Money & Payments
Thailand runs largely on cash, especially for street food, markets and islands. Cards work at hotels and malls, and the local QR system is spreading, but always carry baht.
Currency
Thai baht (฿)
Cash
Essential for street & markets
Cards
Hotels · malls · chains
QR pay
PromptPay (local banks)
Carry cash
Street food, markets, tuk-tuks, temples and small guesthouses are cash-only. Keep a stash of small notes — ฿20, 50 and 100 — for everyday spending.
ATMs & fees
ATMs are everywhere but charge a fixed foreign-card fee (around ฿220) per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts less often. Money changers in tourist areas offer good rates for cash.
Cards & QR
Hotels, malls, chain restaurants and 7-Eleven take Visa and Mastercard. Thailand’s PromptPay QR is common but typically needs a Thai bank account, so travelers lean on cash and cards.
Tipping & bargaining
Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory — rounding up is fine. At markets, polite bargaining is expected; start below the asking price and keep it friendly.
Useful phrases Phrases
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Internet & Apps