PATTAYA, Thailand – For many visitors and long-term guests in Pattaya, the biggest shock this season is not the traffic, the heat, or even rising food prices — it’s the exchange rate. As the Thai baht remains stubbornly strong, foreign tourists are discovering that their holiday budgets are shrinking faster than expected, especially once bank deductions and transfer fees are factored in.
Several travelers report that after bank fees and charges, the real exchange rate they receive can drop to around 29 baht per US dollar, even when the headline market rate looks higher. On top of that, fixed fees — sometimes approaching 900 baht per transaction — are quietly deducted. Even a popular governmental bank, often regarded as one of the more affordable and transparent options, is not immune from criticism.
The result is a growing sense of frustration among tourists and long-term visitors who feel squeezed from all sides. Accommodation, food, transport, and entertainment prices in Pattaya have risen sharply over the past two years, while the purchasing power of foreign currencies has steadily declined. What once felt like good value now feels tight, forcing many visitors to cut spending, shorten stays, or rethink future trips altogether.
Small businesses are beginning to feel the impact. Bar owners, restaurant operators, massage shops, and market vendors say customers are spending less per visit and becoming more price-sensitive. While tourist arrival numbers may still look healthy on paper, the quality of spending is clearly under pressure.
Critics argue that Thailand’s tourism strategy has focused too heavily on arrival figures, while ignoring the real-world effects of currency strength, banking fees, dual pricing, and rising living costs. When a tourist loses hundreds of baht before even touching their cash, it directly affects how much they are willing — or able — to spend in the local economy.
With Pattaya competing against destinations like Vietnam, the Philippines, and even parts of Europe that now offer better value for money, the strong baht and opaque banking charges risk undermining Thailand’s long-term tourism appeal. As one visitor put it bluntly: “It’s not the women or the beaches anymore — it’s the exchange rate that decides how long I stay.”
If Thailand wants tourists not just to arrive, but to spend, policymakers and banks alike may need to take a closer look at how much of visitors’ money is being lost before it ever reaches the street.
