Money

[Bally 0]

Hi been using this site for a couple of weeks now and find it very useful

 

Im going to Pattaya next thursday the 3rd cant wait

but im unsure on how much money will see me through the 2 weeks im there for

and what your opinion on the best way to take the money eg Travellers cheaques or to just take my card and use the atm machines

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[monkeyman 1,597]

About 7000 baht a day for spending money should do you OK without having to hold back too much, though you can get by on a lot less if you want.

 

I wouldn't bother with travellers cheques. There are ATM machines everywhere.

[Bally 0]

Thanks roughly whats 7000 baht in pounds

[SunnyValentine 173]

Haven't checked the rates for a few days now, but with the following ballpoint figures you can't go wrong:

1 PST is 70 - 75 Bt (rather 70 now)

1 Euro is 49-51 Bt

1 US Dollar is around 40 Bt

 

Sunny

[gs joe 1,770]

Thanks roughly whats 7000 baht in pounds

About a £100 .

 

Joe

[Emil 0]

Matt,

 

I also favor the ATMs, they're everywhere and 24/7 access. The amount of money you need varies greatly from person to person. You should join the member site (its free) and you will get more detailed information.

[Firepole 181]

Open a second(hopefully free) account at a different bank at home so you'll have two ATM cards. One to use at the ATM's and one to keep locked up with your passport in case you lose the first. A couple/few hundred in travelers checks is a good idea too.

 

Click here for a currency converter

[thechairman18 174]

what your opinion on the best way to take the money eg Travellers cheaques or to just take my card and use the atm machines

 

Thanks

 

Matt

I see you are a Brit like me. I find the best way for me, is my Nationwide BS Debit Card. There are no transaction charges, either by them, or the overseas bank, and they give bank rate as opposed to tourist rate, and there are ATM's all over the place.

thechairman18

[Sailfast 503]

7000 is a good figure.

 

On a crazzzzzy day I can spend 8000+, but, don't think I have ever crossed the 10K threshhold, even w/ nice dinners and two girls on my arm.

 

5000 on a less crazy day.

 

This figure includes my hotel costs. I try to pay less than 1500 baht, NO guest fees. Guest fees can end up to be a budget buster and double your hotel bill

 

I bring about $500 US in travelers cheques as a back up.

 

I bring $500 US in cash and save this till the last few days of my trip.

 

I save the US cash and travelers cheques until towards the end of my trip.

 

I use my ATM card for the rest. Multiple ATM cards for the same account are helpful in case your card is swallowed my the machine. This year I am bringing another ATM card (paypal) as a backup. I have had some minor trouble with ATM machines.

 

Credit card is a last resort, never used one except at airport layovers when I don't want to change money. Well, this year I did prepay five room nights and BKK airport pickup through the R.G. Hotel.

 

I also end up coming home with more than enough cash.

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

Sailfast

Edited October 27, 2005 by Sailfast

[amphora 0]

In Pattaya 6.000 to 8.000/day is realistic. You can do less if you really want. If you leave Pattaya and go like ti Isaan you can do on 2.000 to 3.000/day.

[ting_tong 63]

TC, cash, debit card.....take all 3

 

CC for back up

[Soi7 1]

ATM is my weapon of choice I took 20,000 Baht out two days ago with the 1.25 fee included rate worked out to 40.91. The exchanges on the street were 40.55.

 

I agree with Ting Tong also really need a back up just in case the ATM's go to shit

[Guest Winston_Churchill]

Dont rely solely on atm's i had all my dosh took off my card in 1 day,it left me with zero cash in my account, it took about 3 months to get it back in England, good job i had back up..

[wrassell 0]

I had my bank account cleaned out by the state of california because they thought i owed them money, it is good to have backup. You never know, American banks ? not as safe as you may think. Even so if you have someone back home who can help you out if you get into a jamb then you are OK,, they can always send you money with Western Union, very expensive though.

 

As far as cost let me think a bit to see if i can do Pattaya on seven a day, OK thinking is over yep i can do.

 

Have Fun, I just wish it were my first comming to Pattaya.

 

[ting_tong 63]

always consider the worst case sceniario:

 

passport gets stolen or lost / cant cast TCs

 

ATM card gets eaten or cloned / cant pull cash

 

cash gets stolen

 

anything can happen, hopefully not all at once.

 

Also do a websearch for credit card cloning, its common in Thailand.....especially in hotels

[thechairman18 174]

Slightly off topic.

In case you lose or get robbed of important items, Passport, Credit Cards, Mobile phone etc.

Send an email to yourself, with your details, eg. Family and friends addresses, and phone No's. Bank to contact, passport details, and phone No for replacement.

That way you can go into an internet cafe, and print off all your contact details.

I hope you never have to use it.

thechairman18

Edited October 28, 2005 by thechairman18

[Gus 97]

A couple of good suggestions there from chairman and cenc.

Winston how come you got cleaned out

[sindre 0]

Bally,

 

If I go to Pattaya for a short term stay (1-3 weeks) I average about 3000 Baht a day (including hotel/apartment)

The reason for this is that I don't bother to barfine or hang with girls every night(maybe 3 or 4 times a week!!).

As mentioned many times before on this forum-your daily budget will increase if you drink, barfine and fuck every night.

 

Conclusion: It's no problem to spend 6000 Bath a day in Pattaya, but it's also possible to spend as little as 2000 (even less if you are on a tight budget)

 

Of course with less than 2000 a day including hotel you'll probably sleep alone...

[Lancashirelad 0]

around 2500 bht a day inc. hotel or rented air con room.

Out drinking most nights after 10pm. Some lady drinks.

Good nosh about every 3 days, good filling 70 bht meals on the others.

Couple of LT girls a week.

[farman 11]

I think it all depends on how much you drink in a day. Beer, drunkeness=lots of money spent.

 

Ive survived on 1000 baht a day.

 

My average is about 1500-2000 baht a day

 

I have spent 10000(thats ten thousand) and SO regretted it the next day

 

 

[Guest Winston_Churchill]

A couple of good suggestions there from chairman and cenc.

Winston how come you got cleaned out

Dunno i used the machine inside tops it gave me a few 100 baht then said no more cash on card, i had a grand on it,anyway when i got back home went to the bank to have the card checked they sais there was fuck all left on it,when we got the statement it was all took off the card at the machine i was at,at the time i was there with the card anyway i got it back but i would of been fucked if i didn't have my visa with me..

[Daveuk 28]

members based in the U.K. can save money by using a Nationwide Card at the ATM's, because this building society makes no charge for withdrawals abroad, unlike most banks. If you travel abroad a lot you can save by opening an account.

[galt67 2]

Regardless of how much decide on, do NOT leave much money in your room--Use the hotel's safety deposit box.

 

In the past week, MULTIPLE guys have had THOUSANDS stolen from their room.

[ROCKO76 0]

I wouldn't bother with travellers cheques. 

I would have to agree with monkeyman on the travellers checks, I used them on one of my trips and found it to be a pain in the ass to try and cash, just don't like carrying my passport everywhere I go....ATM is the way to go..

[Gus 97]

On a Bangkok Bound TV programme an English couple lost £5,000 from a hotel safe deposit box, one of the members of staff cleaned it out.

I think the police got him at the bus station, he said all he had spent was 90 baht on the bus ticket.

Mysteriously quite a few quid had gone missing which the police couldn't explain

The farang couple were just happy to get most of their money back.

 

I have got a new Nationwide debit for main use plus a A&L debit for back up plus 2 C/C for extra back up.