Should You Choose Thai Baht or Your Home Currency at an ATM?

When using an ATM in Thailand, I sometimes see an option to be charged in euros, dollars or pounds instead of Thai baht. Which option should I choose?

In most cases, choose Thai baht (THB) and refuse the ATM’s offer to convert the withdrawal into your home currency.

If you choose euros, dollars, pounds or another foreign currency, the ATM operator may apply dynamic currency conversion, usually called DCC. This uses an exchange rate set by the ATM or payment provider, which can be less favourable than the rate used by your bank or card issuer.

Choosing THB allows your own card provider to handle the currency conversion instead.

Remember that the Thai ATM withdrawal fee is separate from the exchange rate. Always check the fee displayed before confirming, because the amount can vary depending on the bank and the card network.