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Is it better to exchange Thai Baht in my home country or in Chiang Mai?
How much Thai Baht should I bring to Chiang Mai? Should I exchange it all before I go?
Can I bring USD first, or just show up with TWD (or HKD, MYR……etc) and swap it there?
If it’s your first time visiting Chiang Mai—or the first time in a long time—you’ve probably typed some version of those questions into Google at 1 a.m., wide-eyed and mildly panicked.
But here’s the truth:
There’s no need to exchange a huge amount of Thai Baht before your trip.
You only really need enough to get from the airport to the city and maybe cover your hotel deposit.
If you’re a seasoned traveler who’s already been to Thailand a few times and you’re on a first-name basis with Bolt (a ride-hailing app that’s cheaper than Grab), then honestly, even 500 THB might do the trick.
What does matter, though, is timing.
Currency exchange booths usually close in the evening.
So, if you’re landing late at night, make sure you’ve got enough Baht on hand for dinner, breakfast, and maybe a Thai milk tea or two.
Best move? Exchange just a little in your home country—somewhere between 1,000 to 3,000 THB should be plenty to start with.
Best places to exchange money in Chiang Mai (with great rates)
I’ve exchanged money at two spots in Chiang Mai that I can personally recommend—both are popular with travelers and usually offer solid rates. You can just pick the one that’s more convenient for you.
❗Just a heads-up: most exchange booths won’t be open during major holidays ( like the Songkran Festival ). It’s a good idea to double-check their hours in advance.
1. สากลการค้า SK Exchange
📍 Address: 73/8 Charoen Prathet Rd, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100
🕒 Opening hours: Mon to Sat, 09:00 – 17:00; closed on Sun
สากลการค้า SK Exchange is a spot I only found out about through my friend — and I’ve exchanged money here twice. It’s always busy, which is a good sign. Photos inside aren’t allowed, so I only managed to snap a quick pic of the number slip I got at the entrance.
There’s a small ticket machine on your right as you walk in. Grab a paper slip with your number and listen carefully — they’ll call out your number in Thai and English, but not in Mandarin, so stay alert so you don’t miss your turn.
2. mr.pierre
📍 Address: 119/2 Tha Phae Road, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50100
🕒 Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 09:00–18:00; closed on Sundays
☎ Phone: +66 53 275 488
I found out about mr.pierre from a friend I met while traveling in Chiang Mai.
The convenient thing is that you can message them via LINE, WeChat, or Facebook to ask for the latest rates. Their website doesn’t list exchange rates, but reaching out directly makes things easy.
Later, another friend of mine visited Chiang Mai and stayed nearby. I recommended mr.pierre since it was just around the corner from their hotel — and they ended up loving it. The rates were solid.
This spot is also closer to the Old City, so it became my go-to place to exchange money.
Once, I even saw a Taiwanese traveler exchanging a thick stack of TWD here!
💬 Wondering if you can exchange Thai Baht at the airport in Chiang Mai?
Yes, most major airports in Thailand — including Chiang Mai—have currency exchange counters.
But the rates are usually not great, so it’s better to exchange just a tiny amount before your trip ( around 1,000 to 3,000 THB ) and then do the rest once you’re in the city.
3. G Exchange Co.,Ltd.
📍 Address: 10 1 Loi Kroh Rd, Chang Khlan Sub-district, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai
🕒 Opening hours: Daily 09:00–22:00 👍 ☎ Phone: +66 81 885 3483
I first learned about this place from a friend. Later, I visited it to compare exchange rates. I stopped by mr.pierre for the rates first and then visited G Exchange Co.,Ltd.. The exchange rate for TWD at G Exchange Co.,Ltd. was better than mr.pierre , but for USD, the difference was significant.
However, the advantage of this place is that if mr.pierre is closed on holidays or you arrive in Chiang Mai after 6 PM, you can come to G Exchange Co.,Ltd. to exchange Thai Baht.
4. Nakhonping Exchange
📍 Address: 44/6 Loi Kroh Rd, Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai
🕒 Opening hours: Daily 09:00–22:00 👍
☎ Phone: +66 5320-6039
Located on the same street as G Exchange Co.,Ltd., this is also a small roadside shop. If you’re staying on this street, it’s convenient to exchange here.
There are many hostels along this road, like the affordable and budget-friendly Loyy Hotel. If I had known this exchange was just a short walk from my accommodation, I wouldn’t have bothered going to mr.pierre for just a small exchange of low denominations. If you’re exchanging a small amount, it’s better to find an exchange booth nearby.
Can a passport photocopy be used to exchange currency in Chiang Mai?
Based on my experience, most exchange shops in Chiang Mai don’t require your physical passport. A photocopy or even a photo of it on your phone usually does the job just fine.
That said — I once got too comfortable with Chiang Mai’s chill vibe and tried to exchange money in Bangkok the same way… and got turned away. In Bangkok, most places do ask for your original passport. So while you might not need it in Chiang Mai, it’s still smart to bring at least a copy or a photo, just in case.
If your place is close by and you don’t want to carry your actual passport around ( I totally get it — losing stuff on vacation is the worst ), you can always pop back and grab it if needed. Personally, I always keep my passport safely in my hotel or guesthouse unless absolutely necessary.
Can I exchange TWD and other currencies in Chiang Mai?
For sure! Most exchange counters — including ones in malls — display rates for various currencies, and you can definitely exchange TWD (Taiwanese dollars), HKD, MYR, and more.
😉 One tip 👉 larger denominations usually get better rates.
For example, when exchanging USD, smaller bills like $10 or $20 often get slightly worse rates than $100s. I usually bring either TWD 1000 notes or USD $100 bills to exchange. The same applies to MYR — denominations of 50 or 100 are ideal.
I’ve also exchanged a mix of currencies at the same time. Once, I had some HKD in my wallet and just swapped everything in one go. Pretty convenient.
Just be sure to use a currency converter beforehand to estimate how much THB you should receive — and always count your Thai Baht carefully before leaving the counter.
🐘 What other currencies can I exchange in Chiang Mai?
Most exchange shops/booths have a rate board that lists which foreign currencies they accept. If your currency shows up there, you’re good to go. 👌
👉 Tap to check out mr.pierre ’s latest exchange rates!
🐘 Should I bring USD or my home currency?
This one really depends. I personally like bringing USD when I’m staying in Thailand for over a month — it takes up less space! For example, TWD 12,000 is way thicker than just four $100 bills.
If you’re just visiting Thailand for a quick 10-day trip, there’s really no need to swap your cash for USD first. Just bring your home country’s biggest bills and change them to baht when you arrive—unless you’ve already snagged some USD during a rare sweet-spot dip (nice move 👀), you’re honestly fine skipping the detour.
Thai money guide: what Thai banknotes and coins look like (with images)
If you’re heading to Thailand for the first time or just haven’t been in a while, let’s talk Thai baht real quick — specifically, how not to mix up the notes and coins.
To help you get familiar with Thai currency faster, I’ve added a few pictures of Thai currency below. Definitely take a look before you land. ( Although let’s be real — if you find yourself standing in 7-Eleven with a handful of coins, most cashiers are willing to help pick out the correct amount of money. )
I once saw a tourist swearing in Mandarin and waving their arms at a street vendor, claiming they’d been short-changed. Turns out, they just couldn’t tell the 50 and 500 baht bills apart. Major oops. (To be fair, sometimes vendors do make mistakes — but still, it helps to double-check what you’re handing over.)
Another time, I met some lovely ladies from Taiwan looking for a famous rice cracker shop. I helped translate and brought them over. One of them paid in cash and popped the change into her pocket without thinking.
Later, they came back in a mild panic, saying the shop hadn’t given enough change. After some backtracking (and pocket patting), we found the missing money… right where she’d put it. Moral of the story? When you’re paying or getting change, stay focused. No chatting mid-transaction — you might accidentally short-change yourself.
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