Obtain cash at airport?

honestly you're overthinking it a bit. 5k cash is fine for day one, just hit any green Krungsri ATM in arrivals, they usually work better with Revolut than the yellow SCB ones. but if you're staying more than 3 days i'd pull 8-10k cash instead, street food and grab drivers add up fast and you don't wanna be hunting for ATMs at 2am after a few beers.

one thing nobody mentioned: some bars on Khao San will try to charge you a 3% fee for card, so cash saves you that annoyance. also your Revolut exchange rate is actually decent but the 220 baht fee stings less if you withdraw once rather than multiple times. just make sure u select "continue without conversion" when the ATM offers to convert for u, that's a scam rate.

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You can skip the airport ATMs if you don't want to pay that 220 baht fee. There's a SuperRich exchange counter right near the airport rail link station at BKK, and their rates are usually better than any ATM. Bring some crisp USD or EUR from home and swap it there instead.

20k total is plenty for a few days. 5k cash will cover street food, taxis, and bars, since those are the main cash-only spots. Most sit-down restaurants and malls accept card fine, but double-check with smaller bars on Soi Cowboy or Nana if you head that way. I'd keep maybe 8k cash just to be safe, especially if you plan to hit night markets like Chatuchak where card is rare.

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yeah you can def get cash at the airport, the ATMs are right there after baggage claim. just a heads up though, Thai ATMs charge a flat 220 baht fee per withdrawal regardless of amount, so it's smarter to take out more at once. 5k is fine for cash honestly, most places in Bangkok accept cards, especially in touristy spots like Khao San or Sukhumvit. bars and street stalls are cash only though, and some smaller shops too, so having that 5k on hand is smart. just keep the rest on your Revolut, it works fine at most places with contactless.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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