I have been to Bali many times and I would normally take cash for a 2 week holiday and just change it as I needed it at one of the many money exchangers, does a similar system operate in Thailand?. or is it best to take traveller cheques?

We always take cash to Thailand and pop it in the hotel safe and exchange as we need it.

The money changers are everywhere and they are far more honest than in Bali. It's very official and no slight of hand tricks.

Cheers Geri

+1


Den.

A couple of years ago my mate from Perth changed some money at a bank on Koh Samui and he caught the teller out doing a little stack for himself as he counted out the dosh. It does happen in Thailand also but nowhere near like it does in Bali.

Much easier to get done in Bali even for the best of them because of the amount of zero,s on the Rupia when you change money.

Den

I was well warned about this trick when I made my trip to Bali, so when I changed money with one guy I was watching carefully. He counted the dosh out exactly, I rechecked it - short. We went through this about 3 times and he gave up and told me to piss off. I couldn't see how he was doing it, but each time it was short.

We saw a similar thing in Bali, we were behind a family who were changing money in a shop, each time it was counted by the changer it 'Looked' right but was short when the customer checked, I noticed one of his fingers was moving in a funny way and butted in asking him to count by dropping the notes onto the desk, I got a sour look for my trouble but he then added more notes to the pile, the customers wife then recounted and it was correct.

I think he was somehow 'recycling' the notes as he counted them in his hand, of course this can't happen if he counts out onto the desk/table.

He told us to get out of the shop.

This usually happens with the changers offering more than the nornal daily rate!

If the right amount is counted out on the desk they ask you to check it,then the guy picks it back up to re count after you have checked it!(This is where it is filterd off) But when the guy re counts it then you should re count which gets them really upset! If any money changer touches your money after you have counted it then you should always re count..

Den

Yeah, they get pee'd off when you twig to them and keep rechecking, my guy just lost it "Go! You go! I no do business with you!"
I can't remember dealing with any other money changers because I took most of my money from my Oz CBA account via the ATMs at Matari Hari Kuti, so I was automatically given Rupes.
I really enjoyed the tucker at Bali, went to those Nasi Padang shops every day, eating huge curry combos for a few dollars, also got stuck into the Satay & Bintang (a nice combo) I thought the beach (Kuta) was lousy but I'm from Perth and I know what a good beach really is, and they're few & far between in Asia.

i just returned from thailand and i found the money exchange much more honest than when i was in bali in jan.

thailand did not charge any commission fee's and the rates were the same that were advertised in the daily paper, these are situated on most streets.

whereas in bali , it isn't as honest and the money exchange mostly consist of home-made type booths