Thailand is one of the best places in Asia for bargain hunting and visitors will be spoilt for choice with the huge, glitzy shopping malls, department stores, small shops and bustling street markets. Both Bangkok and Chiang Mai have excellent night markets. Good buys include Thai silks and cottons, leather goods, batiks, silver and gold, pottery with
celadon green glaze, precious and semiprecious stones (in particular rubies and sapphires are indigenous to Thailand), pearls, dolls, masks, painted umbrellas, lacquerware, pewterware, bamboo and wood artifacts and bronzeware. The weekend market
at
Chatuchuk in Bangkok is a regular cornucopia with hundreds of stalls stocking items ranging from genuine antiques to fighting fish. Tailor-made clothes are also good value and can be made in a matter of days, yet the standard is very high.
Duty-free shops are located throughout the country and items can be purchased there and delivered to the airport in time for the departure flight. Value Added Tax (7%) can be refunded on goods bought in shops labelled ’VAT Refund for Tourists’, where there is a minimum transaction of ฿2,000 including VAT. VAT Refund Application for Tourists forms are completed at the time of purchase and it is necessary to show one’s passport. Cash refunds (minimum ฿5,000) can be obtained in the airport departure hall and often the goods purchased must also be shown.
Shopping hours Mon-Sun 1000-2100/2200.
Currency Information:CurrencyBaht (THB; symbol ฿) = 100 satang. Notes are in denominations of ฿1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of ฿10, 5 and 1, and 50 and 25 satang.
Currency ExchangeForeign currencies can be exchanged at banks (which have the best rates), hotels (which charge high commissions) and, in larger towns, bureaux de change (generally open 0800-2000). Outside large towns and tourist areas, notes higher than ฿500 may be difficult to exchange, so visitors are advised to carry small change.
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMsAmerican Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs are found in all major cities and almost all provincial banks.
Traveller's ChequesAccepted by all banks and large hotels and shops. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling.
Banking HoursMon-Fri 0830-1530.
Exchange Rate Indicators| Date | Apr 07 |
| £1.00= | ฿64.28 |
| $1.00= | ฿32.49 |
| €1.00= | ฿43.45 |
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