ATM fees and changing money in Thailand

At a glance

Kasikornbank ATMs, foreign credit cards

Historical reading; current tariff unconfirmed: 250 baht a withdrawal for international Visa and China UnionPay credit cards, 350 baht for Mastercard, from 22 September 2026

Bangkok Bank ATMs, foreign cards

Historical reading; current tariff unconfirmed: 50 to 350 baht a withdrawal, depending on the card network

Krungsri ATMs, foreign cards

250 baht a withdrawal for Visa, JCB and UnionPay cards and 350 baht for Mastercard, from March 2026; international American Express cards 50 baht

Largest single K-ATM withdrawal

30,000 baht; your card issuer may set a lower limit

Currency to choose

Thai baht, so your card issuer converts the amount instead of the ATM's provider

Where to change cash

A bank or a money changer licensed by Thailand's Minister of Finance

What a cash withdrawal costs

There is no single fee for every Thai ATM and every card. The bank that owns the machine charges foreign cards its own fee, and the bank that issued your card can add a withdrawal fee, an exchange-rate margin or, on a credit card, cash-advance charges.

Three banks' published schedules, from Kasikornbank (KBank), Bangkok Bank and Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya), show how much the card network matters:

The held historical readings concern Kasikornbank’s 22 September 2026 schedule and Bangkok Bank’s 27 July 2026 schedule; their current tariff columns remain unconfirmed. Krungsri’s March 2026 schedule was separately checked on 26 October: JCB 250 baht and international American Express 50 baht. Other banks’ fees are not established here; read the machine’s screen.

Choose baht, not your home currency

An ATM, or a card machine in a shop or hotel, may offer to charge you in your home currency. This is dynamic currency conversion (DCC): the machine's provider converts the amount at its own rate, instead of your card issuer.

Visa says a DCC offer must show both currencies, the exchange rate and any markup or fee, and must let you accept or decline. Choose Thai baht, or the option marked without conversion, and your card issuer converts the amount at its own rate and with its own fees.

Declining DCC does not cancel the withdrawal, and it does not remove the ATM's fee. If a machine or a shop converts the amount after you chose baht, keep the receipt or a photo of the screen and raise it with your card issuer promptly.

How much to take out at once

Kasikornbank lists 30,000 baht as the most a K-ATM pays out in one withdrawal, and its machines take Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay and American Express cards, among others. Your card issuer can set a lower limit per withdrawal or per day, so a refused large amount may simply be over a limit: try one smaller amount before you call your bank. For data, apps and emergency numbers on arrival, see your first day in Pattaya.

Because the machine's fee is the same for every withdrawal, fewer and larger withdrawals cost less in fees. Weigh that against how much cash you are happy to carry and can lock away.

Changing cash at a counter

The Bank of Thailand says foreign currency must be bought, sold and exchanged through businesses licensed by the Minister of Finance, such as commercial banks and authorised money changers. A street offer, a private chat or a crypto swap is no substitute.

• Read the buying rate. When you hand over foreign notes for baht, the changer is buying them, so its buying rate is the one that applies to you.
• Check the note size. The rate can depend on the note: T.T. Currency Exchange, for example, publishes separate rates for large, medium and small notes of some currencies.
• Compare the baht you receive, not the biggest number on the board. A sign saying there is no commission tells you nothing about the rate.
• Count the money at the counter and keep the receipt. The Bank of Thailand's rules require a licensed changer to give you a record of the date, currency, amount, rate and total in baht.

For a small amount, a licensed counter nearby can make more sense than crossing town for a slightly better rate. For a large amount, compare two counters on the same day.

Using ATMs safely

• Use a machine at a staffed bank branch or in a busy, well-lit place when you can.
• Check the card slot and keypad for anything loose or unusual, cover the keypad as you type and refuse help from strangers.
• Take your card, cash and receipt before you walk away, and keep the receipt until the withdrawal shows correctly on your account.
• Turn on your card's transaction alerts, so you see any use of it straight away.

Card skimming and the other scams visitors meet are covered in staying safe in Pattaya.

Carry cash and a backup card

Card acceptance varies from one business to the next, and small purchases, markets and local transport can need cash. Ask before you order if you want to pay by card, and don't assume a card payment carries no surcharge.

Carry the day's cash in an easy-to-reach wallet and lock the rest away. Keep a second card apart from the first, and save your card issuer's international phone number somewhere that does not depend on the missing card. For daily costs, see how much a Pattaya trip costs.

Questions