD in %
  Via US dollar (USD)	80.30 RUB/USD	1,245.33 USD	31.82 THB/USD	39,626 THB	—	—
  Via Euro (EUR)	93.99 RUB/EUR	1,063.94 EUR	36.80 THB/EUR	39,153 THB	-473	-1.12%
  Via Yuan (CNY)	11.90 RUB/CNY	8,403.30 CNY	4.59 THB/CNY	38,571 THB	-1055	-2.66%
  Cash rubles in Thailand	Rate in Thailand: 3.65 THB/RUB		Direct exchange	36,500 THB	-3126	-7.88%
  Cash rubles in Russia (Sberbank)	27.92 RUB/ 10 THB	Direct exchange		35,816 THB	-3810	-9.60%

  As a result, exchange through US dollars in 2026 is the most profitable, followed by euros, and then yuan.

  By the way, calculations in previous years showed a minimal difference between the dollar and the yuan, but now the yuan has lost ground considerably. As for exchanging cash rubles, in our opinion, it's not worth looking at that option at all yet.

  For buying currency in Russia, we used the real cash purchase rate at the counter of a well-known Russian bank in Moscow with minimal purchase rates. Of course, it's worth considering that real currency purchase rates in the regions may be higher, but it doesn't change the essence much, as the overall picture will be similar.

  We've made a calculator for calculating the profitability of currency exchange in Thailand for different exchange methods and currencies; you can calculate everything yourself in real-time and decide what is more profitable for you. The calculator works here.

• Are old series US dollar bills accepted?

  Currently, Russian banks mainly sell dollars from old series without the blue security strip. Due to their weak security features and many counterfeits, they are very reluctantly accepted for exchange worldwide, and Thailand is no exception. But in general, exchanging them is possible; the situation is not as critical as inexperienced tourists and the media make it out to be.

  Yes, some exchange offices do refuse to accept them because they cannot distinguish the original from a counterfeit and are afraid of receiving fakes. But if one exchange office doesn't accept them, you need to go to other places or banks. After visiting a few exchange offices, you will surely find a place to exchange them. The rate for them is usually 0.1-0.5 baht lower, which is about 0.4%-2% lower than for new series bills. Reviews mention even a difference of 1 baht, which is already 4%, but that might be referring to bills with signs of wear.

  This is important! The bills must be in perfect condition. If they show signs of use like wear, creases, tears, signatures, or stamps, they may easily be rejected or accepted at a very low rate. Some exchange offices even check bills with ultraviolet light for mold, so don't store currency in damp places for a long time.

• Can you exchange rubles in Thailand?

  At Bangkok airport, popular tourist resorts, and cities, you can easily find exchange offices and banks that also exchange rubles. But the rate is usually extremely unfavorable, so double conversion through dollars or euros (i.e., buying cash dollars or euros at home and exchanging them for baht in Thailand), even with all commissions, is always more profitable. So it's better to keep rubles for the most critical case as a backup option.

  However, it's worth noting that in recent years, demand for the ruble at popular Thai resorts like Pattaya, Phuket, and in Bangkok has grown, and you can find exchange offices with quite decent rates where the loss from direct ruble exchange is not so significant. See the recent calculation for exchange rates via rubles, dollars, and yuan above.

  If you are choosing what to exchange your rubles for before a trip to Thailand, dollars or euros, it's better to prefer the dollar (at least at the moment). But if you already have some amount in euros on hand, you shouldn't rush to the exchange office to exchange them for dollars before your trip to Thailand, as the loss from converting euros to dollars will be greater.

• Can you buy Thai baht in Russia?

  Yes, you can, but it's not advisable. In 2024, Sberbank launched Thai baht exchange at its branches, initially only in Moscow and St. Petersburg; now the geography of branches has expanded, check your city and region on the bank's website. Information about exchange branches and the current rate is available on the bank's website.

  

  To help you decide whether to buy Thai baht in Moscow or St. Petersburg, we made an accurate calculation comparing the profitability of the exchange rate at Sberbank versus exchanging via cash dollars and exchanging rubles in Thailand at current real rates. We use 100,000 rubles as the base amount for exchange:

  • Baht directly at Sberbank at selling rate of 27.59 rubles/10 baht

    100,000 / 27.59 * 10 = 36,245.

  • Exchange via dollars at Sberbank rates and one of the best Superrich exchange offices in Thailand
    • 1. Buying US dollars for rubles at the rate of 85.9.
      100,000 / 85.9 = 1,164.14 US dollars.
    • 2. Buying baht for US dollars at the current Superrich rate.
      1,164.14 * 33.57 = 39,080 baht.
  • Exchanging cash rubles for baht at Superrich (best rate 0.31)

    100,000 * 0.35 = 35,000 baht.

  The calculation results show that the rate for buying Thai baht at Sberbank is currently not very favorable and is much inferior to exchange via dollars. At the time of calculation, the difference was 7.25%. This means that for every 100,000 rubles, buying baht at Sberbank loses 7,250 rubles compared to exchanging through buying cash dollars at the same time. Therefore, we currently do not recommend exchanging large sums of rubles for baht at Sberbank. But if you need a small amount of baht for the initial period, you might consider this option.

• Where to exchange currency in Thailand at the best rate: airport, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket

  Attention! When exchanging currency at official exchange offices and banks in Thailand, they ask for a passport; this is required by law. Without presenting a passport, you may well be refused exchange.

  If you fly to Thailand by plane, you can exchange a small amount of dollars at the airport to have money for small expenses. The exchange rate at Thailand airports is acceptable, but you shouldn't rush to exchange all your money at the airport, as you'll find a slightly better rate in the cities. But if you are arriving at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, there is an exchange office with a very favorable rate, even higher than in some places in the city and at many resorts. This exchange office is located on the lowest level of the airport, near the turnstiles (on the left) to the entrance of the Airport Rail Link (ARL). You can safely exchange a large amount there if you are heading directly to islands like Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Samet, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan without stopping in Bangkok.

  

  As for exchange at resorts and in cities, you can exchange money almost anywhere in Thailand, even in the most remote tourist islands or towns. However, there are some nuances you should know to avoid exchanging at an unfavorable rate:

  First of all, the smaller and more remote the resort or city, the harder it is to find an exchange and a favorable rate. So if you are going to a less touristy place or an island, it's better to take care of cash in advance. In general, from our own experience, we know that the best exchange rate in Thailand can be found in Bangkok, so we always try to exchange the maximum amount there right after arrival. We talk about where to exchange money at a good rate in Bangkok here.

  

  In Pattaya, there is a chain exchange office called T.T. Exchange; we always exchange there. They have many branches throughout the city. The rate varies slightly. You can find the nearest one on the map or on their website, and check the rate on their website https://ttexchange.com/

  In Phuket, there are no chain exchange offices, at least we don't know of any. If you know of any, share in the comments. From our own experience, we know that the exchange rate at Phuket airport is very bad, and also very bad on some beaches (districts). So if you definitely need a good rate, you'll have to go to Patong, Phuket Town, or Chalong; we encountered good rates in exchange offices there.

  You shouldn't exchange money at exchange offices in hotels – the rate there is not the best. It's better to exchange at exchange points (places with the sign 'Exchange') or at banks. Any large shopping mall has an exchange point of some bank. Large banks usually only work on weekdays from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM; small banks and licensed exchange points work on weekdays from 8:30 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 - 3:30 PM. In resort areas, bank operating hours are usually longer.

  In tourist areas, exchange points can be found almost everywhere. The difference in rates is small, but if you want to find the best rate, walk a bit down the street, look at the rates (you don't even need to enter the banks or exchange points, the exchange rates are usually visible from the street), and choose a more profitable place. Also keep in mind that the exchange rate depends on the denomination of the bill you are exchanging (rates for different denomination categories are shown on the rate boards): the lowest rate is offered for banknotes of 1 to 20 dollars, the highest for new series 50 and 100 dollar bills (the difference can be up to 2-3%). Wrinkled and worn bills may be refused or taken at a reduced rate.

  There is another point: when exchanging US dollars, old series bills (before 1993) and bills of some later years are not always and not everywhere accepted (they may not be accepted even at a bank), which is due to the large number of counterfeits from those years.

• Import and export of cash, limits

  There are no restrictions on the amount of cash foreign and Thai currency imported and exported, but any foreign currency equivalent to over 20,000 USD is subject to mandatory declaration. You will not have to pay any duties, you are only obliged to declare the amount and answer all the customs officer's questions. The declaration procedure at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is carried out on the fourth floor and takes no more than 15 minutes.

  When exporting Thai currency in the amount of 50,000 baht (1532 USD) or more, you also need to go through the declaration procedure. The export of Thai currency to Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam is limited to 500,000 baht.

Bank cards in Thailand: which work, fees, UnionPay

Using plastic cards in Thailand is very common. You can pay with a card even in the smallest shop, ATMs are practically on every corner on the streets, in shopping malls, large stores, and institutions. Thailand is considered a high-risk country by banks, so before traveling, it's better to inform your bank that you will be in such-and-such country for a certain period, otherwise the card may be blocked after the first transaction. Usually, you can notify your bank by phone using the number on the card, but in some cases, you may have to visit the bank and notify the operators.

When withdrawing cash from ATMs, a fee of 200-220 baht (approximately 6.74 USD) is charged, regardless of the withdrawal amount. This is a fee from the Thai ATM, but don't forget that there is also a fee from your bank for withdrawing cash from another bank's ATM, as we mentioned above. Furthermore, several banks set a maximum withdrawal amount of no more than 10,000 baht (306 USD) per transaction, with only some able to dispense up to 20,000 baht. Naturally, the larger the amount you withdraw at once, the smaller the loss from this fixed fee.

When withdrawing cash, before finally pressing the 'Dispense' button, you will see information on the ATM screen about the fees applied to the amount being withdrawn. Of course, to make the exchange more profitable, it's better to find an ATM that dispenses larger amounts at once and withdraw the maximum. Overall, exchanging cash in Thailand is still more profitable than withdrawing cash from ATMs. At the same time, paying for goods and services with a plastic card is more profitable, as no additional commission is charged for payment.

You can also withdraw money from a plastic card of a foreign bank at local bank branches, and no fee is charged for this. The minimum amount for withdrawal at a bank is 2,000 baht. However, recently local banks have started charging a fee for this operation as well, or simply refusing to cash out. So you might have to visit several banks for this. According to reports, Krungsri Bank and Bangkok Bank still allowed fee-free withdrawals, but the situation may worsen.

• Russian cards in Thailand: Mir, UnionPay — what works in 2026

  Cards of the Russian payment system 'Mir' do not work in Thailand as of 2026, although this issue has been under consideration for a long time. But considering that sanctions are imposed for using the 'Mir' system by the 'progressive' West, it's unlikely this issue will be resolved in the near future.

  UnionPay cards from Russian banks work perfectly in Thailand for both cash withdrawals and payments. You can pay and withdraw almost everywhere with rare exceptions.

  However, again due to sanctions, as of 2026, only a few Russian non-sanctioned banks remain that still issue cards of the Chinese payment system UnionPay that are suitable for payment and cash withdrawal in Thailand. Among the large and well-known banks, only Rosselkhozbank still issues working UnionPay cards.

  UnionPay cards from Gazprombank, Tinkoff, Pochtabank, Russian Standard, and other large and well-known banks no longer work.

  And don't forget about the fees from the Russian bank for withdrawing cash from other banks' ATMs. You can only find out this information in the detailed description of the tariff for your specific card, and you also need to consider connected options.

  Attention! It's important to understand here that even for the same card, different bank clients may have different tariffs and conditions, so you shouldn't rely on the experience of other travelers that they share in blogs and chats. In other words, if someone writes that they withdraw money from a Rosselkhozbank card without commission, it doesn't mean you will have the same. And of course, don't believe advertising promises of 'commission-free withdrawals', as there are always conditions written in 'fine print'.

  To decide which currency is more profitable to open a UnionPay card in, read our calculation and comparison in the article – Choosing the right UnionPay card: rubles, yuan, dollars, or euros

  For example, currently (2026), under the most popular tariff 'My Card Plus' at Rosselkhozbank, a fee at other banks' ATMs will only be waived if you had card expenses exceeding 30,000 rubles in the previous month. Otherwise, the fee will be 3% of the amount (minimum 17 Chinese yuan) for yuan cards, and 1% (minimum 199 USD) for ruble cards. So study the tariffs for your specific card and before each trip, as banks can change them unilaterally without personal notification.

  Here is a comparison of UnionPay cards as of 2026:

  Tariffs and fees for UnionPay cards of Russian banks

  Bank and tariff	Card issuance	Card maintenance	Cash withdrawal fee	Payment fee at terminals	Link to all terms
  Rosselkhozbank / My Card Plus	First ruble card free, 380 yuan, 55 dollars, and 45 euros for currency cards respectively	Free	3% of amount (minimum 17 yuan) for yuan cards, 1% of amount (minimum 199 USD) for ruble cards. Free if turnover in previous month exceeded 30,000 rubles	No commission	All terms here
  Gazprombank / Universal (no longer works)	5,000 rubles, refundable upon meeting conditions	Free	450 rubles per transaction	No commission	All terms here

• Getting a bank card in Thailand

  If you can't imagine traveling without a bank card that works everywhere, not selectively like Russian UnionPay cards (but honestly, they work almost everywhere), then you can get a bank card in Thailand. There are two options for this:

  • Open an account at a Thai bank and get a card for it

    This is a rather complicated method; you'll have to prepare many documents, so this option is not suitable for tourists and travelers. But if you travel to Thailand for work or spend winters there for several months, you could try to get such a card.

  • Get a prepaid Kasikorn Bank card

    The unnamed Visa PAY & TOUR card from Kasikornbank is a prepaid card for domestic payments. You can get it, deposit baht into its account, and use it to pay at retail outlets in the country. Essentially, it's just a safe replacement for cash, so you don't have to carry large amounts with you, but it's not suitable for online payments.

    You can get the card at Kasikornbank currency exchange points. Such an exchange office is also available at Suvarnabhumi Airport, so you can get it right after arrival and top it up. The card is valid for 1 year.

    To manage the card account, there is the TAGTHAi app, which allows you to pay via QR code, check your balance, and receive various bonuses for purchases.

    You can find out more on the bank's website – https://www.kasikornbank.com

  

Cryptocurrency in Thailand: how to pay in 2026, limits, and difficulties

In 2026, Thailand operates the TouristDigiPay program to legalize cryptocurrency payments in the country. Direct payment is still prohibited, but a 'sandbox' mode is provided where you exchange cryptocurrency for electronic Thai baht THBS, and then pay with that.

The idea is generally very cool, but the implementation is currently lacking. We haven't been able to fully test it yet, but you can try. If you succeed, share in the comments.

There are such restrictions and requirements:

• You will need to undergo full KYC identification with passport submission.
• Exchanging crypto for cash in this scheme is impossible (at least officially), only non-cash payment.
• Limit of 50,000 baht per month for all payments, and a limit of up to 500,000 baht per month when paying verified merchants.
• Unspent balance can only be transferred back to crypto upon closing the account.

How to use it in practice

Using it is really complicated. You need to install exchange apps for converting crypto to baht like Bitkub (Kub Wallet), Binance TH (by Gulf Binance), and register. You deposit cryptocurrency into the exchange, exchange it for THBS, and then you can pay in local currency at retail outlets via QR codes. Or you open wallet apps like Q Wallet by Kbank or TagThai, which also require registration and verification, and link the THBS account from the exchange there (meaning you'll already have two apps). You can also contact a bank, open an account, and get a plastic card to transfer THBS to for payment, but that's even more complicated and has conditions that not every tourist can meet.

But here's the difficulty, and there are many:

• Registration only using a local SIM card (how to buy a local SIM card here).
• For verification, you need to personally visit one of the centers with your passport and proof of residence in Thailand (lease agreement or certificate from the immigration office).
• Registration for Russian citizens is limited. For example, Binance TH is closed to Russians, Bitkub simply doesn't launch on smartphones with a Russian 'region'. For opening a Q Wallet by Kbank wallet, only 20 countries are available (Russia is not on the list).

It is precisely because of this last reason that we haven't been able to test this scheme yet, and overall we get the impression that for a one or two month trip, this option is too time-consuming and complicated to implement. If you've come for a winter stay or just live in one place and have extra time, you can try.

Tipping in Thailand

Tipping is common only in tourist areas, but it's not mandatory. Tips are given to porters (5-10 baht), taxi drivers (rounding the meter up by 5-10 baht), guides, and hotel staff (housekeeping – 10-20 baht per day is sufficient if you think your room was well cleaned, or if you want it to be well cleaned in the future). In restaurants, a service charge is often included as a separate line item on the bill. In places where this is not done, you can leave 10%.

But again, we repeat! In general, the tipping system here is not the basis of staff income, like in Egypt, for example. Tipping is just an addition that you can leave if you wish, and no one will expect or demand it from you. In our opinion, in this regard, Thailand can be compared to Russia.