Cards are accepted in Phuket shopping malls, hotels, supermarkets and larger restaurants as of 2026, while beach clubs on the sand, markets, songthaews, motorbike rentals and rental deposits remain cash only. Most visitors keep 3,000 to 5,000 THB in notes on them.
Key facts
- Most visitors keep 3,000 to 5,000 THB in notes on them as of 2026.
- Thai merchants may add a card surcharge of about 3 percent as of 2026.
- A 3 percent surcharge on a 4,000 THB dinner costs 120 THB.
- Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a fixed 220 THB per withdrawal as of 2026.
- A typical Thai ATM limit runs 20,000 to 30,000 THB per transaction.
- PromptPay QR usually needs a Thai bank account, unlike the 220 THB ATM route.
- On 4 September 2026 CAT Exchange buys 50 and 100 dollar notes at 32.5 THB per dollar.
- The Bang Tao office is open 12 hours a day, 09:00 to 21:00.
Where do you still need cash on Phuket?
Cash covers everything outside the air-conditioned economy. Markets, street food, songthaews and local buses, beach loungers, small massage shops, temple donations, roadside fruit stalls and most scooter rentals take baht in hand and nothing else.
Deposits are the category that catches people out. A motorbike rental deposit, a villa security deposit and a long-stay rent payment usually come in cash, and each one can run to tens of thousands of baht.
Landlords and rental shops ask for notes because a card refund takes days and costs them a fee.
| Where you pay | Cash | Card | QR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malls, supermarkets, hotels | yes | yes | yes |
| Restaurants and cafes | yes | mostly | often |
| Markets, street food, beach vendors | yes | no | sometimes |
| Songthaews, tuk-tuks, local taxis | yes | no | rarely |
| Scooter rental and deposits | yes | rarely | rarely |
Malls, supermarkets and hotels take all three payment methods. Restaurants and cafes take cards in most cases and QR in many. Markets, beach vendors, songthaews and tuk-tuks want cash, and scooter shops want cash for both the rental and the deposit.
Do cards work everywhere else?
Cards work in the places tourists spend the most and fail in the places they spend the most often. Central Phuket, Boat Avenue, Porto de Phuket, supermarkets, hotels, dive shops and larger restaurants all take Visa and Mastercard, and many Bang Tao restaurants take them too.
Thai merchants may add a card surcharge of about 3% on Visa and Mastercard payments as of 2026, most often at small restaurants, guesthouses and rental agencies. Ask before you hand over the card, because the surcharge is not always shown on the menu.
Some venues quietly pass their acquiring fee to you. A three percent surcharge on a 4,000 THB dinner is 120 THB, which matters less than the DCC trap below but adds up over a two-week trip.
What is DCC and why does it cost you money?
Dynamic currency conversion is the card terminal offering to bill you in your home currency instead of baht. Say no every time. The exchange rate in that offer belongs to the payment processor, and as of 2026 the markup on it typically runs several percent above the card network rate.
When a Thai card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency rather than in Thai baht, always choose THB. Paying in the local currency hands the conversion to Visa or Mastercard, whose spread is thinner than the terminal operator's dynamic currency conversion markup.
The prompt looks helpful. It shows you a familiar number, tells you the amount in dollars or euros, and hides the fact that you have just accepted someone else's exchange rate. Choosing THB takes one extra tap.
The same rule applies at ATMs. As of 2026 a Thai ATM charges a foreign card a fixed 220 THB per withdrawal, 250 THB at some banks, with a limit of 20,000 to 30,000 THB per transaction, so DCC on top of that fee turns a convenient withdrawal into an expensive one.
Can foreigners use PromptPay QR?
Only in a limited way. PromptPay is Thailand's domestic instant transfer system, and the QR codes taped to counters across Phuket are built for people paying from a Thai bank account linked to a Thai phone number or ID.
PromptPay QR payments on Phuket require a Thai bank account for most transactions as of 2026. Visitors without one can pay some merchants through cross-border QR links from a few Asian countries, so cash and cards stay the practical options for short stays.
Cross-border QR links exist with several countries in the region, and some foreign wallet apps scan a Thai merchant code. Coverage varies by merchant and by home bank, which makes QR a bonus rather than a plan.
If you stay long enough to open a Thai bank account, the picture changes. QR then covers taxis, markets, coffee shops and rent transfers, and you stop carrying notes. Getting to that point takes documents, an address and time.
How much cash should you carry day to day?
Keep 3,000 to 5,000 THB in your pocket and the rest somewhere safe. That covers meals, transport, a market run and a scooter tank without leaving you exposed if a bag goes missing.
CAT Exchange changes 13 cash currencies into Thai baht at 246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, Si Sunthon, open daily 09:00 to 21:00. On 4 September 2026 the office buys 50 and 100 dollar notes at 32.5 THB per dollar and euros at 37.71 THB.
Plan the deposit separately. If a villa deposit or a month of rent is due in cash, that amount deserves its own exchange and its own delivery rather than a series of ATM withdrawals at 220 THB each.
For a large sum, cash delivery brings the baht to your address, free inside Bang Tao and quoted per request elsewhere on the island.
Rates for every currency sit on the rates page, and the route to the counter is on the Bang Tao office page. If you are budgeting before the flight, start with the guide on how much cash to bring to Phuket.
Bang Tao office
246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, Si Sunthon, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand- HoursDaily 09:00–21:00
- Phone+66 84 263 9185
FAQ
Do taxis and songthaews on Phuket take cards?
Songthaews, tuk-tuks and metered taxis expect cash. Ride-hailing apps let you attach a card, and some drivers still ask for cash at the end of the ride, so keep small notes with you.
Should I tip in Thailand, and in what?
Tipping is optional and given in cash. Rounding up the bill or leaving 20 to 100 THB is normal at restaurants, spas and for drivers, and staff rarely see a tip added to a card payment.
Why did my card get declined at a restaurant?
Foreign cards get declined for a bank fraud block, an unsupported card type or a terminal that only takes local cards. Tell your bank your travel dates before you fly, and carry enough baht to cover the bill anyway.
Can I pay a scooter deposit by card?
Rental shops on Phuket ask for a cash deposit in almost every case. Some hold a passport instead, which most travellers refuse, so bringing the deposit in baht is the cleaner option.
Is it safe to carry cash on Phuket?
Carry what you need for the day and leave the rest in a hotel safe. For a large exchange, ask for delivery rather than driving across the island with notes, and see the FAQ page for how the handover works.