Can I use my credit card in Thailand?

Cards are accepted widely in the formal economy and hardly at all in the informal one, and a normal day in Thailand crosses both. The Thaiger's card guide, updated on 10 September 2026, draws the line as follows.

Where a foreign card works

What it costs

1. Your issuer's foreign transaction fee, around 2 to 3 percent on purchases according to The Thaiger. Some travel cards charge nothing, so check your tariff before you fly.
2. A merchant surcharge at some small businesses. On Koh Tao, the Koh Tao Complete Guide reports 3 or 4 percent added by resorts, dive schools, restaurants and supermarkets.
3. The currency screen. When a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choose baht. The Thaiger describes the terminal's rate as consistently worse than your bank's.

Debit or credit

The answer is the same for both, as far as our sources go. The Thaiger speaks of Visa and Mastercard cards without separating debit from credit, and none of our sources reports a debit card being refused where a credit card is taken. At an ATM, the Chiang Rai Times gives one flat fee per foreign card withdrawal.

Can a visitor pay by QR

Sometimes. Thailand's cross border QR scheme lets visitors from linked countries scan Thai codes with their home banking app: in June 2026 the Tourism Authority of Thailand named China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea, with more planned. Everyone else needs cash for the stalls, or a Thai registered Wise account, which can I scan Thai QR codes with Wise explains.

The setup that works

Carry two cards on different networks and a float of cash. Pay hotels, supermarkets and flights by card, and withdraw large amounts rarely, because the ATM fee is flat. The arithmetic is in 220 baht every time: the real cost of cash in Thailand, and our Thailand banking and money guide covers the rest. Currency check shows today's mid market rate.