Does Wise have any partnerships in Bangkok that have free ATM withdrawals? Everywhere wants me to pay with a QR code and I have no idea how that works.

wise doesnt do free atm deals here, the atm fee is 220 baht no matter which card u use, thats just how it is. the qr thing is promptpay and it only works if u have a thai bank account, so tourists literally cant use it, dont stress about it. for cash just use ur wise card at an atm, decline the conversion it offers and let ur bank do it, or pay by card at bigger spots like 7-11, tops, most malls. small shops and street food are cash only so grab a few thousand baht out at once to avoid paying that 220 fee over and over

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the QR thing is PromptPay and yeah it needs a thai bank account so it's a dead end for you. but a lot of stalls now take TrueMoney wallet or you can just top up a Rabbit card at BTS stations for transport and keep cash for food.

honestly the easiest move is withdraw 10k baht at once from an atm inside a bank branch during open hours, if the machine eats ur card you can actually talk to someone. the 220 fee stings but it's per withdrawal not per amount so bigger chunks win.

for the 7-11s and malls your wise card taps fine, just tell them "card" not QR.

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if u got an iphone u can actually use the QR codes without a thai bank, just add a promptpay-compatible app or use the krungsri or kbank tourist wallet some branches push, but tbh most visitors never bother bc cash works everywhere. the real gotcha is the atm fee is charged by the thai bank not wise so switching cards wont dodge it, and some machines cap u at 20k or 25k per pull anyway. i usually hit the yellow krungsri atms on sukhumvit soi 11 area or the ones inside terminal 21, theyre reliable and dont eat cards as often as the random street ones

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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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