You've organized a fantastic itinerary for your upcoming trip to Thailand. You're going to visit Bangkok and Changmai, Phuket and the northern hill tribe country. But there's one little problem: you have no idea what the best way is to get your money there. Do you rely on ATMs? Carry cash? Both? Something else? Let's take a look.
If Thailand is your destination, you're in luck: the country is filled with ATMs, which means you don't need to carry around wads of cash. ATMs typically charge a convenience fee---sometimes as high as $5---but are otherwise a safe and easy way to "take" money abroad to Thailand.
Always carry around a certain amount of cash with you. Though ATMs are plentiful, you never know if you'll find yourself temporarily out of reach of one. In such cases, enough money to pay for a night or two at a hotel, purchase a day's worth of food, and pay for taxis will certainly come in handy. It's never a good idea to carry around hundreds of dollars---but in Thailand, where most things are, monetarily speaking, quite cheap, this isn't necessary. Try to carry your cash somewhere you can feel it---in a wallet tucked tightly in your pocket, in a small waist-strap bag secured tightly and faced to the front, or even in your shoes underneath your feet; pick-pocketing is a common trade in Thailand.
Avoid the use of checks, including Traveler's Checks. The former are no good in Thailand, while the latter get slammed with large service fees. The American Embassy does possess a Bank of America, but it is typically reserved for Embassy employees and their families. As a tourist in Thailand, you'll want to rely strictly on cash from ATMs (which will dispense, of course, in Thai Baht) or on cash you changed at the airport (which has a good exchange rate) when you first arrived.
