Whose currency is baht? Thai money

The name of the country comes from a Germanized combination of the words “Thai” and “land”.

The territory of the country is located in the western part of the Indochina Peninsula and also occupies the northern part of the Malacca Peninsula, washed in the west by the waters of the Andaman Sea, and in the east by the Gulf of Thailand, which is part of the South China Sea. Almost the entire country is covered with tropical jungle. The area of the state exceeds 514 thousand square kilometers.

The population of Thailand exceeds 67 million people. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the country's population is Thai, there are also many Laotians, Chinese, Khmers, Vietnamese, Malays and Hmong living here. The official language in the country is Thai.

The capital of the Kingdom of Thailand at this time is the city of Bangkok, located in the north-west of the Indochina Peninsula. In addition to the capital, a number of other large cities in the country should be noted, such as Nakhon Ratchusima, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai and others.

The history of the country begins in the 13th century, when the kingdom of Sukhothai arose on the territory of modern Thailand, which was replaced by the state of Ayutthaya in the 14th century. For centuries, the people of Thailand have been influenced by the culture of India and China, forming their own unique culture on the basis of this. The emerging state of the Thais was constantly at war with their neighbors - the Burmese, who carried out predatory campaigns here, and, starting from the 18th century, with European colonialists, in particular Britain. Having eventually ceded its southern provinces to Britain, Thailand, then called Siam, remained the only independent country in the region. In 1939, Siam became a constitutional monarchy and was renamed Thailand, supporting Japan at the time. During World War II, Thailand was formally neutral, which ultimately saved its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In 2006, a military coup took place in the country, which culminated in a change of government, which changed the strategic course of the country's development.

Currently, the Kingdom of Thailand is a fairly developed state in its region with a constitutional-monarchical form of government, which has a significant influence on the political processes taking place in the region. The main sectors of the country's national economy are still agriculture, tourism, mining, processing and electronics industries.

The current monetary unit of the Kingdom of Thailand is Thai baht(THB code 764). The term "baht" was in use in Indochina as early as the 14th century and denoted the general name for the currencies of the countries in the region.

Since the 14th century, a national currency called Tikal has been in circulation in Siam. The country minted large convex tikal coins made of gold and silver, which were universally accepted as a single means of payment in the kingdom. Since 1861, coins were introduced into circulation, which were minted in Birmingham and had a traditional round shape. They received the local name "rien" and were made of copper, zinc, silver and even gold, depending on the denomination. In 1898, Siam switched to a decimal system of division of the main currency, abandoning the British system. Now one tikal was divided into 100 satangs. Since 1928, the government of Siam decided to introduce a new monetary unit into circulation, which was called the baht. This monetary unit is also in circulation in modern Thailand.

The national currency of Thailand has experienced quite a lot of shocks in its history associated with crises and upheavals in the country. At the moment, its exchange rate is such that when exchanging for 1 Thai baht, you can get approximately 1 Russian ruble in banks. For 1 US dollar you get approximately 30.5 baht, for 1 euro – 40.6 baht, for 1 Ukrainian hryvnia – approximately 4 baht, for 1 pound sterling – approximately 48 baht.

1 Thai baht is divided into 100 satang. The name of the currency unit comes from the Pali language and literally means “sata” - “hundredth” and “anga” - “part”.

Currently, the Bank of Thailand, which forms the emission policy in the country, has issued banknotes in denominations of 20 (twenty), 50 (fifty), 100 (one hundred), 500 (five hundred) and 1000 (one thousand) Thai baht. Also minted and currently in circulation are coins with nominal denominations of 25 (twenty-five) and 50 (fifty) satangs, as well as coins with denominations of 1 (one), 2 (two), 5 (five) and 10 ( ten) baht.

Thai baht banknotes, although not without a small amount of originality in terms of design and decoration, are still for the most part typical of states with a monarchical form of government. Thus, on the front side of banknotes of all denominations is the image of the king currently ruling the country, Bhumibol Adulyadej, also known as Rama IX. The denomination of banknotes in digital format is depicted in the upper right and lower left corners of the bill. The reverse of the banknotes is also decorated with images of the kings who ruled the country previously. Thus, on a banknote of 20 baht there is a full-length portrait of King Mahidol Ananda and a bridge in Bangkok named after him, in 50 baht - a monument to King Rama IV and the world's tallest temple stupa, Phra Patom Chedi. Banknote in the background, in 100 baht - a statue of Kings Rama V and VI with servants and children, 500 baht - a monument to King Rama III and the Buddhist temple of Bangkokea Wat Ratchanadda in the background, 1000 baht - a life-size portrait of the current King Rama IX and an image of a dam in the background.

Thai banknotes were and are printed at the Royal Thai Mint in Bangkok.

Depending on the denomination, Thai coins differ in size, material from which they are made, and the minting pattern on them. Thus, on the obverse of all Thai coins without exception, a profile portrait of the current King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) is minted. The reverse of the coins bears images of national architectural monuments. So, for example, a 25-satang coin depicts the country residence of the kings of Thailand, a 50-satang coin depicts a Buddhist temple in the south of the country, a 1-baht coin depicts a royal palace with three pagodas in Bangkok, a 2-baht coin depicts a royal palace of the early period, a 5-baht coin depicts baht is a Buddhist monastery in the north of the country, 10 baht is the old coat of arms of the country. Coins of 25 and 50 satang are made of copper, 1 and 5 baht coins are made of copper-nickel alloy, and 2 bahd coins are made of brass. The 10 baht coin is made using a bimetallic method: the core of the coin is made of brass, and the rim is made of a copper-nickel alloy. All Thai coins currently have a regular round radial shape.

All coins of the Kingdom of Thailand were minted at the Royal Mint in Pathum Thani.

For numerous guests and tourists arriving in the country, exchanging their currency for local currency is quite easy and simple. Exchange offices are located everywhere in areas with large concentrations of tourists. And these are airports, seaports, recreation centers, hotels, historical and architectural centers. The exchange can also be made at banking institutions, which are located mainly in large cities and the capital of the country. At Thai resorts, local residents happily accept US dollars, euros, and pounds sterling as payment for services and goods, so there is no need to worry about exchange. The customs legislation in the country regarding the import of currency is also quite liberal and does not provide for restrictions of this kind.

The Kingdom of Thailand is one of the unique and exotic paradises on the planet, where tourism is relevant all year round, and the service is at the highest level. The weather conditions of the country are a little peculiar and they are connected with the climatic zones that prevail in the Thai state, so during the period when Masonic rain showers prevail at one end, at the other you can safely enjoy a comfortable holiday and vice versa.

About baht and satangi

In Thailand, locals pay with money called "baht". The main monetary unit is 100 satang. Today, in use there are banknotes worth ten, which are not often found, twenty, fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand baht and white coins in denominations of one, two and five baht, as well as metal coins of ten baht.

The baht system is very similar to the Russian currency. Satangs, in turn, are yellow coins worth twenty and fifty units. The national bank is called the Issuer.

The capacious name for the Thai currency appeared at the beginning of the 19th century and existed together with "tikal"- that’s what money was called until 1925. Historically, like almost all monetary units in the world, the baht originated as a measurement of the weight of a coin.

Currency exchange

You must understand that the baht and the ruble do not have a specific exchange rate. This was not done by chance. Only using the dollar can you transfer baht to Russian ruble. When purchasing housing in Thailand, which is denominated in baht, its price increases. Thanks to this, it is protected from the depreciation of the ruble. If a foreign citizen wants to earn money by renting out the purchased property, this will also be fixed by the baht exchange rate.

Well

The exchange rate of the Thai currency, the baht, is very stable today: 1 dollar equals 31-33 baht. This ratio has been maintained for five years now. Thanks to this, the baht does not depend on the fall of the ruble; accordingly, during a crisis, the baht in relation to it, as in the case of the dollar, will also be very high in value.

Which currency is more profitable to take to Thailand?

It is most profitable to exchange checks such as American Express or Thomas Cook, since their rate will most likely be higher than cash currency. But the exchange of such checks carries with it an accrual in the form of a commission. As a result, an exchange worth one hundred dollars will be approximately equal to an exchange of a banknote of the same value, but if the check is equal to five hundred dollars, the transaction will be much more profitable.

Of course, what currency to take to Thailand must be decided based on the local exchange rate. That is, bring all the money in dollars, since our monetary units are not quoted.
It is best to take money with you in bank cards, but it will be safer to have at least two of them with you. After all, it is unknown what force majeure events may occur.

The card may be blocked. Or you will have to pay for the same service more than once in the same establishment. It’s great if the bank allows you to use the bonus "Virtual card", this can also greatly facilitate the process of purchasing goods in a foreign country.

To make payments at markets, in small shops and to tip at a hotel, you must have cash with you in local currency. Since the residents of Thailand use exclusively their native baht. Having handed a dollar bill to the seller, you risk being left without the goods; the store owner will only glance in bewilderment at the visitor, then at the strange green piece of paper.

Local ATMs called "ATM", allow you to easily withdraw the required amount of money in Thailand.

Samples of all banknotes of Thailand

If you are going to go to Thailand on a long-awaited vacation, then you should take care of booking your trip in advance, especially if we are talking about the high season (-). For a budget holiday, it is better to choose the period from to, when prices for tours drop significantly due to the rainy season. The gentle sun, snow-white sand, picturesque, unique landscapes and exotic species of flora and fauna can immerse anyone in sweet dreams.

A convenient circumstance for Russian travelers is the fact that tedious visa applications are not required to come to Thailand. A visa stamp is given to vacationers at the airport (completely free of charge) indicating the maximum allowed time in the country (30 days). The only formality is filling out a migration card indicating the temporary residence address.

Money, Thai currency - where to exchange: in official exchange offices or “around the corner”? What currency to take on a trip? Is it safe to use plastic cards in Thailand? Current exchange rate and all about tips. Details in the article!

The national currency of Thailand is the Thai baht, which according to international standards is designated as TVN. The country uses paper banknotes in the following denominations: 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000, as well as coins of 10, 5, 2 and 1 baht.

One baht is equal to 100 satang. Satangs (in our opinion - pennies) come in only three denominations - 50, 25 and 10. In the kingdom, this type of coin has practically gone out of circulation.

Currency of Thailand - exchange rate of baht to rubles

Russian ruble VS Thai baht

More recently, Russian tourists in Thailand were attracted not only by an unforgettable vacation, but also by the convenience of monetary calculations. Before the crisis events, the Thai baht exchange rate was equal to the Russian ruble exchange rate, in a 1:1 ratio. In recent years, the situation has worsened somewhat, and now, in order to understand how much this or that item/service costs in rubles, the Thai amount needs to be multiplied by about 1.6.

How to calculate the cost of an item or service in Russian rubles (2018)

1 TBH = 1.6 rubles*
* Approximate calculation of Thai baht to ruble

The ruble to baht exchange rate periodically changes up or down. According to data for the first quarter of 2018, 1 Thai baht costs 1.6 Russian rubles.

Thai money - which currency is best to bring to Thailand? Can I use bank cards?

Despite high tourist activity, dollars and euros are practically not used in the country. Street vendors, of course, will sell you souvenirs or provide services in exchange for American money, but they will do this at an incredibly inflated rate. The kingdom only recognizes local currency, so when coming to Thailand on vacation, it is best to take dollars or euros with you for exchange.

Also in Thailand, you can easily exchange several other world currencies, including Russian rubles. However, unlike dollars and euros, the exchange rate of these currencies is unfavorable for tourists.

Please note that the exchange rate in the kingdom depends on the denomination of the currency. For example, it is more profitable to exchange large dollar bills (in denominations of $100 or $50) rather than small ones ($20, $10, $5). In some exchange offices, the difference between rates (Small and large banknotes) can reach 2-3%. In addition, please note that dollars issued in 1996 and earlier are not accepted by all banks in the country. This restriction is due to the fact that a large batch of counterfeit banknotes was issued this year. And the banknotes themselves have a very shabby appearance.

If we talk about what is more profitable to use in Thailand - dollars or euros, then there is not much difference in the final amount. Therefore, take with you the currency that you have available.

Where to exchange money in Thailand?

Currency exchange services in Thailand are provided by banks and private exchange offices. Exchange offices in this country are indicated by the generally accepted inscription Exchange. When handing out Thai baht in banks, as well as official exchange offices, you may be required to provide a passport.

It is most convenient for tourists to change money at the airport. However, as in other countries, airport exchange offices do not offer the most favorable rates. As a rule, the difference is not critical, but noticeable - optimal for exchanging a small amount for initial needs.
Exchange branches are located on every corner: in large stores and shopping centers, on tourist streets, in hotels and inns. Exchangers can even be found on the beach!
National banks of Thailand are open exclusively on weekdays from 8:30-9:00 to 22:00. Opening hours of small banks and private exchange offices are usually reduced to 15:00-15:30. Some exchangers operate around the clock.

Plastic cards and ATMs

Many tourists do not use cash at all in Thailand, because... In this country you can pay with a plastic card almost everywhere: from shopping centers to small souvenir shops. In this case, your bank itself will convert currencies at the current rate.

Helpful tip: The Thai banking system is classified as high risk! For security reasons, when using a plastic card, your bank may block it. To prevent this from happening, notify the bank about your trip in advance. As a rule, this can be done by phone or through online banking services.

As for withdrawing cash from plastic cards, there are no significant difficulties here either. ATMs can be found almost everywhere: in shopping centers, hotels, supermarkets, on the street, etc. Since when withdrawing funds, the exchange is carried out not by a Thai bank, but by a Russian bank, there is no difference which ATM of a Thai bank to choose. Some ATMs offer to convert funds at local bank rates. You should refuse this service by selecting the “without conversion!” option, because The rate of Thai banks is absolutely unfavorable.

ATMs charge a fixed fee of THB 200. The amount of the commission does not depend on the amount of withdrawal, therefore, it is more profitable to cash out money from Thailand to the maximum.
Almost all ATMs in Thailand have a maximum withdrawal limit of 30,000 baht. The limit at ATMs of small banks can be 20,000 baht. ATMs in Thailand are designated ATM.

Exchange of traveler's checks

If you have the opportunity to purchase traveler's checks, take them with you to Thailand, because... exchanging traveler's checks is more profitable than purchasing cash. Traveler's checks can only be cashed at banks and bank exchange offices. Please note that for this service there is a fee of 30 baht and 3 baht per stamp. Accordingly, you can only experience the benefits when using large denomination traveler's checks (from $100 and above).

Tipping in Thailand

As in other tourist countries, it is customary to leave a tip for services provided. Of course, if the service of these services satisfied you.

For example, it is customary to leave a small monetary “compliment” (in the amount of 20-50 baht) to porters and taxi drivers. You can leave about 30-50 baht as a “tip” for guides and hotel workers.
As for catering establishments, here, as a rule, tips are already included in the price. This is indicated in the menu and receipts as a separate line – “service charge”. If this line is not available, you can leave the generally accepted 10% of the order value.

Thai baht is the only way to pay in the country. You can exchange dollars, euros, some other convertible currencies, as well as the currencies of neighboring Asian countries for them within the country. In some places in Pattaya and Phuket they accept rubles.

How to bring money to Thailand in cash or on a card

How to carry currency depends on the specific purpose. If your goal is to save money as much as possible when exchanging for local baht, then you should only take cash. If you want reliability, then a card is better. Let's consider both options in detail.

Benefits in terms of commissions

In the first case, the explanation is quite simple - when withdrawing money from a card in Thailand, Russian banks charge a commission of 1% or more. Plus, a fixed fee of 220 baht is charged at ATMs in the country. Moreover, in most cases you can withdraw 20,000 baht at a time, only the Bangkok Bank ATM gives out 25,000 baht and TMB Bank gives out 30,000 baht (however, in the latter the transfer is carried out at an unfavorable rate of the bank itself). Now let's calculate your “losses”, i.e. the money you give to the banks.

For example, you take $3,000 on a trip (this is enough for two weeks of vacation, even if you go to bars and restaurants every day). Over the past few years, the baht to dollar exchange rate has remained almost unchanged and is in the ratio 1 dollar = 30-31 baht (from 2015 to the end of 2017 34-37 baht). Let's assume that you exchanged $3,000 in Pattaya at a rate of 30 to 1. Thus, you have 90,000 baht. There is no commission on exchange.

And now there is another option - 3,000 are on the card. If you use a Thai ATM, called an ATM, you will be forced to withdraw money 5 times (4 times - 20,000 baht and 1 time - 10,000). The commission to the Thai bank in this case will be conditionally 200x5=1000 baht. Many Russian banks charge at least 1% of the amount, and often higher. 1% of 3000 dollars is 30 dollars or 900 baht (and if the commission is 2% then 1800 baht). In short, when you withdraw $3,000 from your card at an ATM in Thailand, you will lose, at best, 2,000 baht.

Anti-theft protection

Now let’s talk about the reliability that is guaranteed if you bring all the money on the card to Thailand (it’s still worth taking about $100 in cash to, for example, get from the airport to the resort, have a snack at the airport, etc.). By keeping money on the card, you are insured against theft, since without knowing the PIN code it is just a piece of plastic (although they can pay for it if you do not have time to block it). Thieves will not steal it on purpose (unless by chance it was in a wallet or purse, which scammers like to take for themselves). But in this case, you can immediately call the bank and block it (often this can be done via the Internet, fortunately, Internet cafes in Thailand, and especially in Pattaya, are found at every turn). It is better to take two cards at once on vacation so as not to be left completely without money in case of theft.

In our opinion, the ideal option is to take $1,000 in cash, $1,000 on one card and $1,000 on the other. This way you get triple insurance. By the way, you shouldn’t particularly trust the safes at the reception – cases of theft from closed safes have been recorded. And the police are unlikely to help here - they are very lazy when it comes to foreigners, and they also believe that the local is always right. And if your money was stolen on the street, then you’re looking for a needle in a haystack (and how can you prove that it was this person who took your money - his words are against yours and the police will most likely let the Thai go). Try to avoid such situations and carry cash, mobile phones, and cameras in zippered pockets (not in the back pockets).

One final thought. If you are bringing a small amount to Thailand (for example, around $1000), then it is better to take cash than to lose money on commissions.

What currency is best to travel to Thailand?

What money to take to Thailand, first of all, depends on where you travel most often. In principle, any Thai bank or exchange office accepts the currencies of all major countries in the world, and in some places in Pattaya and Phuket even rubles. You will not receive any benefit from the exchange, since the rates are approximately the same as in Russia (i.e., you will not be able to buy, for example, Japanese yens cheaply from us and sell them at a high price in Thailand). Therefore, do not think about profit and just take the currency that you have. The only thing in this regard we will give two useful tips.

1) Unfavorable exchange of dollars in denominations of 1-20 dollars.

For some reason, the exchange of dollars in Thailand comes with different rates for different bills: 1-2 dollars, 5-20 dollars and 50-100 dollars. Low denominations are exchanged at a very unfavorable rate.

2) Exchange of rubles is unprofitable.

You can exchange rubles in Thailand only in Pattaya and Phuket; they are not accepted at other resorts. The rate at exchange offices is usually not particularly favorable, the difference will be 5-10% of the amount of exchange, first rubles for dollars and then for baht.

Numerous calculations on blogs and forums show that it is most profitable to take bills of 50 and 100 dollars. Or take euros, since they can be easily exchanged in any country (a certain amount always remains after a trip to Thailand and you will need it for traveling to other countries).

Where is the best currency exchange rate?

Which cards of Russian banks are better to take?

Not all plastic cards of Russian banks can withdraw money. You should inquire about this in advance and find out about the possibility of using the card in Thailand. The country is one of the most unreliable in terms of theft, so at the first attempt to withdraw cash, the card may be blocked. In this case, you will have to call your bank to have it unblocked. Often on the phone you have to wait 10-15 minutes to be connected to a bank operator, and then spend the same amount on communication - and this is quite a lot of money (read) if you call from another country.

Current Thai baht exchange rate:

Now let's move on to the physical embodiment of the Thai baht, coins and bills.

Coins of 1, 5 and 10 satang (actually the equivalent of 1, 5 and 10 kopecks) are rare. Some sources state that they do not “walk” at all. These coins are used, not all of Thailand is rich enough to ignore them. Although they are not readily accepted in shops and cafes in resort areas. Most likely, you won't even see them.

Now pay attention, all the coins depict the same person, this is Bhumibol Adulyadej, the current king of Thailand. We won’t talk much about it, read the material “Thailand, general information about the country.” Everything that concerns the king is sacred; no images of the king can be insulted, under any circumstances. Be careful with Thai coins, don't trample them or do anything else bad with them, you could end up in jail for this, seriously. Please especially note that Thai money cannot be thrown at another person in anger, this will also be considered an insult to His Majesty.

There is one more feature. It is very rare to find coins from old issues; they do not have Arabic numerals. That is, you pick up a coin, but you cannot understand what denomination it is. The chances of this happening to you are almost zero. Almost all of these coins have been taken out of circulation, but if this happens to you, don’t be surprised, feel free to take a coin as a souvenir.

Well, one last thing about coins, many commemorative coins are issued in Thailand. The denomination of these coins can be either regular, 1, 5, 10, or higher, namely 20, 50 and 100 baht. We won’t tell you where and how to get them; you should ask about this on numismatists’ websites.

Tourists often step on a coin if it is rolling or step on a banknote if it flies away from the wind. Many do this out of habit, insulting the face of His Majesty..

Banknotes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 baht. In banknotes, the principle “the higher the denomination, the larger the size” also applies, although banknotes differ only in length, the width of all banknotes is the same.

A good feature of baht banknotes is that each denomination has its own color, regardless of the series of issue. That is, you can hold two bills of the same denomination, they have a different design, but the color is the same, this is convenient.

In Thailand, there are some peculiarities of money exchange; exchange offices are very jealous of banknotes in poor condition, often simply refusing to exchange them, many tourists complain about this. Just try not to take banknotes in bad condition; getting rid of them can be more difficult in Thailand than in other countries.

You can exchange money at the airport or, although the rate is not the best, you can’t call it extortionate either. The starting amount “for the first time” can be changed here. Money in Thailand is usually changed either at a hotel, or at exchange offices, or in banks. Just look at the rate and change according to the most profitable one. Traditionally, these establishments do not charge any commissions, so if you see the wrong amount, just take the money back and go to another place, since there are many of them. We recommend banks, where the exchange rate is favorable and safe. In Thailand, they do not require documents when exchanging currency; you don’t have to take a passport. All of the above is not approved by law; we talk about how this happens in most cases.

When in Thailand, appreciate small change. Thais are not that rich, and 1000 baht is “decent” money. Often small traders may not have change for thousands, and taxi drivers even more so. Banks, on the contrary, try to give large bills. Try to “break” a thousand in a large store.

For other interesting facts about Thailand, read our other articles ( links below).

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