I have citi plus and the new nab replacement but reading whirlpool and ozbargain it seems in Thailand, aside from a few ex Citi ATMs in Bangkok, ATM fees are common. So no way to avoid ATM fees in Phuket. There is mention that some of the currency exchanges are quite reasonable though and may work out better, however I'm not coming directly from Australia but rather I'm in Hong Kong first so it would probably be more convenient to bring HKD to exchange, anyone know if HKD is easy to exchange in Thailand and if it's still a competitive rate with the currency exchangers?
Phuket Currency Exchange
CheapBrah on 05/01/2024 - 10:28
Comments
Yeah fair call, I think I've read 20k THB limit is common so thats a pretty decent chunk of cash for $9 atm fee.
i was going to make serious reply but…. phuket
Some tips here - exchanging at Phuket (not the airport) is fine and you can usually get away with 1-2% loss (roughly similar to the fee for a max withdrawal from the ATM fee if you get a good exchange rate).
ATM fees are common
Either you pay an exchange fee or pay a fee through the rate. I would just take it out of an ATM and not have to worry about dodgy forex changers.
Bring cash and exchange. There are plenty of exchange places that are very competitive. So much so that the $10 you pay won’t be recovered if you had exchanged from the get go. My regret when travelling last Aug.
I would just withdraw from an ATM.. you're talking $8-$10AUD.
If you withdraw a few hundred worth you wont notice it and it will be a similar result in the end because you'll get a better rate via the citibank card.
It also reduces risk because you wont be carrying cash for a period of time whilst travelling.