| There are primarily four ways to pay for your Thailand | | | | 4. Travelers Checks. The biggest plus with travelers |
| vacation. | | | | checks are you can get refunded if they are stolen. |
| | | | One of the negatives are you may have to pay a fee |
| 1. Cash. You can bring cash to Thailand to fund your | | | | to get them and a fee to cash them. Another issue is |
| holiday but there are some rules you need to know. If | | | | that you will have to cash them during banking hours at |
| you bring more than $10,000 you must declare it in the | | | | a bank or get a ridiculously low exchange rate at your |
| country you are departing and also in Thailand. You | | | | hotel. |
| are also susceptible to having your cash stolen. | | | | Regardless of what you decide, converting your home |
| 2. Credit Card. Using a credit is easy but there are | | | | currency to Thai baht is easy. There are banks and |
| some precautions. Credit card skimming (stealing your | | | | currency exchanges all over the country. Remember |
| number and Personal Identification Number) is a | | | | to bring your passport when you go to exchange |
| possibility even in a five-star hotel. Only use a credit | | | | currency. |
| card at a place you totally trust or as a last resort. | | | | I recommend that you do not change any of your |
| Ensure you check your statements closely after you | | | | home currency to Thai baht before your depart. The |
| return. It is also a good idea to notify your credit card | | | | rate will be terrible and there are numerous currency |
| company when you will be in Thailand or your card | | | | exchange booths at the Bangkok International Airport. |
| may be blocked. | | | | Ensure that you secure your cash valuables, and other |
| 3. Debit Card. This used to be the ideal financial tool for | | | | financial instruments in the room safe. Only carry |
| your vacation. Less likely to be stolen and easier to | | | | enough cash to get your through the day or night. |
| use. As long as you had money in your home account, | | | | I suggest a combination of cash and travelers check |
| you could use any of the thousands of ATM | | | | with a bank card for emergency. Especially if you can |
| machines. Now, almost every Thai bank charges 150 | | | | get the travelers check free from your bank. Some |
| baht (approximately $5.00) per transaction and your | | | | money in your home account will ensure you will still |
| home bank may also charge a fee. ATM scams are | | | | have a good vacation if your go over budget. |
| on the rise in Thailand, so only use those ATM | | | | Whatever you decide, you will have a great holiday in |
| machines inside or right outside a Thai bank. | | | | Thailand. |