Travel Tips

Money Talk — cash vs digital

Stop hauling a brick of banknotes. Thailand is half cash, half QR — and the mix changes by neighborhood. Malls, hotels, Grab, and most sit-down restaurants take cards. Street carts, many metered taxis, temple donations, night markets, and boat piers still want baht in hand.

• ATM fee: Foreign cards usually pay a flat ฿220 per withdrawal at Thai bank ATMs, on top of any home-bank fee. Withdraw larger amounts less often.
• Always choose Thai baht if a machine offers conversion — dynamic currency conversion quietly costs you.
• Best exchange: Skip airport counters for the bulk of your money. In town, licensed desks such as SuperRich or Vasu (check the live board) typically beat airport and hotel rates. Crisp high-denomination notes get better rates.
• PromptPay reality: Thai mobile banking and PromptPay QR are everywhere — including som tam carts — but they need a Thai bank setup. Short-stay visitors rely on cash + card; longer stays can look at tourist prepaid / Easy Pay options from partner banks if available when you travel.

Carry a slim cash float for the day (enough for food, taxis, and tips). Keep the rest in the hotel safe or split across cards and a money belt — not one fat wallet in a night-market pocket.

Local Etiquette — what Thai people actually notice

Covering shoulders and knees at temples is table stakes. The finer points are quieter — and they change how locals treat you.

• The wai: Hands together at chest height, a soft smile, a slight bow. Don’t force it on service staff who greet you first with a smile; return warmth without turning it into theater.
• Heads & feet: Don’t touch anyone’s head. Don’t point soles at people, Buddha images, or monks. Step over thresholds carefully in old buildings.
• Shoes: If you see a pile, join it — homes, some shops, massage rooms, temple halls.
• Tipping: Not mandatory like in the US. Rounding up a taxi, leaving ฿20–50 for good café service, or 10% at nicer restaurants when no service charge appears is appreciated. Hotel porters often get ฿20–50 per bag.
• Kreng jai (เกรงใจ): The culture of not wanting to burden others. Soft voices in temples, patience in queues, and not snapping at staff go further than any phrasebook.