You go on vacation and chose Thailand (Phuket) for yourself? The money of this country is something every tourist will have to deal with. And this applies not only to Phuket and other popular places. We know the extremely respectful, even reverent attitude of Thais to their own currency and the extreme unwillingness to make payments in Euros and dollars so quoted by us. That is why, once at the airport in Bangkok, foreigners have to immediately engage in the exchange of cash for currency units of local currency. Since 1928, these have been Thai baht.
The international classification code of Thai money is ISO - 4217, abbreviated Thai currency is designated as THB.
What money will you meet in Thailand?
In our days, paper bills of only five specific denominations are in circulation: 20 baht (a bill with a predominance of green in design), 50 baht (mainly blue), 100 baht (red), 500 baht (lilac). The largest is the "money" worth 1000 baht, decorated in brown tones.
Thai metal money is represented mainly by Thai baht in denominations from 1 to 10. One and five-baht coins are minted in silver, but the second one is larger and, due to the original form of coinage, at first glance looks like faceted. A double-baht coin (made of yellow metal) can be met much less often than a face value of 1 baht.
The largest in thickness and diameter is 10 baht. It is bimetallic - a silver ring running along the edge borders the central circle of yellow color.
About Thai stuff
Each Thai baht is equal to one hundred satangs - Thai "pennies." In circulation, you can find small coins of 25 and 50 satangs. Both of them are bronze-red. The likelihood of an average tourist getting acquainted with such money during an ordinary short trip to this country is not very high. This is due to the fact that in stores and markets, prices have long been rounded up to baht.
Occasionally, a trifle can be obtained as change, but it is unlikely to be able to use it as money - you can’t buy anything for it, you just have to leave it as alms on the street or keep it in your memory.
Coins were struck in Thailand like American ones - you can look at the reverse side by turning from top to bottom (vertically), and not like in Europe - horizontally. And at first it can be confusing.
Get used to baht
When going to Thailand, be prepared to spend money only in the national currency, and therefore information about its current rate is always up to date. These data are constantly updated by SCB Bank, one of the largest in the country.
At the resorts, going to the exchange office of some other bank, you may encounter a slight discrepancy in rates, but the differences are not so large as to seriously damage the tourist budget.
Our Russian rubles can also be exchanged for Thai money, but in recent years such an exchange has not been very profitable. Although relatively recently, their mutual exchange rate was 1: 1.
Where is better to exchange currency
The exchange rate is not the same everywhere. As in any country actively visited by tourists, changing money right at the airport is the most disadvantageous thing for foreigners. Any bank knows that a tourist needs local banknotes immediately upon arrival. If, for example, the purpose of your trip from the airport through Thailand - Pattaya, you need money for a bus, and just to have a snack on the way. And therefore, the dollar or euro purchase rate at airports is always artificially low.
It is not too profitable to change the currency in the exchangers located in hotels and guesthouses. On the exchange of a 100-dollar bill, a tourist loses on average from 80 to 100 baht, which equals the cost of lunch in a local cafe or a couple of bottles of beer. Exchange rates can vary even in two neighboring points, since all Thai banks dictate their own conditions to their branches located in resorts. Those wishing to save money are advised to go around several such points in a row and choose where Thailand's money is offered the cheapest. The benefit of exchangers in the country is enough, especially in tourist destinations. Many of them, for example, in Pattaya, work until late in the evening.
Features of dollar exchange
Those planning a vacation to this country should remember the stable rate of Thai baht in recent years, but its slight fluctuations occur literally every day. You can save a little more by bringing money (especially American dollars) in large bills. The exchange rate set by banks on the scoreboard exists, as a rule, in three versions:
- for one- and two-dollar bills (least beneficial to the dealer);
- for banknotes in denominations of 5, 10 or 20 units (slightly more expensive);
- for dollars in the form of banknotes of 50 and 100 units (the most optimal from the point of view of the tourist).
Oddly enough, with respect to other world currencies, including the euro, there is no such gradation. You also need to know that old American dollars (issued a year earlier than 1966) will not be accepted at a street exchanger, you should take care in advance to bring new bills with you.
Important Nuances
Recently, Russian citizens should not have problems exchanging rubles for Thai money - such a procedure is quite available in most places popular with tourists. Sometimes a direct exchange rate on the information board may not be displayed, but this does not mean that the procedure is impossible - you should only contact the operator.
An important nuance! Do not forget that any money in Thailand, both banknotes and coins, contains an image of the king. Own monarch enjoys great respect among the inhabitants of the country, and therefore any manifestation of neglect of the royal person is fraught with harsh retribution for desecration - from the attacks of an angry crowd on the street to criminal charges.
That is why never demonstrate disrespect for Thai banknotes - do not think, do not throw them to the ground and in no case step on them!
A little excursion into the past
The history of Thai baht (THB) originates in ancient times. By the term “baht” the population of Indochina denoted the so-called tikal, which also served as a unit of mass. From 1350 to the very 19th century, Siam, the most powerful and powerful Thai state, was minted for silver and gold ingots of a non-standard convex shape, large in weight (1.215 kg). Since 1861, ordinary, European-looking round coins began to be produced for the needs of Siam by the English Mint.
Banknotes were issued at that time, which were called ticks and tamlungs. We finished printing them in 1918. Thai Baht as an independent national monetary unit was "born" on April 15, 1928 and remains in that capacity to this day.
About small coins
The name Satang - a small bargaining chip of Thai - is translated from the Pali language as "one hundredth", which corresponds to reality. The chasing of satangs has been going on since 1898, that is, officially it appeared before the baht. 25 such small coins in the vernacular language are called “salueng”.
Thai coins have always been distinguished by a variety of weights and shapes. The largest are those with 10 baht each. Small ones - at 25 satangs. Each of the coins, as already mentioned, is issued with the image of a royal portrait. It is applied on the front side, and on the back there can be a variety of mythological characters, etc. Often there are reverses with minted temples, the importance of which for the Thai population is difficult to overestimate.
Russia - Thailand: money (course, local features, etc.)
In a sense, it’s easier for our tourist than, say, a Frenchman or a German. You do not have to make complicated calculations if you are going to Thailand. Money (the exchange rate to the ruble is difficult to precisely determine, since it constantly fluctuates, albeit insignificantly; for example, at the beginning of April 2017 about 163.2 Russian rubles are being asked for 100 baht), they cost about the same here, and the Thai currency is converted to close ones to our rubles figures. Thus, calculating the future costs of vacation in this country, our tourist can operate on prices in the usual monetary units. In addition, many goods and services here are much cheaper than Russian.
Thai currency can be cashed in a huge number of ATMs that work with most standard bank cards, such as MasterCard or Visa. The commission in them is a fixed size (150 baht), cashing limits - from 20,000 to 30,000 baht. Without commission, you can withdraw money from the card through the bank by presenting a scan of your passport.
What money should I go to Thailand with? Going to the country for a long time, it is worth stocking up in dollars, since in the process of cashing out, banks initially convert both rubles, euros, and other money into American dollars. If the trip is short - you can carry a card on which rubles. If you import over 10,000 dollars, you will need to declare it at Russian customs.
To the question of tips
They are accepted in the service sector of any country, and Thailand is no exception. Their size is usually kept within reasonable limits. Spreading money here is not accepted, at the same time, after receiving a handful of little things, staff may feel offended. The tip size cannot be higher than the cost of the service itself. The taxi counter is simply rounded to a higher value. Although this is not always the case.
In hotels, the "extra" money is left to maids and luggage carriers. Tipping is not accepted in dollars.
It’s better not to try to “pay off” from paying for something forbidden (such as smoking in the wrong places) - definitely will not work out to avoid a fine.
If you follow these simple rules, then you can relax in this beautiful country with very moderate costs, wisely spending the planned budget and getting the most excellent experience.