Can I use my Barclaycard in Thailand?

Planning a blissful beach break or island-hopping adventure in Thailand? Perhaps you’re honeymooning there, or spending time working in the country as a digital nomad.

Whatever your travel plans, you’ll need to know whether your UK cards work in Thailand.

In this guide, we’ll be focusing on Barclaycard, looking at where the credit card is accepted in Thailand and what costs are involved.

So if you have a Barclaycard or are thinking of getting one, you’ll be able to work out if it’s the best option for your Thailand trip.

We’ll also show you a great alternative, the Wise card. It’s not a credit card but an international debit card linked to your Wise account. You can use it for spending in 150+ countries including Thailand, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the great mid-market exchange rate – only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee*.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

Can I use my Barclaycard in Thailand?

Yes, you can use your Barclaycard in Thailand where Visa/Mastercard is accepted, as long as the vendor accepts credit cards.

This includes shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, ATMs and some transport hubs too. However, bear in mind that Thailand is quite cash-centric, so credit cards may not be accepted everywhere. So, you may need to take a mix of cards and cash with you.

There are also likely to be fees for spending in a foreign currency with your credit card - we’ll look at this next.

Barclaycard fees, exchange rates & currency conversion in Thailand

Before you use a UK-issued debit or credit card abroad, it’s crucial to check out the fees.

Many credit cards charge non-sterling transaction fees for spending in other currencies, as well as for cash withdrawals overseas.

Let’s take a look at what you’ll pay to use your Barclaycard in Thailand.

Foreign transaction fees

Barclays charges the following to use its credit cards overseas:¹

Planning on withdrawing cash with your Barclaycard? There’s a crucial thing you should know. Unlike with purchases where there’s usually an interest-free period, interest on ATM withdrawals is likely to start accruing right away.

Exchange rates

When it comes to the cost of using a credit card abroad, the exchange rate can make just as much difference as the upfront fee

Barclays uses Visa’s exchange rates for currency conversions when you spend or withdraw cash in a foreign currency. You can check the latest rates at any time here.

You also need to know about something called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). This is where you’re asked if you want to pay in your home currency (GBP) or the local currency (in this case, THB).

You should always choose the local currency, because otherwise the vendor or ATM will get to apply their own exchange rate. This is likely to be a poorer rate than the Visa rate, which will be used if you pay in the local currency.

Tips for using your Barclaycard in Thailand

To help you get the most from using your Barclaycard in Thailand, follow these tips:

• Avoid cash withdrawals with a credit card unless absolutely necessary. Fees can be high, and interest will start accruing right away (unlike with purchases, where you usually get an interest-free period)
• Use fee-free ATMs if you can - otherwise, you’ll find an ATM operator fee added on top of the Barclays fees.
• Always pay in the local currency - this ensures you get a better exchange rate and avoid expensive hidden fees.

You don’t have to tell Barclays that you’ll be travelling. Just make sure the bank has your up-to-date contact details, just in case the fraud prevention team is concerned about any transactions.

Travelling to Thailand? Use Wise for low-cost currency conversion and spending

After reading this, you should have all the info you need about using your Barclaycard in Thailand. It can be a little costly to use it overseas, especially if withdrawing cash - but it’s up to you whether the convenience makes it worth it.

Just remember though that there are many great travel-friendly alternatives out there, such as the Wise card.

Open a Wise account online and you can order the Wise card for a one-time fee of £7. You can use this clever card in 150+ countries, including Thailand. It automatically converts your pounds to local currency whenever you spend using the mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee* – or it’s free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

You also get two free ATM withdrawals for up to 200 GBP (or currency equivalent) each month. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

Sign up with Wise for free 🚀

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 04-Mar-2025