Best way to pay in Thailand

My wife are I are heading over to Thailand in a month. We will be in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Krabi. We were wondering what the best method of payment is?

Obviously cash is the best, but what about other methods? Is American Express accepted most places? How prevalent are ATM%26#39;s? Are check cards or traveler%26#39;s checks even worth looking into?

Thanks for your help,

Patrick

Best way to pay in Thailand

ATMs are everywhere, and using cash and ATM is the best way.

Ensure you bring your bank phone number cos they occasionally stop your card thinking it%26#39;s overseas fraud. You can put them right, and carry on.

Telling them in advance that you are coming here is useless. They don%26#39;t read their own notes.

Travellers cheques can be used but are complicated.

credit cards can be used in a lot of places, Amex not so much because they charge higher commission rates.

If you use any card you could well be expected to pay an extra charge like 3%.

Best way to pay in Thailand

Thanks!

There%26#39;s no problem using AmExp. I use it there all the time. If you plan to use a check card, make absolutley sure that the issuing institute will allow you to use it in Thailand. Last summer, I went into my credit union to inform them that I%26#39;d be in Bangkok for 3 weeks and I wanted to use the card there...for the first time. They said no problem and noted it in the computer. Well, I got to my serviced apartment building and tried to use it to pay the rent and it was declined. I had NO idea why. Thank goodness I had the AmExp card on me.

When I got home, I called the credit union and asked why it had been declined and was told that bank cards issued through them could not be used in Thailand since Thailand is on the high fraud list. I then asked why they had told me it wouldn%26#39;t be a problem. I was then informed that the person, who had okayed it, didn%26#39;t realize that Bangkok was in Thailand. Yep, you heard it right. Good I had lots of traveler%26#39;s checks...no problem to cash in Bangkok... along with the AmExp card and cash. Happy Travels!

We take a C/C, debit card and travellers cheques. I use the C/C for hotels where possible. Some will add on 5 or 10 % for C/C over cash. Pretty much tat%26#39;s the only place you can use C/C.

We have never had any trouble cashing a travellers cheque, but get them in higher denominations because there is a fee each time you cash some.

I have an account that I put a limited amount of cash in for the debit card so if it got skimmed I%26#39;m not out too much, but it%26#39;s my ';after the TC%26#39;s are gone and I still want money'; fund! Actually - I save one travellers cheque - just in case there is plastic problems!

Always notify your C/C and bank that you will be in a foreign country so your cards aren%26#39;t frozen, and be sure your debit has a descent sized daily withdrawl. When I first set mine up, the teller forgot to change the limit from the meagre default and I had to scramble to call my son at home to get it fixed!

Travellers%26#39; cheques are old technology, a total waste of time and a rip off. I have not used them now in over 10 years of travelling in various countries.

Use 2 credit cards, just in case one of them is declined.