The basic unit of Thai currency is the Baht (bàat). There are 100 Satang (sàtàang) in one Baht; coins include 25-Satang and 50-Satang pieces and Baht in 1B, 5B and 10B coins. Paper currency comes in denominations of 10B (brown), 20B (green), 50B (blue), 100B (red), 500B (purple) and 1000B (beige).

There is no black-market money exchange for Baht, so there's no reason to bring in any Thai currency. The banks or legal money-changers offer the best exchange rates within the country. For buying Baht, US dollars are the most readily acceptable currency and travellers cheques get better rates than cash.

Visa and MasterCard credit-card holders can get cash advances of up to US$ 500 (in Baht only) per day through some branches of the Thai Farmers Bank, Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank. American Express (AmEx) card holders can also get advances, but only in travellers cheques.

Debit cards (also known as cash cards or check cards) issued by a bank in your own country can also be used at several Thai banks to withdraw cash (in Thai Baht only) directly from your cheque or savings account back home, thus avoiding all commissions and finance charges. These cards can also be used at many Thai ATMs, although a surcharge of around US$ 1 is usually subtracted from your home account each time you complete a machine transaction,

Credit cards as well as debit cards can be used for purchases at many shops, hotels and restaurants. The most commonly accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard, followed by AmEx and Japan Card Bureau (JCB). Diner's Club and Carte Blanche are of much more limited use.