Of course, you cannot visit Thailand or another country without spending money. So, when you are preparing to go to the Land of Smiles, you may be wondering how many dollars you can carry in the country without going against the law. Unfortunately, carrying money in Thailand is quite tricky; hence, you need to carefully read this article to know how much you can bring to the country.
A person or group of persons can travel with 20,000 USD (or its equivalent in another currency) to Thailand. It is also possible to carry the same amount around in the country. However, if you intend to have more than 20,000 USD to Thailand, you must declare the amount to Customs Officers.
Also, some airlines don’t allow people to carry more than 10,000 USD (or its equivalent in another currency) for domestic flights. So, if you want to travel from one place to another in Thailand for over 10,000 USD, you should not hesitate to declare to officers of the law.
What are the penalties for carrying more than allowed in Thailand?
As indicated earlier, if you are coming into the country with more than 20,000 USD, make sure you declare it. However, if you have declared the amount, you can run into a wide range of issues. According to Wise.com, carrying more than allowed without declaration is considered a criminal offense.
If you are caught with the cash, it can be seized. Afterward, you will likely be charged as a criminal. This can result in fines or even jail terms, especially if you cannot prove the source of the money.
Is it even safe to carry lots of money in Thailand?
Before carrying lots of dollars around in Thailand, it is important to look at the safety concerns. Without a doubt, it is not safe to carry lots of dollars in Thailand. This is because some criminals are always looking for foreigners and locals that they can rob. Hence, if you have lots of money on you, you can make yourself an easy target for criminal-minded individuals.
Although you are allowed to carry a substantial amount of dollars around in this Southeast Asian country, it is not advisable to do so. Don’t put yourself at risk; only go around with a small amount.
Can I spend dollars in Thailand?
As you are thinking about carrying lots of dollars in Thailand, it is vital to understand whether you can even spend the foreign currency or not. According to numerous sources, the US dollar is not a legal tender in the Land of Smiles. In other words, you cannot spend dollars in Thailand. This also applies to other foreign currencies such as Pounds, Indian Rupees, Euros, Yen, etc.
It is noteworthy that Thai Baht (TBH) is the only acceptable currency for various transactions in Thailand. As a result of this, it is not reasonable to carry lots of dollars in the Southeast Asian nation because you will not be able to use it for any meaningful transactions.
How can you pay for services in Thailand?
Since dollars cannot be used for transactions in Thailand, how can you pay for services in the country? If you already have dollars in cash with you, you can easily exchange the dollars for Thai Baht, which will be used for transactions in the country. As noted by Travelzoo.com, the majority of taxi drivers, market stalls and small shops in the country only accept cash payment. We will explain how to convert dollars to Thai Baht later in this post.
If you don’t have cash, you can also make payments via your debit or credit cards at chain stores and other larger businesses. Notably, MasterCard and Visa cards are the most commonly used and accepted cards in Thailand. Also, when paying for any products or services through cards, you should be ready to deal with some additional fees. But this will reduce the risk of losing your money to pickpockets and other criminals during your stay in Thailand. Before leaving your country, you may want to confirm the fees you will have to pay when using your credit or debit card in foreign countries such as Thailand.
Where can you convert dollars to local currency in Thailand?
Regardless of the number of dollars you are carrying in Thailand, you can hardly use it for anything since it is not accepted as a currency for transactions. As a result of this, you may need to convert your dollars to the local currency (Thai Baht). So, here are the places to convert your foreign currency to Baht:
- Exchange booths at the airport
When coming to Thailand, you can easily exchange your dollars for Baht at the airport. Siam Commercial Bank, Thai Military Bank, etc., operate exchange booths at the airports in Bangkok and other cities. Therefore, if you don’t want to stress yourself over exchanging currencies, you can do so at the airport.
While this option is convenient, it is not usually the best because the exchange rate is generally low. You can explore this option if you want to exchange a small amount. But for a large amount, you should consider another option.
- Banks
You can visit one of the banks to exchange money at an amazing rate. For instance, go to downtown Bangkok to check out the exchange rates of numerous banks. With this, you can decide the best option to go for.
- Hotels
Some hotels cater to the needs of their customer by offering exchange services. So, if you are lodging in one of such hotels, you can easily and quickly your dollars to Baht. Nevertheless, you must know that hotels usually have poor exchange rates.
- ATMs
You can use foreign credit or debit cards on most ATMs in Thailand. To know such ATMs, you will see the signs of MasterCard, Visa, and Cirrus on them. However, you must deal with a maximum withdrawal limit of 20,000 Thai Baht and some charges.
Conclusion
Now, you know how many dollars you can carry in Thailand, as well as a few other money-related issues you may have to deal with.
