Nowadays depending on the bank, the price for withdrawing money in Thailand from an ATM can be up to 250 Baht or 7.84 USD high. As Thai banks charge a fixed fee on top of the other fees for any amount you withdraw, it is not recommended to do often and small money withdrawals from ATMs in Thailand.
So, how to withdraw money in Thailand? To withdraw money in Thailand, you can use your standard Visa or Mastercard, or other types of cards at many ATMs in Thailand. As Thailand has one of the highest money withdrawals fees in the world, to save money, it is recommended to bring your currency to Thailand and change it there.
Pro Tip: When in Thailand avoid many and small withdrawal amounts.
Keep reading to find out how much money can you withdraw and what are the best ways how to withdraw money in Thailand.
How Much Money Can You Withdraw From An ATM In Thailand?
The average money withdrawal maximum for the most ATMs in Thailand is 30 000 Baht (941 USD, 836 EUR, 742 GBP).
Citibank in Thailand has the highest maximum withdrawal limit, and it is 50 000 Baht (1568 USD, 1394 EUR, 1208 GBP). If you believe that you will need to withdraw such large amounts of money in Thailand, it is better to check the daily withdrawal limit of your card and to increase it if necessary before your trip to Thailand.
The lowest money withdrawal limit is 20 000 Baht (627 USD, 557 EUR, 483 GBP) although it is not very common and such popular banks in Thailand as Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank, Thai Military Bank and other will have withdrawal limits of 30 000 Baht.
Here is the list of the biggest and most popular banks in Thailand that has the most ATMs in Thailand:
- Bangkok Bank
- Krungthai Bank
- Siam Commercial Bank
- Kasikorn Bank
- Krungsri Bank
- Citibank
Note that most ATMs in Thailand allow withdrawing only 20 banknotes per withdrawal. So don’t be surprised by the fact that you can not get more than that.
How Much Does It Cost To Withdraw Money In Thailand?
The average price for money withdrawal from an ATM in Thailand is 200 Baht (6.27 USD, 5.57 EUR, 4.83 GBP). Because it is a fee that goes above all of the other fees, withdrawing money in Thailand is expensive compared to other countries.
Here is an example of charges for using an ATM in Thailand. Let’s say you would like to withdraw 5000 Baht that is about 156 US Dollars. Depending on your bank you would have to pay up to 5% on your withdrawal amount. If you would withdraw 5000 Baht with the fee of 5% that would be total of 5250 Baht. And on top of that, you would have to pay an additional 150 to 250 Baht. Let’s say those are 250 Baht.
It means that it can cost you up to 500 Baht (15.67USD, 13.92 EUR, 12.07 GBP) to withdraw 5000 Baht (156 USD, 139 EUR, 120 GBP).
I will leave it to you to decide either charge for using ATM in Thailand is low or high, but for travelers on a budget, 15 US Dollars could get a dorm bed for 5 nights.
Note that in your bank account balance this ATM fee will not show up as a separate payment, but as a total withdrawal instead.
Meaning if you checked your bank account balance after money withdrawal in the example mentioned above, it would show up as 5250 Baht withdrawal (5000 Baht + 250 Baht ATM fee) and a separate payment of all the other fees.
Also if you own a card that does not charge any additional fees, you still will get charged up to 250 Baht per withdrawal.
On the other hand, if you have a Thai Bank account the cost to withdraw money from an ATM in Thailand is about 15 Baht (0.47 USD, 0.42 EUR, 0.36 GBP).
When withdrawing money in Thailand, it is recommended NOT to convert the charges to your home country currency because this way you will pay even more. An ATM will offer you this option during the withdrawal process, but you should cancel it.
What will be offered to you is an option to convert the fee to your home country currency. As this option includes additional costs, it is cheaper to pay a fee in local currency.
Best Alternatives To Withdrawing Money From ATMs In Thailand
Now that you know how much does it cost to withdraw money in Thailand lets take a look some alternatives that could bring down those expenses.
Here is a list of alternatives to withdrawing money from ATMs in Thailand:
- Exchanging your currency at money exchange offices in Thailand
- Exchanging your currency in your country before your trip to Thailand
- Having a debit card that automatically reimburses any fees associated with withdrawal (particular account needed)
- Having a Thai bank account to withdraw money at a lower cost
- Having a friend in Thailand who might use his Thai card to withdraw money for you
Exchanging your currency at money exchange offices in Thailand
Many do not know that Thailand has one of the lowest currency exchange rates in The world. Therefore it is a good idea to bring your currency into Thailand and change it there, but do not forget about the safety – make money difficult to access, and you will be fine.
If you want to exchange your money at Bangkok International Airport (BKK – Suvarnabhumi) best exchange rates are offered by Super Rich and Value Plus (red color money exchange booth). Of course, it is always cheaper to exchange money elsewhere than at the airport.
Super Rich Suvarnabhumi Airport office is located on floor B, and it is opened daily from 6:30 AM to 22:00. To check the Super Rich Suvarnabhumi Airport exchange rate, you can visit their official website by clicking HERE.
Note that at a money exchange shop in Thailand you will have to show your passport.
Exchanging your currency in your country before your trip to Thailand
Note that foreign visitors must bring enough cash before they can enter Thailand. Minimum cash limit for most travelers is 10 000 Baht (313 USD, 279, EUR 242).
When entering Thailand, you will be asked to show 10 000 Baht in cash or equivalent amount of cash in your currency.
I also recommend preparing information (usually address is enough) about your booked hotels or Airbnb’s in Thailand as well. This way you will get through the queue faster.
Having a debit card that automatically reimburses any fees associated with withdrawal
It is something you should ask your bank, but using this kind of debit card would allow you not to worry about any costs related to money withdrawal in Thailand.
I use standard Mastercard and try to avoid withdrawing small amounts of money in Thailand.
Having a Thai bank account and using it together with TransferWise
It could be the best option for those who live in Thailand for longer. For example for digital nomads.
If you would have a Thai bank account charges for using ATM in Thailand would be about 15 BHT (0.47 USD, 0.42 EUR, 0.36 GBP).
I have heard that TransferWise is one of the cheapest and fastest options on how to transfer money from your bank account in your home country to your bank account in Thailand.
Having a friend in Thailand who might use his Thai card to withdraw money for you
Similar to the previous option you could ask for help from a friend who could withdraw the amount you need from his local bank card. Sending that money to your friend who has a Thai bank account can be done by TransferWise as well.
How To Use ATM In Thailand?
Using ATMs in Thailand is the same as elsewhere in the world – you have to insert your card into the ATM and follow the instructions. Most ATMs in Bangkok accept all of the most popular cards: Visa, Visa Plus, MasterCard, Maestro, JCB and other.
Here is the list of languages supported by most ATMs in Thailand:
- Arabic
- Burmese
- Cambodian
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Thai
- English
You should not worry about finding an ATM in Bangkok as they can be found on almost every street, inside shopping malls and even inside such small convenience stores in Thailand as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart. It is safe to say that in all touristy areas in Thailand there are plenty of ATMs.
An exception is more rural areas where it could be more challenging to find an ATM. If you plan to explore Thailand to the fullest and visit places where there are no tourists it is recommended to withdraw money before your trip to such locations.
To see all the locations where to withdraw money in Thailand, you can check this ATM map – Visa Global ATM Locator.
Mastercard had a similar map of ATM availability in Thailand, but it was not working when I last checked it. You might want to search for it yourself.
Also before money withdrawal from an ATM, you can check it and look for the stickers of supported cards.
Can I Use My Debit Card In Thailand?
The acceptance of debit cards in Thailand is growing, and nowadays it is possible to pay by card in many shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and convenience stores.
While Visa and Mastercard are often accepted in places mentioned above American Express and other bank cardholders might face situations when it is not possible to make a payment with their cards.
Note that this applies only to such big cities as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket Town and other. In smaller towns and rural areas, it is unlikely that you will be able to make a payment with a debit card.
Also in markets or with street vendors, it will be impossible to find anyone who would accept a debit card so prepare cash when visiting those places.
Related Questions
Do you need cash in Thailand? Thailand is a cash-driven society, and you will need cash everywhere – to pay for restaurants, taxis, street vendors, various tours and for many other services. Remember to keep the money safe.
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