A Korean travel YouTuber who visited Bangkok, Thailand, shared how an airport currency exchange counter refused to change won into Thai baht.
Travel YouTuber JoTube posted a video on the 11th on the YouTube channel, showing a trip to Bangkok, Thailand, with a wife.
In the video, the couple went to an exchange counter in the airport after clearing Thai immigration. When JoTube handed over won to the staff, the employee replied to the effect that the exchange would be difficult.
JoTube asked the staff, "Doesn't Korean money work? Only dollars?" and then asked again, "Why not?"
Unable to exchange the money, JoTube told the wife, "They really won't change Korean money," adding, "This is the first time." JoTube continued, "When coming to Thailand, I always bring only won. I always come and change it," and said, "Does this make sense? It's really shocking."
JoTube advised subscribers planning trips to Thailand to prepare dollars or Thai baht in advance.
JoTube said, "At the airport, I exchange just enough for a taxi fare and change the rest in the city," and added, "It's a relief I brought a little baht; what would I have done if I hadn't?"
JoTube added, "In all my life, I'm now experiencing a refusal of won. What state has the won come to?"
However, JoTube later found another exchange counter in downtown Bangkok and managed to change won into baht.
After the video was posted, some online users reacted by asking whether it was related to the won's decline in value. Comments included, "It seems more places aren't taking it because the won's value has fallen," and "There were places in Vietnam that didn't take won."
However, it was not confirmed whether the airport exchange counter's refusal to exchange won was due to the won's value or exchange-rate volatility. Because the types of foreign money handled vary by exchange counter, it may also have been due to that counter's currency handling policy.