I moved to Thailand a few months ago and I still handle money like a tourist
Hi everyone. I moved to Thailand a few months ago and I still handle money like a tourist, which is starting to cost me real money. My salary comes from abroad, and every time I need baht I either pull cash from an ATM and pay both the local fee and my own bank markup, or I walk into whatever exchange booth is closest. Rates are all over the place. What do long term residents actually do here for regular currency exchange, and is it worth finding one place and sticking with it? I am here on a long stay visa and I expect to be in Thailand for at least a couple of years, so I would rather set this up properly now than keep improvising every month.
Most long termers stop using ATMs entirely for anything larger than pocket money, because the fixed fee plus the card markup adds up fast. The usual setup is one exchange service you trust and a regular routine with it. I use Thai money changer , Senate Exchange, they cover a lot of directions including roubles, dollars, euros and yuan into baht, and you can get cash delivered, collect it at the office or have it sent to a Thai bank account. Tip: avoid changing small amounts. Below a certain threshold the rate is worse, so plan bigger and less frequent exchanges. Also check how the service handles proof of identity and receipts, because at some point you will need a paper trail for a large transfer. A place that issues nothing is a place you do not use twice.
