THX! exactly the info (the link) I was looking for

no Grab acct and dont want to open one either, then again no way for me to access it even if I had an acct

For the heck of it I just called Citi-Gold to see how much it would cost me in USD for 3000THB she said $107.04 when XE.com shows $98.90. Now I know I wont the XE rate but I also know it will cost alot less then the $107.04 that Citi wants. So its as expected everything not being fee free except what each bank will charge as its fee for using an ATM

No clue what the Citi-Gold rep was quoting but it may have included the local ATM fee (~220 THB)?

3,220 THB at the Visa rate (Nov 12) "costs" $106.26, while exchanging a $100 bill at a bank booth at CNX might yield 3,007 THB (BBL). With a high-volume exchange firm (like Super Rich) you might get 3,024 - 3,030 THB. Rates appear a bit lower in Chiang Mai v. Bangkok.

Use an ATM or exchange a $100 bill.

For others, having a credit card linked to a Grab account works fine here.

You can set up the grab pay account in Asia via the grab app, just like you might set up an uber or lyft account.

If Citi actually charges that much, it's really time to consider a different strategy IMO. Check out Fidelity CMA or Schwab One, not necessarily to replace your existing accounts, but to augment them. Both are fee free with no minimum requirements as far as I know. And both make it easy to transfer funds between your other external accounts online.

-David

I asked Citi-Gold if they sold THB and she checked and said yes = they would deduct the $$$ from my acct and send the THB to my branch for me to pick up no 220thn involved since the THB wouldnt be coming out of an ATM and would be done here in the US and not Overseas

Originally I was going to ask how much THB would Citi send me for $100, but it came to an odd amount and with coins so I decided to fix the THB amount since it wouuld be easier to compare, and asked how much USD would Citi charge me for 3000THB and she said $107.44

So when I get there in a coiple of weeks I will get then THB at CNX and bring some ca$h with me in case I decid eto go taht route but probably will just go with an ATM and wait for Citi to refund me in USD the 220THB

You'll always pay a premium when attempting to purchase Thai baht in the USA (which is where the Citi-Gold rep is located, presumably.) It's why people who transfer money from US accounts to their Thai bank accounts ask for the transfers to be in dollars (which are then converted to baht upon receipt in Thailand.)

Banks/exchange houses within Thailand will offer a rate much closer to the mid-market rate.

I pretty much knew it wouldnt be worthwhile just wanted to test it to be sure

While super Rich is normally the best place to change cash in Bangkok, the best place in Chiang Mai is almost always SK Money Changers, 73/8 Charoen Prathet, Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is between the Diamond Hotel and the Iron Bridge. There is now a branch of Super Rich just opposite, so it's easy to check who's got the best rates.

Which is the better place is a matter of opinion/preference and the better rate varies by day; sometimes it's SK and sometimes it's SuperRich. There's no need to travel to SK to check:

Sakol Money Exchange

Super Rich Money Exchange (Chiang Mai)

The difference today between SK and SuperRich is one satang per dollar: 30.16 THB vs. 30.15 THB. Virtually indistinguishable.

Edit: For craz, if you are interested in checking out SK as an option, there's a map on the website linked above that will get you there.

Whoa, that's entirely different than the way I interpreted your previous post. I assumed, given the context of the conversation, that you asked Citibank how much it would cost for a foreign ATM transaction, not for receiving paper currency in the US.

Cash is expensive to carry around country to country, involves lots of people to count and mange and move the paper money and that rate is not at all indicative of what they would charge you for using your ATM card in Thailand to withdraw money.

Also, there's no market for foreign currency coins in the US (or most other countries) as far as I know. Any excess foreign currency that can't be paid out with paper currency would likely be paid out in local currency.

-David

As I explained thats why I asked for a fixed amount of THB and didnt ask what would I get in THB for $100, no coins or paper for denoninations that dont exist or cant be had so it might have meant being short changed. By asking for 3000THB the off amounts would be in USD and come right out of my acct

I once asked a few yrs ago concerning a different currency and it wasnt that far off from the reg rate, could be THB is an oddball and thusly a larger spread. Someone w/o status would either be hit for a service fee or have to purchase X amount to avoid it.

Seems Super is better to change back to THB but to change back to go with SK.

Seems theres a Super both to left and right out of the LeM. Plan now is change $50 @ CNX and the rest in town, probably wont need the THB except for the cab anyways the day I arrive, my MO is to walk around and do a dry run for the places I need to be that Fri & Sat so I wont get lost walking back & forth

update my findings
 

rates were higher at CNX airport over BKK, thx to those upthread who warned me not to change @ BKK

I found a K counter with an ATM in the Intl arrivals area (although I flew in from BKK, my bags had to be claimed at the Intl section since I didnt go thru customs @ BKK) I withdraw 1000B my bank acct was hit for a total of $40.42 and today $7.30 was refunded to me so a cost of $30.12 which works out to 30.19B per $1, alot better rate then SK or Super Rich pays in town. Next time here I will stick to ATMs, but for those who wont get fee refunded stick to ca$h!

SK paid slightly more then SR. I wanted to checkout the river anyways and it was down the block from my hotel. But doubt Id ever go back, not worth it (yea the river too) for the extra couple of B, and when you go in you need to take a #, there were 7 people in front of me and only 2 tellers out of 8 open, it took forever but in as much as I was walking around sweating like crazy, it was nice to sit in a freezing place and cool off

later that day I decided on another tour and needed another $30 in B, I was passing a SR and gave them a $50 got back 900B and $20, the rate on 20s was 29.99 and 30 for 50-100. It would have cost me $31+ had I paid with a CC, 3% fee by the tour company and 1% by Visa and the 30 pts I would have earned by using my CC wasnt worth the $1 Id pay for them, IMO. There was a SR booth I passed a few times in the Night Mkt area always a few B less then the store was, yet tonight it was alot less 30 instead of 30.11 it was 30.11 this afternoon there, but the mkt wasnt open. Dont know if they lowered their rates only when the mkt is open

Think your net was $33.12? ( $40.42 and today $7.30 was refunded ). Typo, as you got the rate correct.

Guessing this was Fri. (29th?)?

Again, guess the ATM fee was 220 THB, so 1,220 THB netted $33.12, for a rate of 33.183. Definitely spot on for the Visa rate, and the way to go assuming you get ATM fees rebated.

https://usa.visa.com/support/consume...+exchange+rate

Rate today at volume money changers in Bangkok is ~ 30.15. Bank counters are ~ 30.09 and Visa is 30.13.


The government is trying to control the THB without offending too many people. That said, some forecasts have the baht at 29.5 by the end of 2020. Obviously, this impacts exports and tourism.

You typoed too :p