The currency of Thailand is the Baht which consists of 100 Satangs. Coins include 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 Baht, 5 Baht and 10 Baht pieces but the confusing fact about coins is that they are of different sizes for the same value coin and only the newer coins have Arabic numerals. The 5 Baht coin (silver with copper edge) and the 1 Baht coin (silver) each come in three sizes. The 10 Baht coin has a copper center with silver border, the 50 and 25 satang coins are copper colored, and both circulate in two sizes.
Paper money is clearer since the notes have Arabic (as well as Thai) numerals and are color coded as well as of different sizes for different denominations - the larger the denomination the larger the size. 10's are brown, 20's green, 50's blue, 100's red, 500's purple and 1000 Baht notes are grey.
Displayed here are all the current Thai bank notes in use. We've tried to show the notes in relative sizes. The design of Thai notes includes many security features to make them difficult to forge. Some of these don't scan very well either, so please 'note' that these notes are not exact.
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The 1,000-Baht note is printed
with mainly brown ink on
off-white stock. The blank space
to the right of the king's
portrait has a watermark of the
king's portrait as well.
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On the back, to the right of the
king's picture is a broken
ribbon of silver thread woven
into the note.
The 1,000-Baht note was only
introduced in the mid-1990's.
The first version is slightly
larger and shows both the king
and queen on the back.
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The 500-Baht note is decidedly
purple. The stripe on the far
left of the front of the bill is
silvery holographic printing.
The blank spot to the right of
the king's portrait contains a
watermark.
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The unusual temple depicted on
the back of the note is the Loha
Prasat in Bangkok. There's yet
another broken silver stripe
running through one side of the
bill.
An older version of this bill still in circulation lacks the silver stripes and other security features.
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100 Baht Note - Front |
The 100-Baht note sports a red
motif.
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The 50-Baht note is all in blue,
and is made of plastic. Above
the clear window next to the
king's portrait on the front is
a sort of polarized watermark.
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There are some older versions of
the 50-Baht note in circulation,
in both paper and plastic.
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The 20-Baht note is printed in
green. The watermark, which is
opposite the king's portrait on
the front, is the king's
portrait in profile.
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The 20-Baht note is the one bill
that hasn't changed over the
years. It's the same now as it
was 15 years ago. They tried
introducing a coin a few years
ago but it proved unpopular.
Thailand Coins
Thai coins lack the color of the
bank notes, but still vary
widely in size and design. The
pictures below show the current
versions of the coins that you
are likely to encounter.
 The 10-Baht coin |
The standard 10-Baht coin is a
silver ring with a brass center.
The coin replaced a 10-Baht bill
in the early 1990's but you
still run across bills from time
to time.
The back of the standard 10-Baht coin depicts Wat Arun, but there are numerous commemorative versions of the coin in circulation. At times, it seems as though the Kanchanpisek version is more common than the
Standard coin.
 Five-Baht Coin |
The Five-Baht coin is slightly
smaller than the 10-Baht piece.
The reverse features Wat
Benjamabophit. There's also a
Kanchanapisek version
of this coin.
 One-Baht Coin |
The one-Baht coin is silver and
slightly larger than a US cent.
Like the five and ten-Baht
coins, there's also a
Kanchanapisek version
commonly found.
The back of the one-Baht coin displays the chedis of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
 50-Satang Coin |
The 50-Satang (one-half of one
Baht) piece is a small brass
coin about the size of a US
dime. The back features the
chedi at Wat Prathat Doi Suthep
in Chiang Mai.
 25-Satang Coin |
The 25-Satang piece is a tiny
brass coin. Both the 25- and
50-Satang coins are rather
useless. Once received they are
almost impossible to get rid of.
Tourists will rarely encounter
either coin, since they are
mostly used in supermarkets and
convenience stores. Shops and
restaurants work in full-Baht
prices only.
