Israeli Man Arrested in Pattaya for Using Counterfeit US Dollars

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

 

A 56-year-old Israeli tourist has been arrested in Pattaya on 29 January, after attempting to exchange counterfeit US $50 bills at a currency exchange booth in the city.

 

Colonel Man Rotthong, Superintendent of Division 2 of the Tourist Police Bureau, along with Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Ensarn, Chief Inspector of Pattaya Tourist Police, received a report from an exchange shop on Soi Buakhao. The shop informed authorities that a foreign customer had presented 24 fake $50 banknotes, which, if exchanged, would have amounted to approximately 40,000 Thai Baht.

 

Upon investigation, officers identified the suspect as Mr. Rami Ayash, an Israeli national. He admitted to bringing the banknotes to the shop for exchange. Police then escorted him to the Pattaya Tourist Police Station for further questioning.

 

Ms. Nawaphon Tarasi, an employee at the exchange shop, confirmed that all the banknotes were counterfeit. She pointed out key discrepancies, including the texture of the notes, which felt smoother than genuine ones. Additionally, when tilted, the gold-coloured ‘50’ on the notes failed to change to green as it should.

 

Authorities have charged Mr. Ayash with possessing counterfeit banknotes with the intent to use them despite knowing they are fake. The suspect claimed he had received the notes in Israel before bringing them to Thailand.

 

The police have seized the 24 counterfeit $50 notes as evidence and have transferred the case to Pattaya City Police Station for further legal proceedings.

 

-- 2025-01-30

 

 

[jimmybcool]

I am paranoid about this.  I do bring US currency with me as backup.  I bring $100 notes I get direct from a bank and with zero defects.  I wonder if this guy knew they were counterfeit or not.

 

 

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, jimmybcool said:

I am paranoid about this.  I do bring US currency with me as backup.  I bring $100 notes I get direct from a bank and with zero defects.  I wonder if this guy knew they were counterfeit or not.

 

 

Sounds like he did, he was charged with that crime. 

[thesetat]

22 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Sounds like he did, he was charged with that crime. 

They would initially charge him with the crime whether he knew it or not. Then decide later after their investigation if they intend to prosecute. So there is a chance he did not know they were fake. Depends on where he got them from. 

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

24 fake $50 banknotes

 

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

Depends on where he got them from. 

24 seems a lot to have got by accident?

[thesetat]

ohh i am not so sure. When i used to travel back and forth to China, i would always ask for 50 dollar notes from the bank. They are easier to exchange. 

8 minutes ago, mikebell said:

 

24 seems a lot to have got by accident?

40,000 baht does not seem a lot for taking with you on holiday. 

Now if the man has more in his rental unit in Thailand. Then perhaps he was a counterfeiter. And maybe he really is. But there is room for doubt. 

[mikebell]

5 minutes ago, thesetat said:

ohh i am not so sure. When i used to travel back and forth to China, i would always ask for 50 dollar notes from the bank. They are easier to exchange. 

40,000 baht does not seem a lot for taking with you on holiday. 

Now if the man has more in his rental unit in Thailand. Then perhaps he was a counterfeiter. And maybe he really is. But there is room for doubt. 

I can't see a bank issuing 24 bogus notes.

[thesetat]

2 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I can't see a bank issuing 24 bogus notes.

i did not say he got it from a bank. But that does not change my meaning at all. 

[dddave]

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

ohh i am not so sure. When i used to travel back and forth to China, i would always ask for 50 dollar notes from the bank. They are easier to exchange. 

40,000 baht does not seem a lot for taking with you on holiday. 

Now if the man has more in his rental unit in Thailand. Then perhaps he was a counterfeiter. And maybe he really is. But there is room for doubt. 

Usually not the actual counterfeiter that gets caught.  Counterfeiting rings sell the currency on a black market.  A buyer may pay 10 to 20 percent of the face value and then travel to places where they think it will pass.  The $100 bill is the most counterfeited currency in the world.  These guys obviously thought $50s would get less scrutiny.  Sharp clerk at the exchange booth for catching it.

[goatfarmer]

3 hours ago, thesetat said:

ohh i am not so sure. When i used to travel back and forth to China, i would always ask for 50 dollar notes from the bank. They are easier to exchange. 

40,000 baht does not seem a lot for taking with you on holiday. 

Now if the man has more in his rental unit in Thailand. Then perhaps he was a counterfeiter. And maybe he really is. But there is room for doubt. 

Room for doubt! Remarkable. Someone actually applying the correct legal standard.

[hereforgood]

Would be curious if they all had the same serial number or not?

[Captain Flack]

A troll post and the replies to it have been removed

[riverhigh]

I agree 24 bogus notes is a lot for a bank to hand out. The article does not mention that the tourist got the notes from a Israel bank whereby the police can follow-up. For what it's worth, imho, the tourist thought he had a better chance of getting away with "a quick exchange and run" with a gold shop than a Thai bank. I agree with the police to charge the  tourist with bringing  in counterfeit banknotes with the intent to use them despite knowing they were fake. Let the tourist prove otherwise. 

[jimgilly]

6 hours ago, jimmybcool said:

I am paranoid about this.  I do bring US currency with me as backup.  I bring $100 notes I get direct from a bank and with zero defects.  I wonder if this guy knew they were counterfeit or not.

 

 

You're joking, right?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, jimmybcool said:

I am paranoid about this.  I do bring US currency with me as backup.  I bring $100 notes I get direct from a bank and with zero defects.  I wonder if this guy knew they were counterfeit or not.

 

 

Depends on what he paid for them....

[kevin612]

A lot of fake 50s, so dumb to do that. 

[NativeBob]

Why such a scum attracted such a high brass officers? It is just a pity farang ding-dong, a roach from the Middle East. 

56 years old and doing switcharoo with 24 notes in Pattaya? 

I think those officers gathered to have a looksie at such a moron. 

[georgegeorgia]

How does he make these notes?

Do you have to go to a printer?

 

Can someone tell me if it's true that notes have a goold stripe bar inside ?

[Jonathan Swift]

8 hours ago, jimmybcool said:

I am paranoid about this.  I do bring US currency with me as backup.  I bring $100 notes I get direct from a bank and with zero defects.  I wonder if this guy knew they were counterfeit or not.

 

 

If it were just one or two, not necessarily suspicious. But 24? He had to know. Did he try to spend or cash them elsewhere? If he had he would have likely been previously caught. Employees are trained to inspect large bills and spot fakes. 

[Jonathan Swift]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

How does he make these notes?

Do you have to go to a printer?

 

Can someone tell me if it's true that notes have a goold stripe bar inside ?

Why? Are you tempted to make some of your own? Unlikely that he himself made them. He probably bought them on the black market. Most likely they were made in North Korea. The stripe is not gold, it's blue. 

 

To tell if a $100 bill is counterfeit, check for the following security features: 

 

 

• Security thread: When holding the bill up to light, a vertical thread should be visible on the left side of Franklin's portrait with "USA 100" printed on it; under UV light, it should glow pink. 
   
• Color-shifting numeral: The "100" in the lower right corner should change color from copper to green when tilted. 
   
• Watermark: A faint image of Benjamin Franklin should be visible on the right side of the portrait when held to light. 
   
• Microprinting: Tiny text around Franklin's collar and other areas can be seen with a magnifying glass. 
   
• 3D Security Ribbon: A blue ribbon with bells and "100" that moves when tilted. 
   
• Raised printing: Certain areas like the Treasury seal should feel raised when touched. 

 

[Jingthing]

If it turns out that he is guilty (it's not looking good for him) I wonder why so many foreigners choose Thailand to commit such serious crimes instead of countries with more humane prison systems? Don't they know how horrific it is to be imprisoned in Thailand? 

[Jonathan Swift]

6 hours ago, thesetat said:

ohh i am not so sure. When i used to travel back and forth to China, i would always ask for 50 dollar notes from the bank. They are easier to exchange. 

40,000 baht does not seem a lot for taking with you on holiday. 

Now if the man has more in his rental unit in Thailand. Then perhaps he was a counterfeiter. And maybe he really is. But there is room for doubt. 

There is almost always a certain amount of doubt until convicted beyond a reasonable doubt. But possession is in and of itself a crime, as is the attempt to use it or pass it. He "possessed" it, and he intended to use it. He wasn't charged with actual counterfeiting, or knowingly obtaining them. 

[Jonathan Swift]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If it turns out that he is guilty (it's not looking good for him) I wonder why so many foreigners choose Thailand to commit such serious crimes instead of countries with more humane prison systems? Don't they know how horrific it is to be imprisoned in Thailand? 

Obviously they know little or nothing about the real Thailand, just some unreliable hearsay about the proliferation of such things. They are not the sharpest tool in the shed. 

[malt25]

They were easy to sopt. Had Trumpty Dumpty mug shot instead of uncle Ulysses

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, malt25 said:

They were easy to sopt. Had Trumpty Dumpty mug shot instead of uncle Ulysses

Maybe another reason in this case was lack of respect for the competence of the money screening system here compared to a country like Norway. In other words, the perception true or not of less risk of being caught here. 

[Celsius]

Does anyone know answer to this question? When I go to super rich headquarters to exchange money they all use the counting machine. Do these machines also detect fake currency? If they do, how to they detect 30 or more currencies that they have on offer?

[Watawattana]

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The shop informed authorities that a foreign customer had presented 24 fake $50 banknotes, which, if exchanged, would have amounted to approximately 40,000 Thai Baht.

Well done to the person who spotted this and to the person who reported it (not sure it's the same person from the OP).

 

Is he guilty?  Maybe, will let Thai police & court decide.  Although not stated in the OP, he probably had a scan of his passport taken hence the quick identification.  So, he's either massively arrogant and didn't care about releasing his identity, or he didn't know they were fake.

[J Branche]

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If it turns out that he is guilty (it's not looking good for him) I wonder why so many foreigners choose Thailand to commit such serious crimes instead of countries with more humane prison systems? Don't they know how horrific it is to be imprisoned in Thailand? 

They believe this is the Thailand of the past. If they read any news from Thailand in past 3 years they would know RTP and CIB are arresting people almost daily for crimes.  Maybe Dunning-Kruger effect, they think they are smarter and more capable.  It does provide for good entertainment and coffee talk about the past days events.

[VBF]

21 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If it turns out that he is guilty (it's not looking good for him) I wonder why so many foreigners choose Thailand to commit such serious crimes instead of countries with more humane prison systems? Don't they know how horrific it is to be imprisoned in Thailand? 

I think the answer to that may be that historically Thailand was seen as the "wild west" for all sorts of crimes.

 

You've been around a while - think back to Thailand, say 30 years ago, and what was ignored then as compared to now - the ease of doing perpetual "border hops" comes to mind.  I remember certain establishments in Bangkok changing Western cash at advantageous rates - transactions in back rooms with no paperwork issued.  The notes were just checked visually - no scanning.

 

This guy might have heard about those days and assumed the same conditions still applied - his bad if that's the case!

 

Just FWIW, I bring British £50 notes with me (so vaguely related); I get them from a High St bank (so they go through my account) and carry the receipts both to show Customs and against the possibility of questions being asked in Thailand.

 

One never knows!

[Grumpy one]

4 hours ago, hereforgood said:

Would be curious if they all had the same serial number or not?

The Mickey Mouse face on the notes gave a hint of not being Kosher