Southeast Asia

Money, cards and tipping in Thailand

Capital: BangkokThai, EnglishUpdated October 2026

THBBaht

Money in Thailand

Mixed: cards and cash Cards and contactless work in malls, hotels and chains; cash for street food, markets, songthaews and small guesthouses. US$1 ≈ ฿33.56 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not expected; round up or leave 20–100 THB for good service. Upmarket restaurants add 10% service charge plus 7% VAT.
ATMs: Thai ATMs charge foreign cards about 220 THB per withdrawal; limits usually 20,000–30,000 THB, so withdraw larger amounts.
Paying by phone: Apple and Google Pay work at contactless terminals; Thai QR (PromptPay) works with some linked Asian bank apps.
Price level: about 31% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Bangkok	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and contactless in malls, chains and hotels; cash for street food, markets, motorbike taxis and small shops.
Phuket	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash for street food, markets, songthaews and scooter rentals.
Chiang Mai	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and many cafés; cash for markets, street food, songthaews and small guesthouses.
Koh Samui	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts, malls and many restaurants; cash for songthaews, taxis, markets and scooter rentals.
Krabi	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels and larger restaurants; cash for songthaews, boats, night markets and island guesthouses.
Koh Phi Phi	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in larger hotels and restaurants; cash needed for small shops, boat rides and many guesthouses. ATMs in the village run out in busy season.
Koh Phangan	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in larger resorts and some cafés; cash for songthaews, markets, scooter rentals and many beach restaurants.
Pai	Mostly cash	Cash for markets, scooter rentals, bungalows and most cafés; a few ATMs on the main street, and cards only in larger resorts.
Pattaya	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for baht buses, bars, street food and markets.
Koh Tao	Mixed: cards and cash	ATMs at Mae Haad and Sairee; cash for taxis, small restaurants and dive shop extras. Cards accepted at larger dive centers.
Patong	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, bars and tours.
Hua Hin	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and many restaurants; cash for the night market, songthaews and small shops.
Chiang Rai	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and larger restaurants; cash for markets, songthaews, tuk-tuks and rural areas.
Ayutthaya	Mostly cash	Cash for tuk-tuks, markets, ruins entry and guesthouses; cards in a few hotels and malls.
Koh Lanta	Mixed: cards and cash	ATMs in Saladan and along the coast; cash for small restaurants, taxis and scooter rentals. Cards in larger resorts.
Railay	Mixed: cards and cash	ATMs on Railay West and East run out of cash; carry baht. Cards in resorts and larger restaurants; cash for boats and bungalows.
Kanchanaburi	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in a few hotels and chains; cash for guesthouses, markets, buses, national park gates and raft stays.
Koh Chang	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in bigger resorts and some restaurants; cash for songthaews, bungalows, markets and small shops. Few ATMs outside White Sand.
Khao Lak	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts, dive shops and larger restaurants; cash for night markets, songthaews, small cafés and scooter rentals.
Koh Samet	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts and some beachfront restaurants; cash for songthaews, small guesthouses, markets and the national park entry gate.
Koh Lipe	Mostly cash	Cash for most food, boat fares and guesthouses; cards in a few resorts and dive shops. Bring baht from the mainland, as ATMs run out.
Khao Yai	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts, cafés and wineries; cash for park entry, local food, buses and small farm stays.
Khao Sok	Mostly cash	Cash for lodges, restaurants, boat trips and park fees; cards only at larger resorts. Few ATMs in the village.
Sukhothai	Mostly cash	Mostly cash for markets, local restaurants, buses and guesthouses; cards in a few hotels and cafés.
Hat Yai	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for markets, street food, songthaews and small shops.
Kata Beach	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash for street food, songthaews and scooter rentals.
Jomtien	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, condos and chains; cash for baht buses, markets, street food and small shops.
Rawai	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash for seafood market, street food, songthaews and scooter rentals.
Udon Thani	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for markets, street food, songthaews and small guesthouses.
Koh Kood	Mostly cash	Cards at larger resorts only; cash for small restaurants, boats and shops. Bring baht, as ATMs are few and unreliable.
Koh Yao Noi	Mostly cash	Cash for most food, boats and homestays; cards only at some resorts. Bring baht from Phuket or Krabi, as ATMs are few.
Khon Kaen	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for street food, markets, songthaews and small guesthouses.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Thailand?

Not expected; round up or leave 20–100 THB for good service. Upmarket restaurants add 10% service charge plus 7% VAT.

Is Thailand cashless?

Mixed: cards and cash. Cards and contactless work in malls, hotels and chains; cash for street food, markets, songthaews and small guesthouses.

What currency does Thailand use?

The Baht (THB). US$1 ≈ ฿33.56 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.