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To baht or not to baht


Acrusa
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Personally I think it is somewhat of an insult to give people a tip in a currency they then have to take to a bank or money changer to get into money they can spend. And you will very likely want to buy some things that you will have to pay for in Thai Baht. (drinks, coffees etc).

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Off ship tipping should be done in local currency.

 

People that give small quantity tips in other country’s currency are jerks. The poor people get ripped off by the money exchangers!

 

Tell your American Porter,”Hey Porter, Here are a few Egyptian Pounds I have left from when we docked there! Thanks!” See where he tells you to do with them!

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Off ship tipping should be done in local currency.

 

People that give small quantity tips in other country’s currency are jerks. The poor people get ripped off by the money exchangers!

 

Tell your American Porter,”Hey Porter, Here are a few Egyptian Pounds I have left from when we docked there! Thanks!” See where he tells you to do with them!

Tipping in local does sound like the right thing to do.

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Personally I think it is somewhat of an insult to give people a tip in a currency they then have to take to a bank or money changer to get into money they can spend. And you will very likely want to buy some things that you will have to pay for in Thai Baht. (drinks, coffees etc).

 

Absolutely!

Our dollar is not the beloved currency abroad it was at one time.

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Normally we try to tip in foreign currency. However, if coming in on a long late flight, where we have hotel pickup, we sometimes skip the trip to an ATM until morning. In these cases, we have tipped in dollars and it's been no problem. Figuring out Baht when you are jet lagged wouldn't be easy and ATM's don't spit out denominations that work for porters.

 

I'm sure porters in Bangkok hotels get many currencies and just collect a weeks worth and know where to exchange (if the hotel itself doesn't cut them a deal.). Just add a couple more $$'s then you would normally and they'll be happy.

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Is it difficult to get foreign currency in the US? It's very easy over here in the UK. I am not sure I would be comfortable going to a different country with none of the currency upon entry!

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Tom;

 

It’s simple in the US. All the US airports doing international travel have foreign money exchange bureaus in them. Local currency can be obtained at the arrival airport. If you bank with any of the major US banks, one can order/buy foreign currency from them. Lots of options. However, some choose not to be personally hassled with any details and make excuses for handing off currency the locals can’t use or make them pay to convert. It’s part of what many refer to as “the ugly American tourists “, and why we get such a bad reputation abroad.

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Tom;

 

It’s simple in the US. All the US airports doing international travel have foreign money exchange bureaus in them. Local currency can be obtained at the arrival airport. If you bank with any of the major US banks, one can order/buy foreign currency from them. Lots of options. However, some choose not to be personally hassled with any details and make excuses for handing off currency the locals can’t use or make them pay to convert. It’s part of what many refer to as “the ugly American tourists “, and why we get such a bad reputation abroad.

 

So happy someone is not so PC that the truth can not be said. Thank you!

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Unless I know that the locals WANT U.S. dollars (which does happen sometimes, especially in third world countries), I have at least some local currency for tipping and small purchases.

 

On our first Renaissance cruise in 1999 I recall that when we left the tour bus in Seville there were children selling postcard collections for $1 U.S. So clearly THEY wanted the dollars, at least at that time.

 

When we were on a Black Sea cruise five years ago the guides wanted to be paid in U.S. dollars, so tips were also paid in U.S. currency. On that cruise I don't recall needing local currency.

 

I don't suppose it can hurt to ask which they prefer ... I just don't want to impose the handicaps of currency conversion for a small amount of money unless the person WANTS it that way.

 

I've never tried to pay a taxi driver in Paris in dollars ...

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Mura;

 

Those poor kids selling postcards for $1, were doing so because they believed it was the easiest thing to get off the tourist? Too many tourists using lack of local currency as an excuse to not buy.

 

Poor kids probably got 30 or 40% on exchanging the $1 US!

 

Funny thing, five years ago the Russians wanted dollars. This summer they wanted ruble or credit card charged in rubles. Something has changed there!

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Pinot,

 

I'm very aware of what it costs them to change those dollars into local currency which is why I tip in the local currency. I was very surprised to see all those kids wanting dollars.

 

Bear in mind -- for what it's worth -- this was before the Euro came on the scene.

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Poor kids probably got 30 or 40% on exchanging the $1 US!

 

 

Not necessarily.

I don't imagine they go to their "own banks" where they have savings and checking accounts to exchange that money; nor do they go to the exchange places with ridiculous rates and fees.

Instead they exchange it on the black market (not $1 at a time) where they probably get a better rate than you or I do when visiting those countries.

That said, tipping in local currency is usually best except in countries with unstable currency where they specify that they prefer US $$ (as Mura has posted).

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Not necessarily.

I don't imagine they go to their "own banks" where they have savings and checking accounts to exchange that money; nor do they go to the exchange places with ridiculous rates and fees.

Instead they exchange it on the black market (not $1 at a time) where they probably get a better rate than you or I do when visiting those countries.

That said, tipping in local currency is usually best except in countries with unstable currency where they specify that they prefer US $$ (as Mura has posted).

 

It reminds me of when we went to Nicaragua on a land trip about eight/nine years ago. There were no ATM's. The way to get cordobas was to give what you want exchanged to a porter, who then called over one of the street kids to do the street corner exchange.

 

 

It was the recommended way to exchange on TripAdvisor at the time.

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I always pay in the local currency unless they ask for USD. Of course, I have to order USD anyway so getting local currency is no more of a hardship.

 

When I was in the Caribbean in May, when my tour guide found out that I was Canadian he asked if I could change some Canadian money for him as he had no use for it. He seemed to have no idea what it was worth either. I gave him a good rate though and he was happy.

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