Where to change foreign currencies? Other than Thai

fwiw the other commenter nailed the booth route but lemme add another angle: skip the street booths entirely and hit the money changers inside the malls near Silom's office towers. the one on the 3rd floor of Silom Complex next to the bank row, they deal with a lot of regional currencies cause of all the embassy staff around. rupiah's not that rare there, i've seen it on the board a few times.

also the green booth at Phrom Phong's Emporium basement, near the Gourmet Market exit. they're smaller but they actually call their supplier if they're out, unlike Superrich who just shrug. ask for the manager there, he's been doing this for years and knows where to source stuff.

if you're stuck, there's a proper licensed dealer on Soi 33 near the Japanese restaurant strip, they do bulk orders for expats. they can get rupiah in 24 hours if u give them a deposit. rates are meh but you're paying for certainty, not a deal.

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honestly for odd currencies like rupiah your best bet is the exchange booths near the BTS, not the big Superrich counters. try the ones inside Silom Complex or the small shops on Soi Convent, they carry more regional stuff cause they cater to Indonesian workers. i've had luck at the yellow booth on Narathiwat Soi 3, they usually have rupiah but call first cause stock moves fast.

if that fails, Asok has a few on Soi 22 near the Sheraton, they're more flexible than the Siam ones. worst case you can order online from companies like Vasu Exchange, they deliver to your hotel but takes a day or two. rates might be slightly worse than Superrich but you won't be running around.

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you can also check the money changer counters at the airport departure level, sounds weird but the ones near the domestic gates carry all sorts of asian currencies cause people are flying out to indonesia all the time. i've done this myself for philippine pesos once. not silom but if u're desperate it's a solid backup.

otherwise, hit up the little shop on the walkway between Sala Daeng and Chong Nonsi, the one with the faded blue sign. they do a lot of business with indonesian workers in the area, so they usually have rupiah

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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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