Money, Forex and SIM Cards in Thailand: A Guide for Indians

The simplest money setup for Indians in Thailand is some baht in cash bought before you leave, a multi-currency forex card for everyday spending and one credit card as a backup. For data, use an eSIM if your phone supports it, or buy a tourist SIM at the airport. Always pay in baht — not rupees — when a card machine asks.

Money and mobile data are small topics that cause big frustrations when they go wrong: a card blocked on the first evening, a phone with no data at the taxi rank, or a forex rate that quietly costs more than a nice dinner. A little planning avoids all three.

The short answer: three layers of money

Keep the three in different places — not all in one wallet.

How much cash to carry to Thailand

Buy enough baht in India to cover your first one or two days — the airport transfer if it is not prepaid, meals, a SIM card and tips — so you are not hunting for an exchange counter after a night flight. After that, top up as you go.

How much cash you need depends on your trip. If hotels, transfers and tours are prepaid, cash mostly covers meals, shopping and small extras. If you are paying for activities locally, you will need more. Our guide to how much a Thailand trip from India costs helps you estimate the daily spend.

Forex cards and credit cards in Thailand

Forex cards

A prepaid multi-currency forex card, loaded with Thai baht before departure, is the best everyday tool for most Indian travellers. You fix the exchange rate when you load it, there is usually no foreign-transaction markup on purchases, and if it is lost you can block it without exposing your bank account. Load a little more than you expect to spend, and check how your bank refunds the unused balance.

Credit and debit cards

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in hotels, malls, chain restaurants and larger shops. Indian credit cards typically add a foreign-transaction markup plus GST on it, so they are better as a backup than as your main card. Before you leave:

• Enable international usage in your banking app and set sensible limits.
• Check that contactless and online international payments are switched on if you need them.
• Save your bank's international helpline number somewhere offline.

Always choose to pay in baht. When a card machine offers to charge you in rupees, it is dynamic currency conversion, and the rate is almost always worse.

ATMs and exchange counters

Thai ATMs are everywhere, but most charge foreign cards a flat fee for every withdrawal — often a couple of hundred baht — on top of anything your own bank charges. That makes many small withdrawals expensive. Withdraw larger amounts less often, using your forex card, and use ATMs attached to bank branches or inside malls.

Exchange counters in city centres, such as the well-known independent money changers in Bangkok, usually offer better rates than airport counters. Rates for Indian rupees are generally poor where they are accepted at all, so bring baht or US dollars rather than rupees to exchange.

eSIM, tourist SIM or Indian roaming?

Whatever you choose, keep your Indian SIM reachable for bank OTPs — either in a dual-SIM phone or on a cheap roaming pack — because many Indian cards and apps send one-time passwords by SMS.

Save offline copies of hotel addresses, booking confirmations and an offline map before you fly, in case data takes a while to work on arrival. Our first-timer's guide covers the rest of the arrival checklist, including the Thailand Digital Arrival Card on the official TDAC portal.

Apps that save money and stress

• Grab and Bolt — ride-hailing with prices shown upfront; Grab also delivers food.
• Google Maps — with offline maps downloaded for each city.
• Google Translate — the camera feature reads Thai menus and signs.
• Your bank and forex card apps — to check balances and block a card instantly.
• A currency converter — so you can sanity-check prices in rupees quickly.

Some Indian UPI apps have begun supporting payments abroad; check whether yours works at Thai merchants before relying on it.

Keeping money safe in Thailand

• Use a money belt or zipped inner pocket in crowded markets and on the BTS at rush hour.
• Count change at the counter, and know the notes: 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht.
• Cover the keypad at ATMs and avoid machines in dark or isolated spots.
• Keep a photo of each card's front and back stored securely, with helpline numbers.
• Leave spare cash and the backup card in the hotel safe.

For a day-by-day sense of where the money goes in the city, see our 3-day Bangkok itinerary, and browse things to do in Bangkok with prices shown in rupees.

A simple daily money plan

Here is a routine that works for most Indian travellers on a week-long trip:

1. Morning: check you have enough cash for the day's small spends — boats, street food, tips — usually a few hundred to a couple of thousand baht depending on plans.
2. During the day: pay with the forex card wherever cards are accepted; keep cash for markets and small vendors.
3. Evening: glance at your forex card app, note what you spent and move spare cash to the hotel safe.
4. Every two or three days: make one larger ATM withdrawal rather than several small ones.

Keep receipts for larger purchases in case you want to claim a VAT refund at the airport on eligible goods.

Money and SIM questions

Should I carry baht or US dollars to Thailand?

Carry some baht for arrival and, optionally, a few US dollars as a backup. Rupees are rarely exchanged at good rates in Thailand.

Is a forex card better than a credit card in Thailand?

For everyday spending, yes — it locks your rate and avoids most markups. Keep a credit card as a backup and always pay in baht, not rupees.

Which is better for Thailand: eSIM or a local SIM card?

An eSIM if your phone supports it; a Thai tourist SIM at the airport otherwise. Roaming is simplest but usually costs the most.