The Thai Money (Notes and Coins) The Baht, Satang and Salueng      Thai  money  is  called  "baht".  There's  also  a  "satang"  and  a  "salueng"  (for  loose  change in similar to cent and quarter  respectively). One  hundred  "satangs"  make  one  "baht" ...  just  like one hundred cents make one dollar. One "salueng" is equivalent to 25 satangs(just like a quarter to a 25-cent) 25 Satang 50 Satang 1 Baht 5 Baht   10 Baht   Gallery of Old Money Collection      This section displays images of Thai money that were used during the past many years. Click here to view. 1 Baht (Front) 1 Baht (Back) 5 Baht (Front) 5 Baht (Back) Bank notes (Currently-in-use)      Below are the faces of various Thai bank notes. Please note that in reality, the sizes of each bank notes vary. 20 Baht 50 Baht 100 Baht 500 Baht   1,000 Baht     Who can claim VAT refunds?      A VAT refund can be claimed by any non-Thai visitor who has not been in Thailand for more than 180 days in   calen- dar year, and who is not a crew member of an airline; and departs Thailand by air carrier from an international airport. How to claim a VAT refund?      1. VAT refund only applies to goods taken out of Thailand within 60 days from the date of purchase.      2. The goods must be purchased from stores displaying the "VAT REFUND FOR TOURISTS" sign      3. On  any  day,  goods  purchased  at  a  participating  store  must  not be less than 2,000 baht and the total amount of           goods purchased, including VAT, must not be less than 5,000 baht.      4. At  each store ask the sales assistant to complete 2 VAT refund forms (P.P.10) and attach the original tax invoice to          the forms.      5. Before  departure,  present  your  purchases to Customs and Revenue officers for inspection in order to obtain VAT          refund at the departure lounge after check-in and passport control.      6. In  case  the  VAT  refund  exceeds  10,000  baht,  you  can  either  present  your claim to the Customs and Revenue          officers  at  the  VAT  Refund  Office  or  drop it in the box at the Refund Counter or mail it from your home back to the          Revenue Departm ent of Thailand. The VAT refund offices are located at : Bangkok Airport Tel (02) 535-6576-9 Chiangmai Airport (053) 922-207 Phuket Airport (076) 328-267 Hat Yai Airport (074) 250-400 How will the refund be paid? You can choose to receive your refund by :      Refund amount not exceeding 10,000 baht, receive cash in Thai baht, draft, or credit to credit card account.      Refund amount exceeding 10,000 baht, receive refund in draft, or credit to credit card account. The following fees apply to refund requests :      For cash refund, a fee of 100 baht.      For draft refund, a fee of 100 baht plus draft issuing fee at the rate charged by banks and postage fees.      For credit to credit card account refund, a fee of 100 baht plus money transfer fee at the rate charged by banks. Important to Note You cannot claim VAT refunds for the following goods :      Prohibited items      Firearms, explosives or any similar items      Gem stones Some hints      Allow  yourself  adequate  time  at  the  airport  for  the refund process. In case your request for refund by draft or credit card  account  receives  no  reply  within an appropriate period of time, please contact at VAT Refund Office at Bangkok International  Airport,  Tel  535-6576-79  or  the  VAT Refund Center, Revenue Department, Phaholyothin Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel. 272-9376-87, Fax. 272-9388      Further information can be obtained from the participating stores or at the Revenue Department. Warning      The  Purchases  for  which  you are claiming VAT refunds are subject to inspection by Customs and Revenue officers before departure at the VAT Refund Office inside the departure lounge.      In  1997  Thailand's  value - added  tax  (VAT)  was  raised  from  7  to  10%. The tax applies only to certain goods and services  but  unfortunately  no - one  seems to know what's subject to VAT and what's not, so the whole situation can be rather  confusing.  Legally  the  tax  is  supposed  to  be  applied  to  a  retailer's  cost  for  the  product.  For  example,  if a merchant's  wholesale  price  is  1OOB for an item that retails at 200B, the maximum adjusted retail including VAT should be 210B, not 220B. But this doesn't always stop Thai merchants from trying to add 'VAT' surcharges to their sales.      Like  the  credit - card  surcharge,  a  direct  VAT  surcharge  is illegal; if you're charged a full 10% on retail, you can try reporting  it  to  the  TAT  Tourist Police. So far I've heard of no refunds for VAT however, and 1 would consider that such attempts are a waste of time.      Tourist hotels will usually add a 10% hotel tax, and sometimes an 8 to 10% service charge as well, to your room bill. Thai Currency      The  Thai  unit  of  currency  is  the  Baht  which  is worth a little less than 4 US cents. One US dollar = approximately 40 baht.  The  baht  is  divided  into  loo  satang.  "Copper"  coins  are  valued  at  25  and  50  satang.  "Silver"  coins  are in denominations  of  1' 2  and  5  baht. A 10 baht coin is composed of both "silver" and "copper". Banknotes are valued at 10 baht (brown), 20 baht (green), 50 baht (blue), 100 baht (red), 500 baht (purple) and 1,000 baht (khaki). Traveller's Cheques/ Cheques/Credit Cards      US  dollar  traveller  cheques  can  be  conveniently  cashed at all provincial banks and authorised money changers. Traveller   cheques  in  other  currencies  are  best  changed  in  Bangkok  where  better  rates  prevail.  Generally,  hotel exchange  rates  are  lower  then  those  offered  by  banks  and  authorised  money  changers. Major international credit cards,  such  as  American  Express,  Diners,  Carte  Blanche,  Master  Card  and  VISA  are  accepted  by  major  banks, restaurants,  hotels  and shops. Thai and foreign banks provide standard services nation-wide, Monday through Friday, except public and bank holidays, between 8.30 AM and 3.30 PM. Major banks such as Bangkok Bank, Thai Danu Bank, Thai  Farmers Bank and Siam Commercial Bank operate currency exchange centres in most tourist areas from 7.00 AM to  9.00 PM, seven days a week, including holidays. Many first-class hotels provide 24'-hour money exchange services, but  only  for  major  currencies  such  as  American  dollars,  British pounds, German marks and Swiss francs. Travellers cheques are generally accepted only from bona fide hotel guests. Exchange Control      -   Foreign tourists ma  freely  bring in foreign banknotes or other types of foreign exchange. Upon leaving Thailand, a          foreign  tourist  may  freely  take  out foreign means of payments which he brought in with him, with the exception that          foreign  notes or coins are limited to a  maximum  equivalent  of  US$  10,000  or  the  amount  declared  in  writing  to          Customs  upo  arrival.  Failur   to  do  so  may  leadt   arrest,   confiscation  of  the  excess  amount   involved and / or          prosecution.      -   For   travellers   leaving  Thailand,  the maxi - mum  amount permitted to take out without prior authorisation is 50,000          Baht per person      -   Foreign  visitors  may  bring  in  personal  effects  and  other  goods  which  are  not  prohibited  by  current  customs          regulation.   Other  than  personal  effects,  departing  visitors are also allowed to take out merchandise bought from          duty free shops, precious stones, gold and platinum ornaments.      -   Foreign  visitors  are  welcome  to  open  a  foreign  currency  account  with  any  commercial bank in Thailand. As a          special  gesture  to non - residents,  no  restrictions  are  imposed  on  the  maintenance  of  and  withdrawal from the          account, as long as the funds originate from abroad.     -   For additional information concerning foreign exchange regulations, please contact any authorised banks.      It  is  not  necessary  to  tip  cinema  ushers.   It  is  customary  to  tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal service. A 10%-15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charge is waived.      The following goods may be imported into Thailand without incurring customs duty:      200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco or equal weight of cigars; one litre of wine or spirits; one still camera with five rolls of film or one movie camera with three rolls of 8mm or 16mm film.      Note:  There  are  restrictions on the export of items of archaeological interest or historical value without a certificate of  authorisation  from  the  Department  of  Fine  Arts  in  Thailand.  The  export  of  images of Buddha and other religious artefacts is also subject to this ruling.      Warning: Any drug-related offences are severely penalised.