As the year-end approaches, many people are planning international trips during the long holidays. However, one common issue encountered is “money matters.” You have to exchange currency into the local money, carrying lots of cash risks loss, and using credit cards requires checking the exchange rate and the foreign exchange fee applied.
Because of these problems, Travel Cards have become popular for overseas travel. The next question is: which card should you carry?
A Travel Card is a debit or prepaid card where you load Thai baht to exchange into foreign currencies stored on the card. When abroad, you can tap to pay or withdraw local cash from ATMs directly. Its main advantages are
1. These cards typically do not charge the usual 2.5% foreign exchange fee (FX Rate) that most credit cards do when used for payments.
2. You can lock in the exchange rate of the currency you want, for example, if the yen rate is favorable today, you can exchange via the app and store it on the card. This differs from credit cards that charge the rate at the time of payment (depending on each provider’s terms).
Which card suits you? Thairath Money compares six Travel Cards by number of currencies supported, spending limits, fees, and other benefits to help you decide.
1. Krungthai Travel Platinum Mastercard Debit from Krungthai Bank
Supports pre-exchange of 20 currencies: UAE dirham (AED), Australian dollar (AUD), Canadian dollar (CAD), Swiss franc (CHF), Chinese yuan (CNY), Danish krone (DKK), euro (EUR), British pound (GBP), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), Indian rupee (INR), Japanese yen (JPY), South Korean won (KRW), Norwegian krone (NOK), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Saudi riyal (SAR), Swedish krona (SEK), Singapore dollar (SGD), New Taiwan dollar (TWD), US dollar (USD), and Qatari riyal (QAR).
For other currencies, although you cannot pre-exchange and store them, you can still use the card abroad, with payments deducted from the baht balance on the card.
Spending limit abroad is 5 million baht per day, with ATM withdrawal limit at 500,000 baht per card per day. ATM withdrawal fees abroad are 100 baht per transaction (additional fees may apply from foreign ATM operators).
Card issuance fee is 100 baht, annual fee 250 baht; however, a promotion for new customers applying between 17 Feb – 31 Dec 2025 waives the annual fee for the card’s 5-year validity.
2. Bangkok Bank Travel Card from Bangkok Bank
Supports pre-exchange of 11 currencies: Australian dollar (AUD), Canadian dollar (CAD), Chinese yuan (CNY), Swiss franc (CHF), euro (EUR), British pound (GBP), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), Japanese yen (JPY), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Singapore dollar (SGD), and US dollar (USD).
Spending limit is up to 500,000 baht per card per day, with ATM withdrawal limit at 100,000 baht per day abroad. ATM withdrawal fee is 100 baht per transaction (additional fees may apply from foreign ATM operators).
Card issuance fee is 200 baht, waived if applied at specified branches or via Mobile App from 15 Nov 2025 to 31 Dec 2026; annual fee is also waived. The card is valid for 3 years.
3. JOURNEY Debit Card from Kasikorn Bank
This is a debit card that does not support pre-exchange of foreign currencies, but cardholders can spend in various currencies worldwide. Spending limit is 500,000 baht per card per day, with initial cash withdrawal limit at 50,000 baht and transfer limit of 200,000 baht.
ATM withdrawal fee abroad is 100 baht per transaction (additional fees may apply from foreign ATM operators).
Card issuance fee is 700 baht, with an annual fee of 550 baht thereafter. The card is valid for 3 years.
4. YouTrip, in partnership with Kasikorn Bank
Supports pre-exchange of 9 currencies: Japanese yen (JPY), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), Singapore dollar (SGD), Australian dollar (AUD), euro (EUR), British pound (GBP), Swiss franc (CHF), US dollar (USD), and Canadian dollar (CAD).
Spending limit across all currencies is 500,000 baht per day, with ATM withdrawal limit at 50,000 baht per month abroad. ATM fee is 100 baht per transaction but currently waived until 31 Dec 2025 (additional foreign ATM operator fees may apply).
Card issuance fee is 150 baht, waived if applied at designated branches or via Mobile App by 31 Dec 2025. Annual fee of 200 baht is waived for customers applying, replacing, or renewing cards from 1 Jul 2023 to 31 Dec 2026.
5. PLANET SCB from Siam Commercial Bank
Supports pre-exchange of 13 currencies: US dollar (USD), euro (EUR), British pound (GBP), Japanese yen (JPY), Australian dollar (AUD), Swiss franc (CHF), Singapore dollar (SGD), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Canadian dollar (CAD), Chinese yuan (CNY), South Korean won (KRW), and New Taiwan dollar (TWD).
Maximum payment limit is 500,000 baht per day, with ATM withdrawal limit abroad at 300,000 baht per day (all currencies combined). ATM withdrawal fee is 100 baht per transaction (additional foreign ATM fees may apply).
Card issuance fee is 200 baht, with annual fees waived for the card’s 3-year validity.
6. Krungsri Boarding Card from Krungsri Ayudhya Bank
Supports pre-exchange of 16 currencies: Japanese yen (JPY), South Korean won (KRW), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), Singapore dollar (SGD), US dollar (USD), euro (EUR), Australian dollar (AUD), Canadian dollar (CAD), Swiss franc (CHF), Chinese yuan (CNY), Danish krone (DKK), British pound (GBP), Norwegian krone (NOK), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Swedish krona (SEK), and New Taiwan dollar (TWD).
Payment limit is 500,000 baht per day, with ATM withdrawal limit abroad of 100,000 baht per day. ATM fees depend on the destination country (additional foreign ATM operator fees may apply).
Card issuance fee is 150 baht, waived for new customers applying between 1 Jun 2022 – 31 Dec 2025, with annual fees also waived. The card is valid for 5 years.
Ultimately, the “best” card is the one that fits your usage. Before taking any Travel Card on your year-end travels, check which currencies each card supports to ensure convenience during your trip.
For personal finance news and planning, visit Thairath Money to help you achieve “Good Finances, Good Life” athttps://www.thairath.co.th/money/personal_finance
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