Guides
Guides to money and exchange in Phuket
Practical guides on changing money in Phuket, covering cash rates and banknotes, ATM fees, USDT to baht, roubles and SBP transfers, and how to keep an exchange safe.
These guides answer the money questions that come up before and during a trip to Phuket.
Each one is written from what we see at the counter in Bang Tao: which notes get a higher rate, what a bank machine takes from a foreign card, how roubles and USDT turn into baht, and where people lose money to a fake exchange.
Thai ATMs charge a fixed fee of 220 THB per withdrawal from a foreign card as of 2026, with 250 THB at some banks, plus a possible DCC markup if you accept a charge in your home currency. Typical single-withdrawal limits run from 20,000 to 30,000 THB.
Key facts
- Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a fixed 220 THB per withdrawal as of 2026.
- Some Thai banks charge foreign cards up to 250 THB per ATM withdrawal.
- A single foreign-card withdrawal in Thailand is capped near 20,000 to 30,000 THB.
- CAT Exchange holds a confirmed rate for 60 minutes after you agree the amount in chat.
- The Bang Tao office at 246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd is open 12 hours a day, 09:00 to 21:00.
- Delivery inside Bang Tao costs 0 THB extra on top of the exchange rate.
- An SBP transfer from a Russian bank starts at 10,000 THB per operation.
- CAT Exchange completes an ordinary cash exchange in up to 15 minutes.
- Declining DCC saves 3 to 7 percent of a transaction as of 2026.
Start with the guide that matches your situation. Arriving with cash, read about denominations and why 50 and 100 dollar notes are quoted higher. Holding crypto or roubles, read how those balances reach a Thai card.
Rates at CAT Exchange are confirmed in chat and held for 60 minutes, and the reference figures update daily on the rates page. The office at 246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, Si Sunthon works daily from 09:00 to 21:00.
Every number in these guides carries the date it was checked. Where a figure moves with the market, we send you to the chat rather than freeze it in an article. Questions that fit in a sentence are answered on the FAQ page.
CAT Exchange changes cash in thirteen currencies, USDT and SBP transfers into Thai baht, and delivers cash across Phuket free of charge inside Bang Tao. The clone domain cat-ex.com is not ours.
Exchanging money at Phuket airport and what to do instead
Change only taxi and first-day money at Phuket airport, roughly 3,000 to 5,000 THB, then exchange the rest at a district office where the rate on 500 USD is worth several hundred baht more.
Read the guide ↗ATM fees in Thailand for foreign cards: 220 THB, DCC and when exchange beats the ATM
Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a fixed 220 THB per withdrawal as of 2026, which is 2.2 percent on 10,000 THB and 1.1 percent on 20,000 THB, before your own bank and DCC.
Read the guide ↗Where to exchange money in Bang Tao, Laguna and Cherng Talay
Bang Tao and Cherng Talay offer four types of exchange point: bank kiosks, independent booths, hotel desks and ATMs. CAT Exchange sits on Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, open daily 09:00 to 21:00.
Read the guide ↗How much cash to bring to Phuket and in which currency
Carry US dollars in 50 and 100 notes as your main cash currency for Phuket, change two or three days of spending on arrival, and keep the rest of the budget on a card.
Read the guide ↗How to exchange money in Phuket in 2026: booths, banks, ATMs and what rate to expect
Exchange booths in Phuket pay more baht than banks or ATMs, the airport charges 5 to 10 percent more, and paying in Thai baht avoids a DCC markup of 3 to 7 percent.
Read the guide ↗Paying in Phuket: cash, cards and QR
Cards work in Phuket malls, hotels and larger restaurants, while markets, songthaews, scooter rentals and deposits stay cash only, so most visitors keep several thousand baht in notes at all times.
Read the guide ↗Baht exchange rate in Phuket, and how to compare offers
Google shows the interbank mid-rate, while an exchange office quotes a buy and a sell price around it, so compare offers by the baht you actually receive for your notes.
Read the guide ↗Exchanging Russian rubles in Phuket, cash and SBP transfers
Russian rubles reach Thai baht on Phuket two ways: cash notes exchanged at the counter with a passport, or an SBP transfer from a Russian bank paid as cash or to a Thai card.
Read the guide ↗SBP transfers to Thailand: how you receive baht in Phuket
An SBP transfer becomes Thai baht in four steps: you request a quote in chat, the rate holds 60 minutes, you send the transfer, and you take cash or a Thai card payout.
Read the guide ↗Exchange scams in Phuket: clone websites, fake Telegram accounts and how to verify you are talking to CAT Exchange
A domain named cat-ex.com copied the CAT Exchange brand and pushed visitors to a Telegram account that is not ours. The official site is cat-exchange.com and the official handle is @CatExchange1.
Read the guide ↗Why 100-dollar bills get a better rate in Thailand: denominations, old notes and condition
US dollars carry three rate tiers in Thailand. On 4 September 2026 CAT Exchange pays 32.5 THB for 50 and 100 notes, 32.33 for 5 to 20 notes and 31.84 for 1 and 2 notes.
Read the guide ↗USDT to cash in Phuket: how it works, TRC20, safety and step by step
A USDT to baht exchange in Phuket runs in four steps: agree the rate in chat, confirm the TRC20 wallet, send the transfer, collect cash baht or a payment to your Thai bank card.
Read the guide ↗