Help!! Next week going for 3 weeks to Phuket. I’ve only booked hotel for 6 days. I have Covid now, I’m holding off booking a yoga weight loss retreat as they can be gruelling if I’m still fatigued. So I need $3-4 k. For accommodation & trips & spending. I don’t want to pay transaction fees but I’m uneasy carrying thousands of dollars to exchange for baht. Wise limit is $350 p/day. How do I avoid fees, poor rates?
Thailand 3 Weeks Money $3000, travel cards Wise IHG limit $350 per day
Tiklpikl on 13/09/2022 - 19:07
Comments
Am I missing something? Even if the OP could open the ING account and receive the card in the next week, any fee free status would only kick in next month?
There's a reason why I always used to make 5 purchases using that ING debit card, and deposit $1000 from salary into it, even when I though I wont need it.
It turns out later I am at royal Adelaide show, need cash to pay there, ATM charges $2+ fees, heck I aint paying that, need to get Cash from servo ATMs to gift to someone, heck I dont pay ATM fee there either. Need to buy stuff from eBay with paypal (dont know if seller is located outside Australia or not), I know the fact if he's outside I'd still not be paying that international transaction fee.
Else ANZ Travel Rewards?
Although if its anything like bali many places are still yet to set up credit card facilities.
Change destination to Khao Lak
I'm not sure that any of the usual best options like ING, citi etc are gonna be feasible in the next week.
My only suggestion if you really don't want to carry cash with you is to shop around for pre-paid travel cards that you can get over the counter. CBA used to issue their travel cards in-branch and the weren't too bad (it's been a long time, so your mileage may vary). Alternatively the auspost card seems to charge a flat fee for overseas ATM transactions
Having said that… you can't go wrong with cash in Thai tourist traps. There are exchange booths/shops everywhere and a number of well established, reputable brands that offer exchange rates that can't be beaten. Cash (and gold for the locals) truly is king in Thailand,
Cash is definately the best bet, however only change enough at the airport for you to get to your hotel the first night. After that I found the banks often have the best rates, but the exchange booths aren't far behind.
As for safety, I've always felt fine with a travel pouch around my neck for the days cash, some Thai Baht in my pocket so I'm not pulling that pouch out in public and any extra cash stays in the hotel safe.
Travel pouch… lol
You laugh. Until you realise you should've used one. I've used one in some places where the room safe hasn't really felt that 'safe'.
It may be dorky, but it works. It also lets me carry passports and other doc's I may need without taking a bag around with me. Somewhere like Thailand it's normally shorts and a shirt, so no jacket with extra pockets.
Socks and sandals to complete the look?
You're not going to get a fee free ATM card in time. I think the ATM withdrawal fee is about 200 or 220 baht so about $8-$9. That's on top of any fees from your own bank, so it's not really practical withdrawing $100 or $200 here and there.
I'd just take $4k cash over there and use your cards in the event you get robbed which won't happen. It will fit in your pocket. It's not much money. There's not a lot of random violent crime in Thailand like in Australia. If you dropped that $4k in a taxi the driver will more often than not return it.
dizzle is onto it. anything you do that is not carrying cash around is going to result in bad rates and fees, there's no getting around it. as long as you don't walk around holding all your cash in your hand showing everybody you will most likely be fine.
3K is only 30 notes, it's not like you need a suitcase to carry it around. when you get to Phuket change it at a booth (T.T. Exchange has the best rates where I live, I am not sure if they are in Phuket though but there is very little difference with exchange booth rates) and keep it in the hotel safe.
But whatever you decide, DO NOT change money in Australia before you go, you will lose about 10-15% straight up, maybe more.
stayed there for 2 weeks, managed to endup with 5 withdrawals from ING, but I paid with my ing card pretty much everywhere in Phuket.
Cashout and Credit purchases
Macquire Bank, ING Debit Card, Wise accountFor Credit purchases
Combank Low fee gold CC, HSBC debit card
ING, next