Where should it cost less to convert Thai Baht to Lao Kip?
In exchange shops in the depth of Bangkok or in an airport in Bangkok?
-
4An airport is usually the most expensive place to buy anything (because of the convenience, the effort a customer must make to find an alternative).– Weather VaneJan 15 at 7:35
-
As Stack Exchange sites we do not supply best place to do something answers, as it depends on too many factors and chances too often.– Willeke ♦Jan 15 at 8:03
-
1My rules of thumb is you always get the best exchange rate in the poorer / less developed country. Also the currency of a poorer / less developed country may be seen as a "minor" currency by its neighbours, meaning you can exchange it easily at the border inside the neighbour but increasingly difficult to impossible the further you get away from the border and into the neighbour country. The reverse will not be true. Thus you get better rates in Laos. It's easy to exchange in Laos. In Thailand it's easy to exchange kip only at/very close to the border.– hippietrailJan 15 at 9:23
-
2Also, exchanging money, especially for a decent rate has historically been a pain in Thailand, though this may be changing. It used to be that a chain called SuperRich was the only one with great rates, but only in Bangkok. SuperRich in other locations have the best local rates but worse than Bangkok. SuperRich at airports had the best rates in the airport but worse than other SuperRich. Many places had no money exchange places and in those cases you would go to the gold shops. I'm told this has changed but on my recent visits I used bank card and Aeon ATMs. I changed my Malay Ringit in Sadao.– hippietrailJan 15 at 9:28
-
3I’m voting to reopen, because while giving specific locations to perform the operation is clearly out of scope, giving advice on possible strategies (as evidenced by the comments above, especially hippietrail’s) definitely is.– jcaronJan 15 at 11:45
|
Show 1 more comment
1 Answer
Assuming you're going to Laos, the answer is neither: you'll get the best rates buying Lao kip in Laos itself. The currency is minor, not really convertible, and unstable, so exchange rates outside Laos and maybe border towns will be terrible and many changers don't even offer it. Even in Laos, larger purchases including visa fees are often quoted and charged in USD, THB or CNY, depending on where in the country you are.
If for whatever reason you absolutely have to buy kip before arrival, one of the major dedicated exchange chains (Superrich, Vasu, etc) will be your best bet and certainly better than the airport.