How to Exchange Money in Thailand 2025 — Getting the Best Rate

The "real" exchange rate is the mid-market rate, shown on Google, XE.com, or Wise. Every provider charges above this — the gap is their margin. A margin of 0–1% is excellent; 5%+ is a rip-off.

Superrich is Thailand's most famous currency exchange chain, known for offering rates very close to the mid-market rate (typically 0.3–0.8% margin). Locations: extensive across Bangkok (Asok, Silom, many malls), Chiang Mai, Phuket, and other major cities. Green Superrich (Superrich Thailand) and Orange Superrich are different companies with similar rates. Best for: large cash exchanges (AUD/USD/EUR to THB). Bring AUD cash from Australia, exchange at Superrich on arrival.

Wise sends money from your Australian bank account to a Thai bank account (or holds it in Wise multi-currency and lets you spend with the Wise card). Wise's rate is mid-market minus a fee of 0.4–0.8% — the most competitive digital option. Use for: Non-OA bank balance transfers from Australia (800,000 THB), regular monthly living transfers, and any large transfer. Significantly better than bank SWIFT for ongoing transfers.

Thai ATMs dispense Thai baht using your Australian bank card's rate. The exchange rate applied is usually close to mid-market, but Thai bank ATMs charge a fixed fee of 220–250 THB per withdrawal (added on top), and your Australian bank may charge an international transaction fee (typically 2–3% or a fixed fee). Result: ATMs are expensive for small amounts, reasonable for large withdrawals. Best approach: withdraw large amounts at once to minimise per-withdrawal fees. Some banks (Citibank, Schwab US) rebate international ATM fees — if available to you, use them.

Australian banks offer SWIFT/telegraphic transfers to Thai banks. Exchange rates are typically 2–4% above mid-market, plus fixed fees (AUD 20–30 per transfer). For the 800,000 THB Non-OA transfer, using Wise vs ANZ/CBA can save AUD 400–800 on a single transfer. Still use your Australian bank for: the Non-OA income letter if you use the income method (the bank produces a letter, not Wise).

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airport exchange kiosks offer rates 5–8% below the mid-market rate. Bring only enough cash to get you to your accommodation, then exchange the bulk at Superrich or similar.

- Hotel lobby exchange desks: typically 5–7% below mid-market - Unknown street-level exchanges without visible rate boards: can be worse - Dynamic currency conversion at ATMs: when an ATM offers to "lock in" a rate in AUD, always decline and choose to be charged in THB — the "locked" AUD rate is always worse than your bank's own rate

When you transfer money from overseas to a Thai bank account via SWIFT or Wise, the Thai bank must issue a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) Certificate (formerly TT3 form). This certificate proves to Thai Immigration that the funds came from overseas — it is required for the 800,000 THB Non-OA bank balance method.

Request the FET certificate from your Thai bank when you make the transfer. Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank issue these routinely for large incoming SWIFT transfers. Ask for it explicitly at the time of transfer.

Wise transfers to a Thai bank account should also generate an FET certificate — confirm this with the receiving Thai bank before relying on it for Immigration.

A useful data point on threshold: Bank of Thailand rules formally require an FET form for single transfers of USD 50,000 or more (roughly 1.7–1.8 million THB, depending on the exchange rate) — well above the 800,000 THB Non-OA transfer amount. For smaller transfers like the Non-OA sum, banks may issue a different document (a credit note or bank letter confirming the inward remittance) rather than a formal FET. What matters for Immigration purposes is proof the funds came from overseas, whatever the specific document is called — ask your bank directly what they'll issue for your transfer size, rather than assume the term "FET certificate" is the only acceptable label.

If you are transferring AUD 2,000–5,000/month from Australia to Thailand regularly, Wise is consistently the best option. Set up a recurring Wise transfer. The cumulative savings over a year are meaningful.

Summary: Exchange cash at Superrich for large amounts. Use Wise for bank-to-bank transfers. Use ATMs strategically for convenience with large withdrawals. Avoid airports and hotels.

If you're bringing a significant amount of foreign cash into or out of Thailand, there's a declaration threshold to be aware of, separate from any exchange-rate consideration. USD 20,000 (or equivalent in any currency) is the figure most commonly cited as the point at which you must complete a customs declaration form — but some official Thai Customs documentation cites USD 15,000 instead, and the two figures genuinely don't agree across sources. Check the current declaration form at your specific port of entry rather than rely on either number from memory; the safer approach if you're carrying a large sum is to declare regardless of which threshold technically applies to you. Thai baht itself is capped much lower — bringing in more than 50,000 THB in cash requires prior authorisation, and the same 50,000 THB limit applies when taking baht out of the country (with a higher allowance for travel to certain neighbouring countries).

General guidance only. Exchange rates and fees vary and change. Verify current rates at Wise.com and with Superrich before any large transaction.