Buying Thai Currency in Pattaya

Where is the best place to buy Thai money in Pattaya? Do the banks give a good money exchange rate? Are bank rates lower than the money booth on the street? Yes normally the exchange rate inside the banks will be lower than what you will find at the money exchange services on the street.

If you need to buy Thai money in Pattaya you will find an abundance of banks and money exchange booths along Beach Road and Second Road from South Pattaya, including Walking Street, all the way to Na Kluea. That stretch of road is about six kilometers long.

Getting The Best Exchange Rate

To get the best exchange rate in Pattaya you could just take a walk along any of the above mentioned roads until you are satisfied you have found the best selling price for Thai Baht. But save your feet and just do a little bit of walking because the money exchange service that I am about to recommend is quite well represented in most areas of Pattaya meaning South Pattaya, Pattaya Klang, North Pattaya and Na Kluea.

The name of the best money exchange service is "T.T. Currency Exchange". The service is always set up in a bright yellow coloured booth about three meters square with the money buying rates clearly displayed on cardboard cards stuck to the glass windows of the booths.

Currency Rate Display Signs.

For a person with normal eyesight these display cards are easy to read from a distance of around 20 meters. For example the listed money rates can be easily read as you drive by in a car, travel past in a Baht bus taxi or even as a passenger on the back of a motorbike taxi. There may be slight variables with the latter depending on the driver's riding habit. You know up the side walk, down the steps over the median strip and back along the gutter.

The currency rate signs have a yellow band across the top with the abbreviation for the currency's country of origin printed in black romanised upper case letters. Usually there are three letters such as "AUD" for Australian dollar, "RUB" for Russian ruble, "GBP" for pound sterling, CNY for Chinese Yuan and "USD" for American dollars. Sorry if you don't see your country's currency here but there is just not enough page space to reference all of them. Below the country name is the rate of exchange printed in black on a white background.

Some of the other exchange rate service booths are not as diligent about making it easy for the customer to see what their offer is. The signs are smaller and some just have a rack inside the booth which the customer cannot really read until he/she is a meter or so from the booth.

Next Best Money Exchange Rate in Pattaya

To get a quick comparison of Thai money exchange rates you could call this telephone number 038 420 079 and ask what the exchange rate is to buy Thai money. That is the phone number of a company called "Bank Gold" located in a soi off South Pattaya Road about eighty meters inland from Third Road and South Pattaya Road intersection. The soi is the entrance to Rungland Village and there is a large Rungland Village sign at the entrance to the soi. Another obvious landmark for this soi is The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) building located across South Pattaya Road directly opposite.

"Bank Gold" has been in the money exchange business for many years. If you are nearby you could visit "Bank Gold" and buy your Thai Baht there. Usually this service offers the second best rate for buying Thai money. Their rate might be around 0.02 less than "T.T. Currency Exchange" which doesn't amount to much when you are buying small amounts of Thai Baht. "Bank Gold" shop front is painted red. Above the entrance is the storefront sign "Bank Gold" printed in three demential yellow letters about 80 center meters high.

Security While Handling Your Money

When you are traveling around with your cash money try to carry the least amount of cash on you that you possibly can. Just take enough for the day or night and leave the rest in your bank or a trusted secure safe. While travelling on a baht bus taxi be careful of pickpockets and other thieves. Sometimes they work in teams. One will distract you perhaps by engaging in light conversation while the other dexterously removes your wallet or money. You might like to read more about these kind of scams in one of our e-books.