CURRENCY

In Thailand, the Thai bhat is a strong currency - there are ATMs everywhere so you shouldn't have trouble getting money as soon as you get there either at an ATM at the airport, or currency exchange. I don't remember arriving there having any bhat with me at all, so I must have been able to get money straightaway as I arrived in the middle of the night!
Laos has a very weak currency - they mainly trade in Thai bhat and US dollars, so before you get to Laos, take Thai bhat with you. But you can use their currency too once you're there - but it's not worth changing money into Laos kip. I think the visa on arrival was paid for in dollars.
Cambodia also has a weak currency - US dollars is the main traded currency there, though you'll probably get change back in Cambodian 'real'. The visa on arrival in Cambodia is taken in dollars.
Vietnam has a stronger currency, and trade in Dong. Dollars are also useful in Vietnam but you can manage fine with their own currency. If you pay for things on credit card, the price may be taken in dollars. Prices for accommodation are mainly quoted in dollars, but you can pay with Dong.
So - yes - take lots of US dollars with you, as they will be very useful in Laos and almost essential in Cambodia. Thailand you won't need them at all.
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hey jaytee, in thailand they have atms everywhere that give you thai baht from your bank account, just make sure your account doesnt charge you back home for everywithdrawal, happened tyo me 5 bucks a pop which sure added up. when u get to bangkok dont take a taxi make sure to take the shuttle buss to khao san road, 200 baht.

laos and cambodia are different stories thoe.

BE VERY CAREFULL when you cross the border they will tell you theres no atms and all this stuff and get you to exchange money at the border, i did this and lost out on a 100 dollars cuz they gave such a shitty exchange rate. there are atms in cambodia and laos, just in the main citties, dont be fooled as i was 😊

for little things in laos you use the local currency, but when lookign for bungalos they gave us prices in dollars, not sure the exchange rate now but when i was there 1 american dollar was 9000 kip, i used kip and thai baht well in laos and had no problem

now cambodia is a complety differnet story, no matter wut anyone tells you at the border do not exchange a lot of money into local currency, only thing its good for is buying food and such. perfect example is in cambodia when you take moeny out of an atm if gives you AMERICAN DOLLARS. haha. so in cambodia american dollars are the way to go

not sure if this all made sense as i just woke up and kinda rambaling about the sutff, but make sure u dont get tricked at the border like i do, and no matter wehre u are in southeast asia its always good to have american dollars with you Reply to this

Hello John 😊

It is generally less expensive to buy currencies once you get to the destinations. I noticed in Thailand that the exchange rate at the airport in Bangkok was better than the rates in exchange places everywhere else in Thailand.

What you could do is check the exchange rate on the internet. If your bank is offering equal to or better than the official exchange rate then you could change before you go.

Mel Reply to this