On 10/7/2025 at 7:44 AM, Georgealbert said:

Others voiced frustration over Thailand’s visa-free policy, arguing that it had made it easier for foreign criminals to enter the country and target popular tourist areas such as Phuket.

 

Here we go again. One crook does not mean the millions of other visitors are crooks as well. When your currency exchange business closes down due to lack of foreign customers you will be complaining about that as well.

On 10/7/2025 at 10:46 AM, thesetat said:

So how is it they do not have a name and copy of this mans passport information and made arrests already.

 

All the currency exchange places I have been to either do not ask for a passport or will accept a photocopy of your passport's photo page. SuperRich accepts photocopies. My local one in Huai Khwang has never asked for a passport. The one outside Nana Plaza accepts photo copies.

 

If someone can forge a banknote, I am sure they can easily manipulate a photocopied image of their passport as well. If this crime become common I expect that only real passports will be accepted in future which is a PITA and risky if you are going out drinking for the night and have to have your real passport on you.

I've had fake notes from my UK bank ATM machine. They were detected in the supermarket the same day. The bank exchanged them but offered no apology, they stated the tellers usually find them by how they feel. And that seems to be about the only check.

4 hours ago, ronster said:

Was an Israeli woman caught yesterday in samui trying to pass off fake $100 notes.

With them it's always $ but get caught when they try to go against the grain an be too generous with tips 😆 

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

Wow....kudos.....I have enough trouble getting real ones accepted.

 

Took 800 quid in nice crisp notes into super rich the other week, they went through each 20 pound note over and over. In the end they rejected one for a tiny nick on the edge and another one had a number written on it. When they changed the rest into baht they were all old creased notes, with several written on!

Looking forward to the next chapter of this story.  

1 hour ago, proton said:

 

Took 800 quid in nice crisp notes into super rich the other week, they went through each 20 pound note over and over. In the end they rejected one for a tiny nick on the edge and another one had a number written on it. When they changed the rest into baht they were all old creased notes, with several written on!

I generally when I have cash to exchange use Superich too and yes you’re right they over analyse every note and like you I too have had notes rejected. But I play them at the same game several times they have given me Thai baht notes that are written on and every time I hand them back and say change these please. They hate it and look daggers.

On 10/7/2025 at 2:23 AM, Andrew Dwyer said:

That is a driving license.

I agree that is a UK driving licence (unless it too is a fake) the numbering sequence continues as  5~.drivers number (made up of drivers name and date of birth) ~~7~. his signature and 8~. most relevant his address in UK . Have the notes been confirmed as forgeries or is it that the head of King Charles lll is not recognised? We still have more Elizabeth ll banknotes in circulation in UK than Charles lll

 

Got to be some serious operators involved to produce counterfeit notes these days......although they failed in this instance!!!!

17 hours ago, impulse said:

 

If he has the ability to make convincing fake notes, I suspect he can fake a passport, too.

 

But it seems he used a driving license not a passport.

On 10/8/2025 at 11:40 AM, impulse said:

 

If he has the ability to make convincing fake notes, I suspect he can fake a passport, too.

 

That’s quite possible of course. But imho I doubt the guy passing the notes is the counterfeiting mastermind. I would expect that he is one of many drones used to take the risk of passing off the notes. In which case a fake passport and/or fake driving licence may not be part of the deal

 

Maybe I’m wrong and it’s a one man operation who makes a complete set of fake documents. But it would hardly be worth doing if that’s case. One man can only pass off a finite amount of fake notes.