Notes and Coins
Thai Baht (฿, code THB) banknotes come in five denominations: ฿20 (green), ฿50 (blue), ฿100 (red), ฿500 (purple), and ฿1,000 (grey-brown). All feature the King's portrait on the front, never deface, fold disrespectfully, or step on currency, this is illegal in Thailand under lese-majeste laws.
Coins circulate as ฿1, ฿2, ฿5, and ฿10. Smaller satang coins (25 and 50 satang, 1/4 and 1/2 baht) appear in supermarket change but are rarely used otherwise. Carry small notes for street food and motorbike taxis where ฿1,000 notes are often refused.
Exchange Rates and Trends
The Thai Baht typically trades 32-37 per USD, 35-41 per EUR, and 42-47 per GBP. Rates fluctuate daily based on tourism flows, US Federal Reserve decisions, and Thai exports. Check XE.com or Wise for the mid-market rate before exchanging, this is your benchmark for fair value.
Tourist season (November-February) tightens supply and slightly worsens rates. Off-season (May-September) sometimes brings better rates. Most exchanges update rates twice daily in line with the Bank of Thailand reference rate.
Best Places to Exchange Money
SuperRich (orange and green branded variants are different companies, both excellent) consistently offers Bangkok's best rates, often within 0.5% of mid-market. Major branches at Big C Ratchadamri, Central World, Pratunam, and BTS stations including Chit Lom and Asok.
Vasu Exchange near Asok BTS and Twelve Victory Exchange in Pratunam offer comparable rates. SIA Money Exchange has multiple branches with strong rates. Bring your passport, exchanges are required to record passport details for amounts above ฿20,000.
Avoid These Exchange Options
Suvarnabhumi Airport exchanges (except SuperRich kiosks at Level B Airport Rail Link station) offer rates 3-5% worse than city booths. Hotel exchanges are typically 5-8% worse. Bank branches generally provide poor rates compared to dedicated currency exchanges, useful only if you have time constraints.
Avoid changing money on the street under any circumstances, scams and counterfeit handouts are common. ATM withdrawals using foreign cards work but incur ฿220 Thai bank fees plus your home bank's foreign transaction fees, usually worse value than SuperRich for amounts over $200.
Counterfeit Awareness
Counterfeit ฿1,000 and ฿500 notes circulate in tourist areas. Genuine notes have raised intaglio printing (you can feel the texture), embedded security threads visible when held to light, color-shifting ink on the denomination numeral, and watermarks of the King visible from both sides.
When receiving change at markets or from taxis at night, glance at large notes before pocketing. If you suspect a counterfeit, return it immediately and request a different note. Don't accept large notes in poorly lit conditions if the source seems suspect, walk to a 7-Eleven and break a smaller note instead.