Currency and Cost in Thailand

The currency used is the 'Thai Baht' written as; 1THB. Smaller change is known as "Satang", where 100 Satang goes into 1 Baht. Thai Baht notes start from 20THB and go up to 1000THB, whereas the coins have denominations of 25 Satang, 50 Satang, 1THB, 2THB, 5THB and 10THB. Compared to the exchange rate for Thai Baht to the pound 2 years ago, the currency is currently highly favourable for UK visitors and 2021 rates averaged around 43.4TBH to the British pound.

Exchange rates are almost always better in Thailand, and a good strategy is to take enough local currency for your first day or so, and change the rest once you arrive. There are exchange facilities at Thai airports as well as many hotels or hostels, however, the exchange rate is often very poor compared to bank branches and local ATMs, so if your bank offers a good exchange rate then this might be the best option when exchanging currency. Although, just bare in mind that the flat fee for withdrawing from an ATM is around 200THB per transaction (with the exception of AEON bank which charges only 150THB per transaction). The best rates for currency exchanged in the UK are generally found by pre-ordering online and either collecting it from your UK departure airport or having it delivered to your home.

Traveller's cheques are still used in Phuket and Thailand, so most banks are able to cash them. However, there is a fee of around 153THB per cheque, and you also need to present some form of valid ID (i.e. passport).

   Banks in Phuket

In addition to the banks and currency exchange centers mentioned above, there are many more scattered around the island, as well as an abundance of ATM machines which widely accepts major world currencies (like GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, NZD and SGD) to exchange to Thai Baht.

There are also several Post Offices on the island. Here's a list of the main branches;

• Mai Khao Post Office
• Phuket Airport Post Office
• Thalang Post Office
• Choeng Thale Post Office
• Kamala Post Office
• Patong Post Office
• Thai Post Rawai
• Phuket Central Post Office 

    Transportation in Phuket

As of September 2021, transportation costs in Phuket were approximately as follows;

A songthaew (pronounced "Song thao") is basically their version of public transport. Rather than using buses, songthaews are pick-up trucks with a converted bed. The two back benches can usually fit up to 8-10 adults each, but you might find that some people decide to hang off the end if there is no space left inside. Even though the usual starting price is 40 - 50 baht, it would be best to ask the driver before getting on to avoid confusion. There are no seat belts in a songthaew, so if safety is one of your key priorities, then it might be best to go with a private taxi instead.

Taxis in Phuket are relatively expensive compared with the rest of Thailand. Regular taxis, uniformly yellow and red, can be picked up on the street and typically have a yellow number plate, showing them to be a public service vehicle. Prices are negotiated with the driver. Grab Taxis are Phuket's alternative to Uber with fixed prices that you can see before booking on the Grab app. They are not generally the cheapest option but some prefer having an upfront price with no haggling required.

Please note: hiring a car in Phuket legally requires you to have an international or Thai driver's licence. Although not all smaller companies will check if you have one, the larger companies definitely will. Also, when renting a car in Phuket, make sure you get one with car insurance as traffic can get a bit hectic on the island!

   Food and Drink (Supermarket)