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Best Apps to Use in Thailand for Transport
When it comes to getting around Thailand and booking transport, the best app to use in Thailand is 12goAsia. It allows you to easily book train travel, minivans, night buses and night trains and ferries. It is great for planning journeys and showing travel time between your Thailand destinations. 12goAsia also has a website so no need to download the app if you prefer to use a browser for booking.
The best apps to use in Thailand for taxis are taxi apps like Grab and Bolt. Grab, in particular, offers a wide range of transportation options, including regular taxis, larger taxis for more people and even motorbike taxis. The motorbike taxi option is not only a unique way to navigate through the bustling streets of Thailand, but it is also often cheaper and faster than other modes of transportation, particularly in areas with high traffic. You can ask the Grab driver for a helmet, they should all carry one but may not offer it unless you ask.
It’s worth noting that Uber is not currently available in Thailand, so Grab and Bolt are the go-to options for ride services. There have been times where Grab was not available in Phuket, but at the time of writing in 2024, you can now use Grab again in Phuket. Both are popular apps in Thailand, although Bolt can be cheaper, but Grab often has more drivers available. You can use card or cash in both these apps in Thailand.
Some small islands may not have these options available through these Thailand apps. The best thing to do in those cases is to organise transport through your accommodation.
Best apps to use in Thailand for flights
To find the best flight deals when traveling, one of the most useful apps to use in Thailand is Skyscanner or Trip.com. Skyscanner allows you to compare prices from various airlines, making it easier to find the most affordable options for your trip. However, it’s important to note that since the pandemic, flight prices have generally increased and it is rare to find very cheap domestic flights nowadays.
When booking flights within Thailand, it’s advisable to book in advance to secure the best deal available at the time. Additionally, consider being flexible with your travel dates and times, as this can often result in more affordable options, particularly if travelling early in the morning or later in the evening. Lately I’ve been finding loads of domestic flights and international flights cheaper with Trip.com so I recommend using them. When a Philippines flight was delayed, we still dealt directly with the airline to get compensation so the fact we had booked with Trip.com was not an problem.
Some smaller budget airlines do not always show up on Skyscanner so it is worth checking budget airlines like Nok Air on their individual websites.
Apps to use in Thailand for food delivery
Grab and Foodpanda are the most popular apps in Thailand for food delivery . They are convenient and efficient ways to order snacks, drinks and food from local restaurants. With these apps in Thailand, you can browse through menus, read reviews, and place your orders. The apps offer payment options, including cash on delivery or online payment, making it easy to for visitors. These are both useful apps to use in Bangkok.
Best apps to use in Thailand for currency conversion
XE is a personal favourite as an app to use in Thailand for currency conversion. It provides accurate and up-to-date exchange rates for Thai baht to all other currencies and you can see multiple currencies at the same time. With XE, you can easily convert your money to help you budget on your Thailand trip.
I think XE is a popular app to use in Thailand because it is quick and easy to navigate and makes checking the exchange rate each when exchanging money, working out costs of food or shopping.
However, it’s important to note that XE no longer works offline. This means that you will need an internet connection to access the app and get the latest exchange rates. While this is a drawback, it’s worth considering that most places in Thailand have Wi-Fi available and sim cards with data are all cheap and easy to purchase.
If you are on a budget in Thailand, read my article here on how to keep your Thailand trip cheap.
Best Apps to use in Thailand for booking hotels
When it comes to booking hotels, hostels and accommodation, two of the best apps to use in Thailand are Agoda and Booking.com. These popular apps in Thailand offer a wide range of accommodation options. I personally favour Agoda more. By staying consistent with using either Agoda or Booking.com, you can often accumulate discounts for each booking, making your stay in Thailand even more affordable.
Agoda is a popular app to use in Thailand and for travelling across Asia. It offers a vast selection of hotels, resorts, and guesthouses across the continent. With Agoda, you can easily filter your search based on your preferences, such as price range, location, and facilities. The app also provides detailed descriptions and reviews of each property, helping you make an informed decision. They also have a website as well as the app.
Booking.com is another choice of app to use in Thailand for booking hotels. It’s a good idea to compare the price between Agoda and Booking.com to ensure the best deal for your trip. You can also use their website if you would rather not download the app for use in Thailand. These are both useful apps to use in Bangkok.
Apps to use in Thailand for splitting costs between friends or couple
One of the best apps to use in Thailand for splitting costs between friends or couples is Tricount. This app makes it incredibly easy to divide costs such as food, accommodation, and taxis evenly among your travel companions. What sets Tricount apart is its ability to handle different currencies, which is especially useful if your friends are booking from abroad using different currencies. It will work out the exchange rate for you and it is one of the best travel apps for Thailand.
With Tricount, you can create a shared expense list and add all the costs made during your trip. The app automatically calculates each person’s share based on the items added and the number of participants. You can share it between all members of the group or select certain individuals.
The app also provides a clear overview of the expenses, showing who owes what and how much. This transparency helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures everyone is on the same page regarding expenses.
Apps to use in Thailand for banking
For managing finances, the best apps in Thailand are international, multi-currency cards like Monzo, Wise or Revolut. . These apps are especially useful for withdrawing cash from ATM machines or making card payments at larger establishments. They are great for tracking expenses, well-known for having good exchange rates and it is easy to transfer between accounts.
It’s important to note that at the time of writing, QR code scanning for payments is limited to Thai bank accounts. So, if you have a Thai bank account, you can take advantage of this useful payment method.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Thailand, make sure to download one of these popular apps in Thailand. This will ensure that you have easy access to your funds and can make transactions with ease, giving you more safety by not carrying large amounts of cash.
Apps to use in Thailand for scuba diving
One of the essential apps to use in Thailand for scuba diving is Dive+. This app is particularly useful for underwater photography and videography.
With Dive+, you can easily enhance the colors of your underwater images, making them more vibrant and true to life, by adding in the red filter after you have taken your photos or videos. I use my phone for scuba diving and use this dive housing for underwater photos.
Not only does Dive+ help you enhance the colors of your underwater images, but it also allows you to organize and share your diving experiences. You can create dive logs, add location information, and even share your photos with fellow divers through the app to help you decide where to go for your next diving trip in Thailand or where to check out the best dive sites in Thailand.
Apps to use in Thailand for shopping
When it comes to shopping, two popular apps in Thailand that you should definitely have on your phone are Lazada and Shopee. These apps offer a wide range of products from food, to clothing, home items, gadgets and technology from official stores.
To ensure faster delivery and support local businesses, I recommend using the ‘local’ filter when searching for items on these apps. This way, you can be sure that your purchase is coming from within Thailand, making it more environmentally friendly than shipping from abroad.
To make your shopping experience even better, take advantage of the filters available on Lazada and Shopee. By selecting 4 stars or more, you can filter out products with lower ratings and focus on purchases with higher reviews only. Additionally, adjusting the price range can help narrow down your search results, especially when there are so many products available on this app.
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