Money in Thailand: baht, cards, cash and tourist QR payments

Thai baht: organise money around actual spending

Thailand’s currency is the baht, usually written THB. Think in the baht total when comparing meals, transport or shopping, then use your actual provider’s rate to judge the cost at home. Do not base the trip on a conversion copied from an old travel page.

Keep the day’s money separate from your backup card and reserve. Ask for change when it is practical, and check the printed value of a note before handing it over in a busy market. Before heading to an isolated stay, ask the hotel about nearby withdrawal facilities and the payment methods it accepts; do not assume a map marker proves that a machine is working.

Cash and cards: ask before ordering or booking

At a small food stall, ask what payment method is accepted and have cash ready if needed. For a hotel, activity or larger restaurant bill, confirm the final total, any card surcharge and the currency before authorising payment. A card logo alone does not answer every question about the transaction.

Check your home bank’s foreign-purchase, withdrawal and security settings before departure. Keep a second payment method separate and know how to contact the bank if the card is blocked. If a terminal offers to convert the bill into your home currency, compare that quoted rate and total with the card provider’s conversion rather than accepting without reading. Keep the receipt until the transaction clears.

ATM withdrawals and exchange: compare the total

An ATM transaction can involve the machine’s own charge, your bank’s fee and currency conversion. Read the screen and cancel before confirming if the terms are unsuitable. Fees and withdrawal limits depend on the machine, card and account; check the actual terms rather than assuming one universal Thai amount.

When exchanging cash, use an identifiable bank or exchange provider, read the posted rate and ask what you will receive after any charge. Count the baht and keep the receipt before leaving. Compare an exchange with a withdrawal using the whole cost, not just one attractive rate. Do not carry the entire holiday budget in one pocket to avoid a small fee.

QR payments: a tourist wallet is an option, not a requirement

TAT’s March 2025 guide describes TAGTHAi Easy Pay, linked to KBank’s PAY&TOUR prepaid card. The registration route described there starts at a KBank foreign-exchange booth, including airport booths, using a passport and exchanged funds. The card is then linked in the TAGTHAi app using the registration details and PIN. TAT’s September 2026 announcement confirms the wallet still supports baht top-ups and Thai QR payments through participating businesses.

Check the current registration locations, supported currency, limits, fees and refund conditions with KBank or TAGTHAi before changing money into a prepaid balance. The March 2025 page includes provider-specific withdrawal and refund terms, but we do not present those older amounts as guaranteed current terms. Start with a small payment and check the successful confirmation with the merchant.

A foreign bank app is a separate question: ask your provider whether it supports the relevant Thai payment scheme. Do not infer compatibility from the camera being able to read a code. Keep cash or a card available if the app, mobile connection or merchant’s account cannot complete the payment.

Arrival proof of funds: check your entry category

TAT’s 6 July 2026 reminder describes existing proof-of-funds requirements, not a new universal rule. It gives THB 10,000 per person or 20,000 per family for visa on arrival and certain transit or visa-exempt cases, and THB 20,000 per person or 40,000 per family for tourist and non-immigrant visa categories. The correct requirement depends on how you enter; do not apply one line to every visa-exempt nationality.

TAT describes baht, equivalent foreign currency or acceptable documentary evidence of funds, subject to immigration assessment, and an exception for children under 12. Check the current requirements for your nationality and entry category with the relevant official authority before departure. Have the acceptable evidence accessible before immigration rather than planning to withdraw afterwards. These amounts are not customs cash-declaration limits or a daily spending recommendation.

Paying for food, tips and a final balance

Ask the total before a seafood order priced by weight or an unpriced market purchase. For a restaurant bill, check whether service is already included. If you choose to tip, treat it as a voluntary addition you have decided on, not a percentage assumed from home. Agree the price of a purchase before handing over money.

Near departure, review any prepaid-wallet balance and the current refund process while you still have time to visit the required counter. Keep enough for the last meal and transfer but avoid adding a large balance just before leaving. Never disclose a banking PIN or one-time code to someone offering to help with a payment.