Thailand's Currency & Exchange Rates

The Thai unit of currency is the baht. 1 baht is divided into 100 satang. Paper notes are in denominations of 1,000 (beige), 500 (purple), 100 (red), 50 (blue), 20 (green) and 10 (brown) baht. Coins consist of 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht.

Major currency bills and travelers checks are cashed easily at hotels, tourist shops, all provincial banks, shopping centers and money exchanges. Travelers checks are best changed in banks (you will need your passport). Rates of exchange at banks or authorized money changers are better than those at hotels and department stores.

Any amount of foreign currency may be brought into the country. Visitors may take foreign currency out of Thailand, but no more than the amount stated in the customs declaration made on arrival. Travelers leaving Thailand may take out no more than 50,000 baht per person in Thai currency.

Currency Notes
Thai paper baht comes in denominations of 10 (brown), 20 (green), 50 (blue), 100 (red), 500 (purple) and 1000 (beige) notes.

Currency Coins
There are 100 satang in one baht; coins include 25-satang and 50-satang pieces so these coins in gold color are 25% of 1 baht and 50% of 1 baht while the baht coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10.

Tipping: Tipping is not a usual practice in Thailand although it is becoming more common. Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Taxi drivers do not require a tip, but the gesture is appreciated and 20 - 50 baht is acceptable for porters.

Bargaining: Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargaining is to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40% lower than the original asking price. Much depends on your skills and the shopkeeper's mood. But remember, Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of humor. If you make an offer by saying something like "Will you take 500 baht?" and the shopkeeper says "ok", be prepared to pay that price. With patience and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price, you will also enjoy shopping as an art.

VAT Refunds: Visitors entering the Kingdom on a tourist visa are entitled to refund of the 7% VAT (keep your receipts to show at the VAT office at the airport) on goods purchased at registered retail outlets.

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