Banks and ATMs
ATMs are extremely common in most major cities and towns. You’ll find them at bank branches, on street corners, at major stores such as Tesco Lotus and 7-Eleven and in shopping malls. You’ll also find them in major airports.
The following are five of Thailand’s best-known banks: Aeon Bank, Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri), Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank, Siam Commercial Bank
Thai ATMs work with Cirrus, Maestro, MasterCard and Visa (Plus) cards. They also work with chip-and-pin type cards and with cards that have just a magnetic stripe at the back.
Most Thai ATMs have a daily withdrawal limit of ฿20,000 (£465). The fees for using an ATM in Thailand are expensive. Most local banks charge ฿200 (approximately £4.60) per transaction for withdrawals with a foreign bank card. Aeon Bank charges ฿150 per transaction. At about £3.50, this is still quite expensive.
Climate in November
The weather in Bangkok in November is pretty hot. The average temperatures are between 25°C and 32°C. Bangkok should expect an average of 15 to 22 days of rain, so be sure to bring along a waterproof jacket to stay dry this month!
Currency
The monetary unit of Thailand is the baht (THB or ฿). In circulation are coins of 25 and 50 satang, and 1, 2, 5 and 10 baht.Despite of this fact, it is worth noting that Satang coins are virtually out of circulation and almost never occur.Banknotes come in denominations of 10 baht, 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht and 1,000 baht.
Currently, there are two series of banknotes and coins in circulation – the newly introduced ‘Series 17’, the first ever to feature a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and the ‘Series 16’ banknotes of the late King Bhumipol Adulyadej.
Most restaurants and shops in Thailand only accept payment in local money.Local shops usually prefer cash, but credit and debit cards can also be used for purchases at some shops, hotels, and restaurants. The most commonly accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard. American Express is typically only accepted at high-end hotels and restaurants.
Currency Exchange
You can exchange some foreign money at the airport, so that you have the money for small expenses, the exchange rate in the airports in Thailand is acceptable. On the other hand, currency exchange offices with acceptable rate in tourist areas can also be found almost on every step.
Exchanging money in exchange offices at hotels and guesthouses is not really recommended since the exchange rate there is usually not the best deal. Best to do it in exchange offices or banks.
Debit and ATM cards issued by a bank in your own country can also be used at ATMs around Thailand to withdraw cash (in Thai baht only) directly from your account back home. ATMs are extremely ubiquitous throughout the country and can be relied on for the bulk of your spending cash.Most ATMs allow a maximum of 20,000B in withdrawals per day. However, Thai ATMs will charge a 200 Baht foreign-transaction fee on top of currency conversion and out-of-network fees your home bank charges.
Electricity
Thailand uses 220V AC electricity and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Power outlets most commonly feature two-prong round or flat sockets (type A, B, C, F and O).
Emergency Contacts
Tourist Police: 1155
Thailand Emergency Services (Fire, Ambulance): 191
Language
The official language of Thailand is Thai language, which is widely spoken throughout the nation. However, many Thais are also able to communicate in English, particularly in the major cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket as well as areas that are widely visited by foreign nationals.
Road signs are written in both Thai and English, and many tourist areas provide maps, menus, and other literature in both Thai and various other foreign languages. However, English is typically the common currency for cross-cultural conversation as Thailand hosts visitors from around the world.
Some useful phrases:
| Hello | Sawasdee |
| My name is… | Chan/Phom cheu… |
| Thank you (very much) | Kob khun (maak) |
| Bye | Bye-bye |
| Can you help me? | Chuay chan/phom noi dai mai |
| How much is this? | An nee tao rai |
| Do you speak English? | Khun phood pasa ang krit mai |
| I don’t speak Thai | Chan/Phom phood pasa Thai mai dai |
| I don’t understand | Chan/Phom mai khao jai |
| Do you have an English menu? | Mee menu pasa angkrit mai |
| I’m a vegetarian | Chan/phom tan mangsavirat |
| Not too spicy, please | Mai phed maak |
VAT – Sales Tax
The standard rate of VAT is 10%, but the rate is currently reduced to 7% until 30 September 2023 (unless further extended by the government). VAT is levied on the sale of goods and the provision of services.
Tipping
Tipping is not generally expected in Thailand, though it is appreciated. The exception is loose change from a large restaurant bill – if a meal costs 488B and you pay with a 500B note, some Thais will leave the change. At many hotel restaurants and upmarket eateries, a 10% service charge and 7% VAT may be added to your bill.