Counterfeit 1,000 Baht Notes Concern Rises

[animatic]

Those names do NOT sound Hmong at all.

I spent 2 1/2 months with the hmong working on trad music videos,

when I first came here, and these names sound totally wrong.

Sounds more like trying to spin the problem onto the Hmong,

to make it easier to deport them to Laos....

[guru]

Was in a bar last night and the cashier had a fake 1000 bt note taped to her desk for reference. I asked to compare it with a bill I had. There was a watermark of the King on the fake one but the metal strip didn't have the holograms. The easiest way to tell the difference was the smell. The fake one had no smell at all but try smelling the notes you have and there is a distinct smell. Also, if you rub a real one on paper, the colour comes off.

[Vato]

for all you wanna be counterfeiters out there listen carefully, very carefully... the american secret service has agreements with ALL printer manufcturers of inkjet and laser printers...to print a sequence of blue micro dots designated by algorithyms, on EVERYTHING YOU PRINT...you cannot see them, but they are there...ever printer has its own specific sequence.

this is how they track down counterfeiters who use inkjets and laser printers....registering your warranty card will lead them right to you.

so if your thinking of doing it...DONT

the american secret service was originally formed to combat counterfeting.

I wonder how many people print and try to pass fake bills from an INKJET????

ALOT, commercial inkjet came before laser ya know...one of the first documented case of counterfeiting by photocopy/printers was by a 12 year old child and a zerox machine, changing notes for quarters at a self service car wash.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Vato

[Eff1n2ret]

Hows the best way to check if a 1K THB note is real, is there a certain water mark to look out for? so we can keep an eye out for them.

You can see photos and what to look for in this topic.

Sorry, but does anybody know if the bills might be checked with UV-light?

Perhaps I'm wrong but I assume that what other posters have been referring to as 'black light' is UV.

UV safeguards such as the flecks referred to feature on most security documents such as banknotes and passports, and UV light can also show up any chemical alterations to a document, also fake watermarks. A true watermark is rolled into the paper during production and is a very expensive process, which forgers try to simulate by printing, but this gives a reaction under UV. If a watermark fluoresces under UV, it's a fake.

[bino]

I'm thinking the weakest link at the ATM machines is the guy who reloads the notes. All he would have to do is swap out some of the real ones with the fakes ones in his pocket.

Doesn't work like that

Absolutely right it doesn't. The notes are loaded and locked in to a "cassette". The service men simply swap out an empty cassette for a full one.

I saw a bogus 1000 today at a service station in BKK. They had it taped up in the window, and were letting people have a look at it. I compared it to a genuine one. It had the "wire" and the holographic strip- but the holograms were blurry... as was the watermark. You could make out a shape of a head, but no facial features of HM the King. The tell tale that I noticed was the "color shifting" ink in the top right numerals - didn't work, and couldn't see the "directional ink" in the bottom left corner. The rest was damned good though.... easy to see how someone could get away with passing them off. Even the paper was damned good too. Could feel the difference with a genuine in one hand and a fake in the other, but on its own, or tucked into a wad of real ones, it would be a tough call.

I didn't go as far as smelling it like guru did though!! Didn't occur to me to test it that way!

[Spee]

I spoke with my girl earlier and she had not heard of the problem. I told her when she goes to the bank next time to be sure to ask the people in the bank about it, mainly as a safeguard against her getting saddled with any bogus bills and finding trouble later on.

Outside of law enforcement, I think that's the best way to solve the problem. Just get the word out as people have done, raise any ATM issues with the bank immediately, and to everything in one's power to make sure any 1k note in the pocket is genuine.

From my experiences with ATM's, I think almost every time I've used one, the 1k notes that come out are brand new. It sounds like anyone getting notes from an ATM that aren't new should probably give each one the once over.

[sriracha john]

BOT Proposes Reward for Information on Counterfeit Banknote Producers

The Thai central bank has offered a 100-thousand-baht bounty for the producers of counterfeit banknotes, in hopes of helping the police effectively clamp down on widespread circulation of fake bills.

Even though there have been fewer reports of fake 1,000-baht banknotes lately, the Bank of Thailand is still worried about the rampant distribution and circulation of counterfeit notes.

To eradicate the spread of the fake notes, the central bank of Thailand has decided to open a special mail box to solicit leads to the source of fake bill production from the public.

And, the provider of useful leads that enable the police or the BoT to successfully apprehend the producers of the counterfeit notes will receive a 100,000-baht reward, as stipulated by the Finance Ministry regulations regarding awards on the clampdown on counterfeit banknotes and coins.

Meanwhile, the officials, who have successfully made an arrest of the fake-money producers and the confiscation of printing equipments or the counterfeit banknotes or coins, will also be entitled to receive rewards of up to 25 per cent of the value of the equipments or of the forged cash, but no more than 100,000 baht.

However, if the arrest is made without any tips provided, officials involved will receive a maximum award of 30 per cent of the value of the confiscated equipments or fake banknotes or coins.

And, half of the cash award will be paid once the attorney-general has filed a legal suit with the court, while the remainder of the money will be paid after the guilty verdict is heard.

TOC / 2009-01-12

[TAWP]

Will the 100 hundred 1000 baht bills given be real of fake?

[Scott]

I suggest someone buy the equipment and set a new operation!