How many rates does one US dollar have?
Three, at almost every exchange office in Thailand, and CAT Exchange is no exception. The denomination on the note decides which tier your cash falls into, and the difference is set before you walk in.
On 4 September 2026 CAT Exchange buys 50 and 100 US dollar notes at 32.5 THB per dollar, 5, 10 and 20 dollar notes at 32.33 THB, and 1 and 2 dollar notes at 31.84 THB at its Bang Tao office.
Key facts
- On 4 September 2026 50 and 100 US dollar notes are bought at 32.5 THB per dollar.
- 5, 10 and 20 dollar notes are bought at 32.33 THB per dollar on 4 September 2026.
- 1 and 2 dollar notes are bought at 31.84 THB per dollar on 4 September 2026.
- A confirmed exchange rate holds for 60 minutes after you agree it in chat.
- An ordinary cash exchange takes up to 15 minutes at the Bang Tao counter.
- The office is open 12 hours a day, 09:00 to 21:00, at 246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd.
- Delivery of exchanged baht inside Bang Tao costs 0 THB extra.
- On a 5,000 USD exchange, the gap between the top and middle tier is worth real THB.
| Notes you hand over | Rate on 4 September 2026 | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| 100 and 50 USD | 32.5 THB per dollar | Top |
| 20, 10 and 5 USD | 32.33 THB per dollar | Middle |
| 2 and 1 USD | 31.84 THB per dollar | Lowest |
Read the table as three separate prices for the same currency. A thousand dollars in hundreds and a thousand dollars in fives are not the same product to a money changer, and the board reflects that.
Why does a 100 note earn more than a 20?
Handling cost. One 100 dollar note takes a second to check and a millimetre of space in the safe. The same value in twenties is five notes to inspect, five chances of a tear, and five times the bulk to count, store, insure and ship to the bank that eventually takes them.
Exchange offices in Thailand pay a higher rate on 50 and 100 US dollar notes than on smaller denominations as of 2026, because large clean notes cost less to verify, store and transport per dollar of value.
The same logic runs through other currencies. Chinese yuan are priced in tiers at CAT Exchange, and so are Malaysian ringgit. Euros, pounds, francs and dirhams take a single rate whatever note you present, which makes euro cash simple to plan around.
How much is the tier difference actually worth?
Multiply the gap between two tiers by the number of dollars you are changing. That is the whole calculation.
The tier gap on 4 September 2026 is the difference between 32.5 and 32.33 THB on every single dollar. On a 5,000 USD exchange the same difference is multiplied five thousand times, which turns small change on the board into a meaningful sum in hand.
Two people arriving with 3,000 USD each, one carrying thirty hundreds and the other carrying one hundred and fifty twenties, walk out with different amounts of baht. Neither was overcharged.
They brought different goods. Current numbers for every tier sit on the Phuket exchange rates page and on the USD to THB service page.
What are "white" and "blue" dollars?
Older US notes printed before the mid-2000s redesign are known across Asia as white dollars: plain green and black, no coloured background, a smaller portrait on the older series still.
Notes from the redesigned series carry colour shading and, on the current 100, a blue security ribbon, which is why traders call them blue dollars.
CAT Exchange accepts pre-2006 white-series US dollars at a lower rate than current blue-series notes. The distinction is standard practice across Asian money changers as of 2026, because older notes are harder to verify and less readily accepted onward.
Nothing about a white dollar is invalid. Every genuine US note ever issued remains legal tender at face value in the United States. The discount in Asia is a market convention about resale, not a judgment on the note.
If your dollars came out of a safe in 2004 and have not moved since, expect the older-series rate and factor it in before you plan your budget.
Which notes get refused or discounted?
Cashiers check every note for the same short list of problems, and so does the bank behind them.
- Tears and missing corners. A clean tear may pass at a lower rate; a missing piece usually will not.
- Tape and glue. Repaired notes are refused almost everywhere in Thailand.
- Bank stamps. Ink stamps applied by banks elsewhere in Asia lower the rate or block the note.
- Pen marks and writing. Counting marks and signatures both count as marks.
- Water damage, mould and staining. Common in notes stored in humid conditions.
- Heavy creasing and folds. Notes folded into eighths for years lose their flatness and their tier.
Damaged, taped, stamped or heavily marked US dollar notes are either bought at a reduced rate or declined in Thailand as of 2026, because the receiving bank applies the same inspection when the notes are deposited.
Send a photograph of both sides to WhatsApp or Telegram before you travel. The office answers in messengers around the clock, and knowing the tier in advance beats discovering it at the counter.
How should you prepare your cash before coming in?
Sort the notes by denomination at home, count each stack, and put the hundreds together. Unfold anything that has been folded, and set aside any note that is stamped, torn or written on so it can be looked at separately.
CAT Exchange holds a confirmed exchange rate for 60 minutes after the customer agrees to it in chat, quotes a net rate with no counting or handling fee, and completes an ordinary cash exchange in up to 15 minutes at 246 Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, Si Sunthon, open daily 09:00 to 21:00.
Bring your passport, since Thai law requires a licensed money changer to identify every customer exchanging cash on the premises.
For a large amount, message the sum ahead so the baht is counted and waiting, or ask for cash delivery, which is free inside Bang Tao. The route to the counter is on the Bang Tao office page.
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
Should I bring 100 dollar notes or a mix?
Bring hundreds and fifties for the bulk of your money. Keep a few small notes for the trip itself, and accept that they exchange at the lower tier when you get here.
Will you take my old 1996 or 2001 dollars?
Yes, at the white-series rate, which sits below the rate for current blue-series notes. Photograph both sides and send the picture first so you know the number before you drive over.
Is a note with a bank stamp on it worthless?
No, but it is worth less. Stamps applied by banks in other countries move the note down a tier or, if the ink covers security features, make it unbuyable. Ask in chat with a photo.
Why do euros have only one rate and dollars have three?
Euro notes circulate in fewer sizes in practice and are handled as a single class in Thailand as of 2026. The euro to THB page shows the current euro number.
Can I change a torn note anywhere in Phuket?
Some offices take clean tears at a discount and others refuse them. Send the photo before you travel rather than trying counter after counter. More answers are on the FAQ page.