is it possible to get crispy, myanmar-ready USD at Bangkok Airport?
Replies: 6 - Last Post: Jul 7, 2012 7:55 AM Last Post By: JCleopatra
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is it possible to get crispy, myanmar-ready USD at Bangkok Airport?
hi everyone-im leaving for Yangon on Sunday, and will be stopping in Bangkok en route. Is it possible to get Myanmar-worthy USD notes at the BKK airport? If so, could you let me know exactly where in the airport i could find them? (Concourse, specific desk, specific bank, specific bank in specific part of airport -- you get the idea.)
I don't have a tremendous amount of time for the layover, and I'm nervous about using a machine to get the cash because it might spit out notes that are crumpled, made before 2006, start with the letters CB, or whatever the other rules are -- so in-person is preferred. (unless, of course, you know of a machine in the airport that consistently dispenses the finest bills you've ever seen)
let me know if you've had experience with this!
thanks so much -
eliza
1
It is possible that the foreign exchange kiosks at Suvarnabhumi airport have enough crisp bills for you, but I would not count on that as a 100% certainty. I tried that a couple of years ago, and they could only manage a couple of hundred dollar bills of the right kind. I imagine the quality and quantity of bills they have on hand fluctuates from day to day.2
The bills I get every year at those exchange kiosks wouldn't be suitable for Myanmar. Get the bills at home before you go.3
Don't wait if you don't have to. The ATMs did not have any dollars in the machine the last time I tried.If for some reason you REALLY must, the ATMs are easy to spot. They are airside (past security), Siam Commercial (purple bank), each situated directly next to a Siam Commercial exchange counter. There are two, maybe three, and visible right after you pass security (before the shopping areas). "Foreign Currency ATM" is written clearly on them, so you can get dollars, euros and GBP if you have a foreign account. I believe people who have posted about getting dollars did confirm they were crisp new.
However, because it's airside--this is basically your very final chance to get dollars before getting on the plane and like I said, the machine might be out of dollars if you're unlucky.
4
Whilst it obviously can't be 100% guaranteed,I have flown to Vietnam many times from Bangkok,and each time changed THB to USD,from a few hundred to a few thousand USD,and always got new or nearly new notes-you might have a problem getting lots of 1 USD or other small bills,but they always have a significant amount of USD at the exchange counters5
Got some $ at the Siam Commercial airside counter (next to $ ATM) couple of weeks ago, they understood requirements for Myanmar and weeded out the 'bad' notes.
