Currency rates GBP - THB

[UncappedTag]

I'm off to Thailand in June. Looking at the FX rates it's been pretty volatile recently.

It's a gamble when to buy any CCY, but any pointers?

ThomasCook seem to have an attractive price of circa 46THB per GBP.

[DavesFlaps]

M&S Money online always seem to be a good bet.

What I do however is just change £100 or so before travelling, use the credit card for purchases the rest of the time (not letting any potentially thieving s walk away with it however) and if I need any more cash, use the local ATMs.

[phumy]

DavesFlaps said:

M&S Money online always seem to be a good bet.

What I do however is just change £100 or so before travelling, use the credit card for purchases the rest of the time (not letting any potentially thieving s walk away with it however) and if I need any more cash, use the local ATMs.

Make sure you inform the card issuer you are going to Thailand, because there has been so much fruad there over the last few years many card issuers will not let you take money out of Thai ATM's without prior notice. Therefore you might find yourself having to go through the bank and show passports and filling in forms every time you want to get some cash, which could be a problem in the evening when the banks are shut..

[ParanoidAndroid]

Do you guys still take travellers cheques? Travelling to Thailand end of this week and wondering whether to go all cash and use ATM's (hopefully it'll work - I've informed the bank) or if it's better to take some travellers cheques as well.

[UncappedTag]

Thank you for the heads up re notifying my back re withdrawals. Would not have know this.

[thegamekeeper]

Why would you need cash in the evenings in Thailand

[MrSpike]

A couple of things to remember, only use main atm machines not the dodgy ones just put randomly around the place, always pay cash in restaurants as theyve a habit of taking your card away and there isnt any chip and pin. I sign my wifes card here all the time. In the last month or so all banks have to charge all foreign cards 150THB per transaction when withdrawing money, so soon mounts up, you can draw 20K per transaction which is 400 sterling.

[bazking69]

[quote]Make sure you inform the card issuer you are going to Thailand, because there has been so much fruad there over the last few years many card issuers will not let you take money out of Thai ATM's without prior notice.
[/quote]

I found this out in Turkey a few years back when not only was my withdrawal refused at an ATM but my card was swallowed. Luckily we had wifeys card which was authorised after a phonecall. I therefore now always phone my bank ahead when I am travelling somewhere new to check that I won't encounter any problems...

[soprano]

Well I was there end of Feb/start of March and from the start of my hols it went from c.50 to c.48 Baht to the pound so recent trends seems to be downward. Think it was up in the 60s last year when a friend of mine was out there.

Less ping pong for your pound.

[Nobby Diesel]

soprano said:

Well I was there end of Feb/start of March and from the start of my hols it went from c.50 to c.48 Baht to the pound so recent trends seems to be downward. Think it was up in the 60s last year when a friend of mine was out there.

Less ping pong for your pound.

60 was a couple of years ago now.
This time last year - 52
Now - 46
So, you see which way the trend is going.

It's been very cheap at 94 to the £ and eye wateringly expensive at 34 in the past.

[MrSpike]

Nobby Diesel,

Do you live in BKK? Could catch up for a beer over the F1?

[UncappedTag]

Anyone have any THB to sell at current spot 48.6?

[Nobby Diesel]

MrSpike said:

Nobby Diesel,

Do you live in BKK? Could catch up for a beer over the F1?

No, in the UK, just holiday in Thailand with the family most years. Spent a little time in BKK last year. The kids (and me) had great fun on the longtails, thrashing up and down the river!
Not staying in BKK next week, straight through the airport to Samui.