Travelers checks still accepted?

[pattayaguy1]

I was thinking about bringing about 99 Ben Franklins with me($9900).  I'm wondering if 99 $100 Amex Travelers Checks would be better.  Do they even accept travelers checks anymore?  I'm worried because I heard some places don't accept them.

[QuotaMan]

Several threads with different opinions such as this one

 

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/250206-anyone-having-problems-cashing-travellers-cheques-in-thailand/

[On Borrowed Time]

Bring your Benjamin's.  Best rate in Thailand will always be for cash so if you do find somewhere to accept them you will be costing yourself cash.

[yugot]

Better to put it in a Charles Schwab account and bring the ATM card. Then maybe a few hundred in cash in case of emergency. Much less risk of losing it that way!

[rainman333]

do not bring $100 traveler check notes, unless you want to get gauged 150bht processing fee for each check .

If you can instead bring $500 notes, that would be more economical, still a 150bth fee but not as bad as paying 5x150 etc

[CyberPro]

Better to put it in a Charles Schwab account and bring the ATM card. Then maybe a few hundred in cash in case of emergency. Much less risk of losing it that way!

 

 

do not bring $100 traveler check notes, unless you want to get gauged 150bht processing fee for each check .

If you can instead bring $500 notes, that would be more economical, still a 150bth fee but not as bad as paying 5x150 etc

 

I'd only carry $9900 in cash if you are OK with losing that, worst case scenario. 

 

Using Schwab, Traveler's checks and some cash cover most of the bases. Enjoy your trip. 

[ricktoronto]

I was thinking about bringing about 99 Ben Franklins with me($9900).  I'm wondering if 99 $100 Amex Travelers Checks would be better.  Do they even accept travelers checks anymore?  I'm worried because I heard some places don't accept them.

Don't have even $101 in actual cash on top of this amount, or you run the risk of violating US/UK/Thai currency rules.

[thaigirlwatcher]

Don't take travelers checks as others have said. The government imposed was raised last summer and is listed above. I would be careful about taking too much cash in case it is stolen. Only take as much cash as you could afford to loose. I prefer to withdraw funds from my American checking account when using ATM machines in Thailand. Shop around for the lowest fees. 

[Flimflam]

I use American Express travelers cheques all the time, never had a problem cashing them anywhere in Thailand. If your having trouble finding somewhere to cash them then simply use American Express's locator. Use large denomination cheques to save on the fees.

[Whalley]

All of the banks pay a slightly higher exchange rate for travelers cheques than for cash and they are still easy to cash In Thailand.

 

If you bring $500 denominations TCs, the higher rate will cover the 153 Baht fee so it is in essence cost neutral. If you bring smaller denominations, the higher exchange rate differential will not cover the 153 Baht fee.

[bgtp]

Don't have even $101 in actual cash on top of this amount, or you run the risk of violating US/UK/Thai currency rules.

 

Lots of folks misinformed on this. You can bring as much as you want. You just have to declare more the 10K USD into/out of USA and more than 20K USD equivalent into/out of Thailand. I don't know the UK's policy. I've done it in the past, fill out a form, no big deal. That being said, I use Schwab now, too. Can't beat it if you're from the USA.