Money question

[Polish933]

So sorry for asking a “newbie” question and for spamming the forum while not contributing anything meaningful. 
 

It will be the fifth time that my friend and I go to Thailand, however it’s the first time we’ve received “old style-big head” dollar bills (from 2006) in our local currency exchange. Mind you, we are in Poland so can’t exchange them easily, unless I reach out to the local US consulate who might tell me to go make love to myself. They are in wonderful condition, look as if they were fresh out of the printer (and yes, the place I bought them at is a legitimate one) - but would they be accepted in a money exchange?

We are, obviously, staying in Silom (Crowne Plaza) - any suggestions for a money exchange there? Usually we use the one next to the MRT entrance, close to Silom Complex, but are open for all kinds of suggestions. 

[Foolish]

You can refer to this to check if your baht are still valid > https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banknotes_of_the_Thai_baht#:~:text=The circulating banknotes today in,17th%2C 16th and 15th series.

You can search for X-One in silom for your currency exchange. It is a bit of a walk from your hotel but they have very good rates . Remember to take a q number from the machine they have outside and provide your passport in order to perform the transaction.

[Polish933]

Oh it’s not baht I’m asking about - I wanna exchange USD to THB. 

[Lucky]

Arriving in Bangkok with no useful money could be a horror show. You are right to be concerned about the older dollars. I have had them refused more than once. Can you go back to your local currency exchange and get newer bills?

[Polish933]

I did ask them about it they said “we can’t get any anywhere, it’s like a nationwide shortage, even the banks don’t have them”. 
 

We’ve got 30EUR to exchange at the airport for the taxi to the hotel so that’s covered but what next? We’d prefer to avoid ATMs due to double conversion (first from our accounts in PLN to USD then to THB). 

[tm_nyc]

Can you exchange the old USD bills for euro in Poland?   You probably would get a better rate w/USD in Bangkok but euro are accepted at currency exchanges.  It sounds like trying exchange those old USD notes is going to be a big, time-consuming hassle if you wait until you get to BKK.

[Polish933]

Unfortunately, Poland is not on the euro. So again, double payment. 
 

Looks like we’ve gotten ourselves in a bit of a pickle. 

[daydreamer]

5 hours ago, Polish933 said:

we’ve received “old style-big head” dollar bills (from 2006) in our local currency exchange.  They are in wonderful condition, look as if they were fresh out of the printer (and yes, the place I bought them at is a legitimate one) - but would they be accepted in a money exchange?

I have exchanged a couple older style $100 in Bangkok, but it was a few years ago.  

The following very recent posts from Reddit may help you.  The Royal Ivory Nana Hotel mentioned below is on Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Soi Nana), just a short distance from the BTS Nana station.  Certainly worth a try. 

Also you might try a Bangkok Bank currency exchange booth.  After being refused at other money changers, Bangkok Bank changed my older style $100 (a few years ago).  Hope this helps.

 

[macaroni21]

@Polish933 Frankly, I wouldn't risk it. I would get Euros instead. The exchange rate for Euros is not bad at all. See this page from SuperRich (https://www.superrichthailand.com/#!/en/exchange), which has branches in many touristy places, including one along the elevated walkway between Silom MRT and Saladaeng BTS stations.

Unfortunately, that means you have to keep your USD to use for another trip e.g. to the USA, or try to change them back to zloty. But it's safer to have clean bills of a recent date than risk it. If you land in Thailand and find that it is very hard to get local currency, it will completely spoil your holiday, and you waste money that you're spending on flights and hotel anyway.

[vinapu]

You should be able to exchange them but that may require  bit of canvassing and rate you get will be bit worse than of new emission notes.

I saw that disclaimer in some booths in Bangkok   but for the hell of me can't recall where.

I'd try Xone in Suriwong or  Super Rich in Silom Plaza( where Arena is ) , if that won't work try some banks branches along Silom. Bangkok Bank was rightly mentioned above

I don't think you will be subject of double conversion if you withdraw money from Polish account in ATM but rate may not be the best and you will pay 220 baht of withdrawal fee on top of what your Polish bank may charge you. 

At end of day , don't panic , just try  few more popular places starting with  ones by the train station in the airport. Let us know how it went.

By the way I think Kantors are bullshitting you by  claiming there's nation wide shortage of banknotes of new emission.

Local US consulate would laugh at you if you asked then for help, it's not what consulates are for .

[reader]

43 minutes ago, vinapu said:

You should be able to exchange them but that may require  bit of canvassing and rate you get will be bit worse than of new emission notes.

I saw that disclaimer in some booths in Bangkok   but for the hell of me can't recall where.

I'd try Xone in Suriwong or  Super Rich in Silom Plaza( where Arena is ) , if that won't work try some banks branches along Silom. Bangkok Bank was rightly mentioned above

I don't think you will be subject of double conversion if you withdraw money from Polish account in ATM but rate may not be the best and you will pay 220 baht of withdrawal fee on top of what your Polish bank may charge you. 

At end of day , don't panic , just try  few more popular places starting with  ones by the train station in the airport. Let us know how it went.

By the way I think Kantors are bullshitting you by  claiming there's nation wide shortage of banknotes of new emission.

Local US consulate would laugh at you if you asked then for help, it's not what consulates are for .

+1

Xone and other exchanges are fastidious about condition. It will be rejected if it has any extraneous marks or other defects.

You won’t be subject to double exchange rate because it’s one currency to THB. But one dollar notes get slightly lower exchange rate than USD 100 notes.

Whether they’ll accept the notes entirely at their discretion. The quantity you wish to exchange may also affect their decision because there’s not a big demand for small denomination foreign currency.

it may turn out to be more of a headache than worth it.

 

 

[Polish933]

Thank you all, gentlemen, for your very kind answers - and for welcoming this newbie here, even though I’ve been lurking around in the murky waters for quite some time already.

Was leaning towards winging it, but after calling around to a few money exchanges around town (which is very touristy itself, Krakow) one of them said they “don’t have them today but will order for Monday” and I’m going to go there sell the ones I have and buy the new ones - if they manage to procure them. 
 

Luckily, the spread seems to be working in my favour with zloty being pretty strong against the dollar so I’m only going to “lose” about 30USD and my peace of mind is worth much more indeed. 

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, Polish933 said:

so I’m only going to “lose” about 30USD and my peace of mind is worth much more indeed. 

indeed it is

Take a heart,  during my last trip in January and February I saw many Polish  tourists in Thailand all the way from Chiang Rai to Krabi and in between so time may come when you will be able to exchange zlotys at reasonable rate in Bangkok directly.

[Polish933]

12 minutes ago, vinapu said:

indeed it is

Take a heart,  during my last trip in January and February I saw many Polish  tourists in Thailand all the way from Chiang Rai to Krabi and in between so time may come when you will be able to exchange zlotys at reasonable rate in Bangkok directly.

There’s lots of charter flights between several cities in Poland and both Phuket and Bangkok, there are also talks of LOT opening regular direct service between Warsaw and Bangkok so hopefully soon. 
 

However my friend and I are not so sure about meeting our compatriots in Silom 😂

 

Even though Poland’s gay scene is pretty thriving at the moment and the country is extremely safe for gay people  (save for perhaps some small villages) so we want for nothing, we prefer to get away and have a proper holiday 😂

[vinapu]

11 hours ago, Polish933 said:

However my friend and I are not so sure about meeting our compatriots in Silom 😂

Even though Poland’s gay scene is pretty thriving at the moment and the country is extremely safe for gay people  (save for perhaps some small villages) so we want for nothing, we prefer to get away and have a proper holiday 😂

indeed smart idea. You want  to taste other culture and be around of people from other countries. You have plenty of Polish in Poland.

But if you crave  home meals and after week or two of Asian fare you may,  G'Bangkok in soi 4 , German restaurant,  will satisfy you desires for schnitzels and fried saussages with potatoes.

[Polish933]

6 hours ago, vinapu said:

indeed smart idea. You want  to taste other culture and be around of people from other countries. You have plenty of Polish in Poland.

But if you crave  home meals and after week or two of Asian fare you may,  G'Bangkok in soi 4 , German restaurant,  will satisfy you desires for schnitzels and fried saussages with potatoes.

Thank you for the suggestion! It’s a known place for us, we like it and sometimes it’s nice to have a German beer for a change of pace from Singhas and Tigers. 
 

It’s going to be our fifth (and sixth  later on, since we’re going on a bit of a longer trip spanning Bangkok, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali across 36 days) time in this wonderful city.