Best travel cards for Thailand in the UK

Travel cards are one of the safest and most convenient ways to spend when travelling outside the UK. Besides being secure and reliable, they can help you stay on budget more easily during your holiday. If you’re planning a trip to Thailand and considering your payment methods, travel money cards can be a good option.

In this guide, we’ll help you find the best travel card for Thailand. We’ll compare their features so you can choose the one that best suits your spending habits and needs. We’ll also provide some general travel tips for Thailand.

We’ll also show you an alternative, the Wise debit card. It’s designed for low-cost spending in Thailand (and elsewhere), automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the great mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee*.

Learn more about the Wise debit card 💳

Best travel cards for Japan compared

Let’s compare a few of the best UK travel cards for Thailand and point out their differences:

Travelex Travel Money Card

Travelex’s contactless travel card can be a great option for trips to Thailand, since Thai baht is one of its supported currencies. It offers free top-ups, ATM withdrawals and foreign transactions. You can also use it at millions of stores and businesses worldwide, including back home in the UK.

The card comes with a £500 daily ATM withdrawal limit and a £3,000 spending cap. You can reload it in-store, online or via the Travelex Money app. The minimum top-up amount is £50.¹

You can order the Travelex Travel Money Card online for home delivery or pick it up at any Travelex store. All you need is to be at least 18 years old and have a government-issued photo ID.²

Post Office Travel Money Card

The Post Office Travel Money Card is a prepaid contactless Mastercard, ideal for use abroad. It’s a convenient way to secure local currency such as Thai baht before your trip.

You can order the card in one of three ways: in-branch, on the official website or through the official Post Office app. You’ll receive the card the same day if you apply in person, while online orders typically take 2-3 working days.³

If you run out of money on your travel card during your stay in Thailand, you can quickly top it up. Simply use the app or visit the official Post Office website, where you can add up to £5,000 in one transaction.³

TUI Travel Money Card

You can load the TUI Travel Money Card with 12 different currencies, Thai baht included. It can be used in shops, restaurants, bars and anywhere where Mastercard is accepted. When it comes to withdrawing money, it’s accepted at over 2 million ATMs around the globe.

You must be at least 18 to order this multi-currency card. You can get it either in a TUI Holiday Store or online. If you're traveling soon, keep in mind that home delivery can take up to 14 days, so ordering in-store might be a quicker option.⁴

You can load up to £6,000 onto your card and withdraw up to £500 per day. Managing your account is easy with the TUI Travel Money app, where you can view your transaction history and top up your balance as needed.⁴

Revolut Thai Baht Card

Revolut’s card allows you to hold and spend 36 currencies, which is ideal for travelling to Thailand. You can also withdraw Thai baht from any ATM that supports Visa and Mastercard.

There aren’t any limits when it comes to loading your card or spending, but you can set spending limits for yourself. However, some other limits and specific fees depend on the Revolut plan you have. For example, you can withdraw between £200 and £2,000 for free each month, but the exact amount depends on the plan.⁷

The card is available in physical and virtual form. For added safety, Revolut also allows you to create single-use virtual cards.⁷

What is a travel card?

A travel card is a type of a payment card that you can preload with foreign currencies and use abroad. It can be used for both spending and for ATM withdrawals overseas. Don’t confuse them with travel credit cards, which don’t usually hold foreign currency but offer different rewards and perks when you spend.

Travel cards have various benefits, but the most important one is safety. Since you’ll only add a certain amount of money to your card, your account funds won’t be in danger in case of theft. Also, since these cards are designed for travelling, their foreign transaction fees are usually lower than those of regular debit or credit cards.

A bonus perk is that you can only spend the amount you loaded, so staying on budget will be easier!

Travel tips for Thailand

Before you head off to Thailand, here are some helpful tips to remember.

Cash is used more than cards among Thai locals, so you might want to keep some on you. Although statistics show that cash usage is declining, the process is slow and they still account for over 80% of all transactions. However, you shouldn’t face many issues using your travel money cards in popular tourist spots or big cities.⁹

Thai ATMs accept foreign cards, travel money cards included. There are over 60,000 ATMs in the country and you’ll easily find them in shopping centres, main streets and central plazas.¹⁰ Since all the travel cards we've listed are Mastercard, you'll be able to withdraw money anywhere you see their symbol.

To avoid pickpockets in Thailand, it's a good idea to carry minimal cash and load only what you need onto your travel money card. This reduces the risk of losing large amounts of money if your card is lost or stolen. Keep your belongings in a secure place and be cautious in crowded areas where pickpockets are common.

Travelling abroad? Choose the Wise debit card

That wraps up our guide to the best travel card for Thailand. Take a moment to review the options and see if we've helped you find the ideal travel companion for your trip.

And if you want another option for spending abroad without worrying about exchange rate markups and hidden fees, the Wise debit card could be a great solution.

Open a Wise account online and you can order the Wise card for a one-time fee of £7. You can use this clever card in 150+ countries, including Thailand. It automatically converts your pounds to local currency whenever you spend using the mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee* – or it’s free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

You also get two free ATM withdrawals for up to 200 GBP (or currency equivalent) each month.

Sign up with Wise for free 💰

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 29-Nov-2024