The short answer

Wise is the cheapest way to convert pounds to baht and send it to a Thai bank. Thai-registered accounts add PromptPay but lose Thai ATM cash and have daily limits. A Thai FCD account at Bangkok Bank or Krungsri keeps pounds in Thailand to convert when you choose — useful for property money — but it isn't covered by deposit protection and is costly to send back out. HSBC Expat or NatWest International suit larger balances held offshore. Revolut doesn't offer cards to Thailand residents.

The directory: multicurrency options compared

Who can open each account, what it holds and how it works in Thailand.

Wise and Revolut as published on our travel comparison (October 2026) and The Thailand Life / Exiap (2026); Bangkok Bank and Krungsri FCD terms (2026); HSBC UK; NatWest International. Confirm terms for your country of residence.

How each one works day to day in Thailand

The practical questions: can you pay by Thai QR, get cash, and send money home?

Thai ATM fee of ฿220 per withdrawal on foreign cards. Card fees and limits for offshore accounts vary by account; check the tariff.

The providers in detail

One from each group, and what each does best.

Wise for Thai residents: the limits

The daily limits reported for Wise accounts registered with a Thai address, after the 2026 move to Wise's Thai entity.

The Thailand Life (updated 29 May 2026). Bank-to-bank transfers that don't sit in a Wise balance aren't counted against these limits. At ฿44.38 = £1.

Thai FCD account or Wise?

Many expats use both: Wise for regular transfers and spending, and an FCD account for a one-off large sum such as a condo purchase. Our Thai Retail Banking Providers Directory compares the banks that offer FCD accounts.

Which provider for which need

A quick guide to the best fit for common situations.

General guidance; check each provider's current terms for Thailand residents.

The costs that matter most

• The conversion rate. A 3% margin costs £150 on £5,000; Wise's fee starts at 0.43% (£21.50).
• Sending money out of Thailand. From a Bangkok Bank FCD account: ฿400 or ฿1,150 plus a withdrawal commission with a ฿500 minimum — over ฿900 even on small sums.
• Minimum balance fees. USD 10 a month at Bangkok Bank below a USD 250 average; HSBC Expat's underfunding fee; Santander International's £40 a month below £75,000.
• Cash. Every Thai ATM withdrawal on a foreign card costs ฿220 (about £4.96).
• Banknotes. Paying foreign notes into a Thai FCD account costs 1%–2% at Bangkok Bank.

Our guide to Thai bank transfer fees breaks these down further.

Setting up a two-currency system

1. Decide where your pounds will live — a UK account if your bank keeps you, or an offshore account if not.
2. Open Wise while you're UK-based, so you have a cheap bridge before you need it.
3. Open a Thai baht account once you have a long-stay visa, for daily life and visa money.
4. Add a Thai FCD account only if you'll hold pounds in Thailand or are buying property.
5. Set a monthly routine: convert what you need for the month, keep a buffer in baht, leave the rest in pounds.
6. Set rate alerts for larger one-off conversions, so you can act when the rate suits.
7. Keep records of every conversion and transfer for tax and visas.

Four worked examples

Illustrations at ฿44.38 = £1. Fees and rates change; check before you convert.

Questions to ask before you open one

• Can I open it as a resident of Thailand, and which entity will hold my money?
• What exchange rate is used, and what's the fee or margin on top?
• Which currencies can I hold, and can I receive payments in each?
• Does the card work at Thai ATMs, and what does it charge?
• What are the daily limits for payments, conversions and transfers?
• What does it cost to send money back to the UK?
• What minimum balance applies, and what's the fee below it?
• How is my money protected — deposit insurance or safeguarding?

If you leave Thailand

Close Thai FCD and baht accounts in person before you go, and move the balance out first — doing it from abroad is difficult, and dormant accounts can be frozen or closed. Update your address with Wise and any offshore bank, as your account may move to a different entity with different features. If you return to the UK, UK digital banks become an option again.

How your money is protected

Protection differs sharply between the three groups. E-money providers such as Wise safeguard customer money — holding it separately from their own — but it isn't deposit insurance. Thai FCD accounts aren't covered by Thailand's Deposit Protection Agency, which protects baht deposits only, up to ฿1 million per bank. Offshore banks in Jersey are covered up to £50,000 per depositor per banking group.

The practical rule: keep large balances where protection is strongest, spread them across banking groups, and use multicurrency accounts for the money you're moving or spending rather than your life savings.

What about Revolut and UK digital banks?

Revolut is popular with travellers, but it doesn't offer cards to people who live in Thailand, so it isn't a reliable option once you're resident here. UK digital banks such as Starling, Monzo and Chase are built for UK residents and generally require a UK address. If you're visiting or splitting your year and still genuinely live in the UK, they remain excellent — see our travel comparison.

Using multicurrency apps safely

Multicurrency apps move money in seconds, which makes them a target. Set sensible limits, turn on notifications, never share codes or install apps someone sends you, and protect your connection on hotel and café Wi-Fi.

How we compiled this directory

We used Wise's published fees as recorded on our travel comparison, The Thailand Life's 2026 summary of Wise's Thai changes, Exiap's 2026 guide to Revolut in Thailand, Bangkok Bank's FCD page for non-residents, Krungsri's FCD fact sheet (24 July 2026), HSBC UK's HSBC Expat page and NatWest International's account pages. Provider rules for Thailand residents are changing quickly. Checked 13 October 2026. This directory is general information, not financial advice.