1.Re: Spending money in Thailand for 2 weeks?
6 years ago
Most people recommend that whatever you are spending per night on your accommodation, you should allow the same amount per day for expenses. If your way of life is quite frugal and you are staying in places for 600 baht per night then you could live off another 600 baht per da to pay for other expenses. But if your tastes are five star then you may require 4,000 baht or 5,000 baht per day to keep up with your own standards. There is a vast range of different types of accommodation for different budgets, and it is the same with food and other things.
Do not forget that even poor locals manage to live in Thailand, but they live with family with many people sharing a room and cook their own food which can be bought very cheaply in markets.
But you are a person on holiday so you do not want to live like a poor person
. Massages will cost around 300 baht for two hours. Beer can be a similar price as UK in some restaurants and bars, and even more than in UK if you buy imported beers or wine due to high tax. If you go on any booked trips you may pay 2000 baht per person. If you eat at expensive restaurants or always pick the European food instead of local food it will be more expensive. If you rent jeeps, motorbikes or jetskis that can push up expenses.
If you use local transport and eat where locals eat and walk to attractions, use the 7 eleven for cheap beer and do clothes shopping in markets rather than shopping centres, and you are good at bargaining, then things can be cheap.It all depends how you spend your day.
It is always better to bring more money with you than you think you will need, rather than run out and have to borrow from others, or get money sent by Western Union. ( I have met travellers who had to do this) Also Thai currency can be changed back to pounds at the airport before you leave, so no problem there. Or you can just keep your unused baht for the next trip.
Make sure your English money is in high denomination notes as these get a slightly better exchange rate. Make sure the notes are clean and new without any scribbled numbers on them or other marks or they may not be accepted. Usually £50 notes and a few £20 notes are good because less bulky.
Take a couple of UK bank cards as backup incase your cash runs out, but remember that there is a 200 baht fee every time you use an ATM, so always draw out the maximum possible each time you use one. Your bank at home will also charge you for each transaction. Some machines let you draw out 20,000 baht ( about £500 ), but some limit you to half of that. It will also depend on the daily limit your bank has given you. Always tell your local branch at home BEFORE you travel that you will be in Thailand because otherwise they may think your card has been stolen and freeze your account.
So my advice is to take more money than you need so you do not have to be stingey with your holiday. ( Even if you find you can manage on 1,000 baht per day, it is still good to have extra money for emergencies, like if you get sick or get ripped off etc.
