Money of Thailand: coins and banknotes

You go on holiday and have chosen for yourself Thailand (Phuket)? The money of this country is something that every tourist will have to deal with. And this applies not only to Phuket and other popular places. We know the extremely respectful, even trepidating attitude of the Thais towards their own currency and the extreme reluctance to conduct settlements in such Euro or dollars quoted from us. That is why, having found themselves in the airport of Bangkok, foreigners have to immediately deal with the exchange of cash to the currency units of the local currency. Since 1928 such are Thai baht.

The international classification code for Thai money is ISO-4217, the abbreviated Thai currency is denoted as THB.

What money will you see in Thailand?

In our day in the country there are paper denominations of only five specific denominations: 20 baht (a green-dominated note in the design), 50 baht (mostly blue), 100 baht (red), 500 baht (purple). The largest is a "money" worth 1000 baht, decorated in brown tones.

Thailand's metal money is represented mainly by Thai bats in denominations from 1 to 10. One- and five-baht coins are minted in silver, but the second is larger and thanks to the original form of coinage it looks at first glance as faceted. A double-coin (yellow metal) coin can be found much less often than a nominal value of 1 baht.

The largest of all in thickness and diameter is a 10 baht. It is a bimetallic - silvery ring, passing along the edge, bordering the central circle of yellow color.

About Thai trivia

Each Thai baht is equal to one hundred satangs - Thai "kopecks". In circulation, you can find small coins for 25 and 50 satangs. Both of them are of bronze red color. Probability to get acquainted with such money to the average tourist during an ordinary short trip to this country is not too great. This is due to the fact that in stores and markets, prices have long been rounded to baht.

Occasionally a trifle can be received as a change, but it is unlikely to be used as money - it will not be possible to buy anything on it, it is only left as a charity in the street or kept for your memory.

Coins in Thailand are minted like the American ones. You can look at the reverse side by turning top down (vertically), and not horizontally in Europe. And at first it can be confusing.

Get used to baths

When you are going to Thailand, you are ready to spend money only in the national currency, so information about its current course is always relevant. These data are constantly updated by the bank SCB Bank - one of the largest in the country.

At resorts, if you go to an exchange office of another bank, you may face a slight discrepancy, but the differences are not so great as to seriously damage the tourist budget.

To exchange money for Thailand, you can and our Russian rubles, but in recent years, such an exchange is not too profitable. Although still relatively recently the exchange rate of their exchange was 1: 1.

Where is it better to exchange currency

The exchange rate is not the same everywhere. As in any country actively visited by tourists, changing money right at the airport is the most unprofitable thing for foreigners. Any bank knows that a tourist needs local currency signs immediately upon arrival. If, for example, the purpose of your trip from the airport through Thailand is Pattaya, money is needed for the bus, and for just a snack on the way. And so the rate of buying a dollar or euro at airports is always artificially understated.

It is not very profitable to change the currency and in the exchangers that are in hotels and guesthouses. On the exchange of a 100-dollar bill, a tourist loses an average of 80 to 100 baht, which equals the cost of lunch at a local cafe or a couple of bottles of beer. Exchange rates can differ even in two neighboring points, since all banks of Thailand to their branches located at the resorts dictate their own conditions. Those wishing to save money are advised to bypass several such items in a row and choose where Thailand's money is offered cheaper. The benefit of exchangers in the country is enough, especially in places where tourists rest. Many of them, for example, in Pattaya, work until late in the evening.

Features of dollar exchange

Going to rest in this country is worth remembering the stable course of the Thai baht in recent years, but its minor fluctuations occur literally every day. A little more can be saved by bringing money (especially American dollars) with large bills. The exchange rate displayed by banks on the scoreboard exists, as a rule, in three versions:

• For one- and two-dollar bills (the least profitable to the depositor);
• For notes in denominations of 5, 10 or 20 units (slightly more expensive);
• For dollars in the form of banknotes of 50 and 100 units (the most optimal from the point of view of the tourist).

Strange as it may seem, there is no such gradation with respect to other world currencies, including the euro. Even know: the old American dollars (the year of release before 1966) in the street exchanger you do not accept, you should take care of in advance to bring notes with a newer.

Important nuances

Russian citizens in recent times should not have problems with the exchange of rubles for Thai money - this procedure is quite available in most places popular among tourists. Sometimes a direct exchange rate on the information board may not be displayed, but this does not mean that the procedure is impossible - you should only contact the operator.

Important nuance! Do not forget that any money in Thailand, like bills, and coins, contain an image of the king. His own monarch enjoys great reverence among the people of the country, and therefore any manifestation of disdain for the royal person is fraught with severe retaliation for desecration - from attacks by an angry mob on the street prior to criminal charges.

That's why never show disrespectful attitude to Thai money signs - do not crush, do not throw to the ground and in any case do not step on them!

A short excursion to the past

The history of Thai baht (THB) originates in ancient times. By the concept of "bath" the population of Indochina meant the so-called tikal, which served, moreover, as a unit of mass. From 1350 until the 19th century, in the territory of Siam, the strongest and most powerful Thai state, silver and gold ingots of non-standard convex form, large in weight (1,215 kg) were chased. Since 1861 the British Mint began to produce for the needs of Siam ordinary, European-type round coins.

Issued at the time, and banknotes, called tikals and tamlungs. We finished them in 1918. Thai baht as an independent national monetary unit was "born" on April 15, 1928, and remains in this capacity to this day.

About small coins

The name of satang - a small exchange of Thai coins - is translated from the Pali language as "one hundredth", which corresponds to reality. Satanking has been staged since 1898, that is, officially it appeared before the bat. 25 such small coins in the language of common speech are called "salueng."

Thai coins have always been distinguished by a variety of weight and shape. The largest ones are those that are 10 baht each. Small - in 25 satang. Each of the coins, as already mentioned, is issued with the image of a royal portrait. It is applied to the front side, and on the back there can be a variety of mythological characters, etc. There are often reversals with minted temples, whose importance for the Thai people is difficult to overestimate.

Russia - Thailand: money (course, local features, etc.)

Our tourist in some ways easier than, say, a Frenchman or a German. You do not face complex calculations if you go to Thailand. Money (the course to the ruble is difficult to name precisely, as it constantly fluctuates, albeit insignificantly, so, at the beginning of April 2017, for about 100 baht ask about 163.2 Russian rubles) there are about the same amount, and the Thai currency is converted into close in value To our ruble figures. Thus, in calculating the future costs of recreation in this country, our tourist can operate with prices in the usual monetary units. In addition, many goods and services here are much cheaper than Russian ones.

You can cash out Thai currency in a huge number of ATMs that work with most standard bank cards, for example MasterCard or Visa. The commission in them is of a fixed size (150 baht), cash withdrawal limits - from 20,000 to 30,000 baht. Without commission, you can withdraw money from the card through the bank, showing a scan of the passport.

With what money to go to Thailand? Going to the country for a long time, it is worth to stock up in dollars, as in the process of cashing banks initially convert both rubles, euros, and other money into American dollars. If the trip is short - you can take a card on which rubles. If you import more than $ 10,000, it will be required to declare it at the Russian customs.

To the question of gratuities

They are accepted in the service sector of any country, and Thailand is no exception. Their size is usually kept within reasonable limits. Spreading money here is not accepted, at the same time, having received a handful of little things, staff can feel offended. The size of the tip can not be higher than the cost of the service itself. The counter in the taxi is simply rounded to a higher value. Although this is not always the case.

In hotels "extra" money is left for the maid and baggage porters. Dollars do not tip.

Attempts to "pay off" from reckoning for something forbidden (such as smoking in unauthorized places) it is better not to do it - avoiding a fine will definitely not work out.

If you follow these simple rules, then you can relax in this beautiful country with very moderate costs, wisely spent the planned budget and received the most excellent impressions.