Brit Arrested With Bogus Banknotes In Phuket

[george]

Brit arrested with bogus banknotes in Phuket

The Bank of England introduced a new 20-pound banknote

in March 2007. It has several security features, including raised print,

a holographic strip, florescent features and micro lettering.

PHUKET CITY: -- A British tourist faces life in prison after being charged with forging English pound notes and trying to exchange them for Thai baht.

According to Chalong Police, Martin William Pritchard, 52, from Bristol, went to the Karon branch of the Nakorn Luang Thai Bank and tried to exchange twenty 20-pound notes for 21,972 baht.

The teller became suspicious and called police, who arrested Mr Pritchard.

Under Thai law, anyone convicted of passing forged currency can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined up to 30,000 baht.

If convicted of the more serious crime of forgery, they could be sentenced to life in prison.

Mr Pritchard has denied all accusations, police said.

He told police he withdrew 1,500 pounds from a branch of Lloyds TSB in England before coming to Thailand on holiday last month.

The money appeared to be real and he had no reason to believe otherwise, he told police.

Mr Pritchard, who has already been released on 300,000 baht bail, is expected to appear in court later this month.

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

[Wolfie]

Well if they didnt find any printing equipment etc how can they charge him with "Forgery" ? I dont buy his story about pulling the dodgy notes from an ATM in England, but its easily checked by the Banks in England. Sounds like the guy just bought some dodgy notes down the pub and thought he could pass them off as real whilst on Holiday - silly boy!

[astral]

How did he post the bail??

More dubious notes?

Can the BIB tell the difference?

[steffi]

Does the law say "knowingly passing" or just "passing?"

[z21rhd]

Well if they didnt find any printing equipment etc how can they charge him with "Forgery" ? I dont buy his story about pulling the dodgy notes from an ATM in England, but its easily checked by the Banks in England. Sounds like the guy just bought some dodgy notes down the pub and thought he could pass them off as real whilst on Holiday - silly boy!

Where does the report mention anything about an ATM withdrawal ??

"He told police he withdrew 1,500 pounds from a branch of Lloyds TSB in England before coming to Thailand on holiday last month."

In fact if it was possible to withdraw those particular notes from an ATM - then it is probable that they would NOT be counterfeit, as the bank's processing of notes prior to loading the ATM is very thorough.

[globin]

Feeling cynical today, I comment:

Whats the difference? "real" pound notes are not worth anything more than the paper.

[rparker49]

Well if they didnt find any printing equipment etc how can they charge him with "Forgery" ? I dont buy his story about pulling the dodgy notes from an ATM in England, but its easily checked by the Banks in England. Sounds like the guy just bought some dodgy notes down the pub and thought he could pass them off as real whilst on Holiday - silly boy!

Where does the report mention anything about an ATM withdrawal ??

"He told police he withdrew 1,500 pounds from a branch of Lloyds TSB in England before coming to Thailand on holiday last month."

In fact if it was possible to withdraw those particular notes from an ATM - then it is probable that they would NOT be counterfeit, as the bank's processing of notes prior to loading the ATM is very thorough.

Saying he got them from a UK ATM is a big mistake...

[Pawpcorn]

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

Now wait a minute... the bank notes could be authentic!?!?!?!?

They don't have the ability in Phuket to determine counterfit bank notes???

Posted 300,000 Baht, how and where and why would he have been cashing in British Bank notes??

All very curious... but then TIT... maybe some things are lost in translation...

[lazeeboy]

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

Now wait a minute... the bank notes could be authentic!?!?!?!?

They don't have the ability in Phuket to determine counterfit bank notes???

Posted 300,000 Baht, how and where and why would he have been cashing in British Bank notes??

All very curious... but then TIT... maybe some things are lost in translation...

maybe he had already done 5grand in bkk airport before going to phuket...

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

Now wait a minute... the bank notes could be authentic!?!?!?!?

They don't have the ability in Phuket to determine counterfit bank notes???

Posted 300,000 Baht, how and where and why would he have been cashing in British Bank notes??

All very curious... but then TIT... maybe some things are lost in translation...

No Pawcorn you got it wrong on TV it is guilty until proven innocent not the other way around.

[NextStationBangkok]

May be he got it as small change in notorious King Power Duty free shop while coming to Thailand. He should contact Srilankan Mr.Tony for his release

[brahmburgers]

I wouldn't be surprised if he flees.

facing 15 to 20 years in a Thai slammer is heavy.

[meaowma]

Well lets see maybe he did get the notes from a bank in Uk and maybe they were real notes.

Maybe he handed over the real notes to the in the Nakorn Luang Thai Bank and as he was probably unable to track the movements of the notes from the time of handing them over who is to say that he was not a victim of yet another scam in Thailand with the bank replacing his real notes with fakes they had inadvertently taken from another customer.

There is no mention of him posessing any other fake notes or otherwise and as has been posted many times already where did he get the bail money.

This is noy making sense really - I guess another case of tourist or farang beware.

[swifty5x5]

Maybe he use phony credit card to post bail.

[z21rhd]

Saying he got them from a UK ATM is a big mistake...

WHERE HAVE YOU READ ?? "THAT HE SAID THAT GOT THEM FROM AN UK ATM "

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

He might have posted bail with a bunch of 20pound notes he happened to have.

[Maejo Man]

Brit arrested with bogus banknotes in Phuket

PHUKET CITY: -- A British tourist faces life in prison after being charged with forging English pound notes and trying to exchange them for Thai baht............................................................................

....................................

................................................................................

......................................

Mr Pritchard, who has already been released on 300,000 baht bail, is expected to appear in court later this month.

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

So he has actually been charged with forging, yet they really don't know if they are genuine Never ceases to amaze me.........

[rkidlad]

Feeling cynical today, I comment:

Whats the difference? "real" pound notes are not worth anything more than the paper.

Well, it's about 58 Baht to the Pound now, so not all that bad.

[stephenearle2007]

Most Banks have a limit of £200.00 per day from ATM machines in the UK. So unless the person in question had a number of accounts it is unlikely that he got the notes by that method

[dmsnsa]

Well if they didnt find any printing equipment etc how can they charge him with "Forgery" ? I dont buy his story about pulling the dodgy notes from an ATM in England, but its easily checked by the Banks in England. Sounds like the guy just bought some dodgy notes down the pub and thought he could pass them off as real whilst on Holiday - silly boy!

You would be surprised what comes out of ATMs. Its incredibly common for forged notes to get through the various checks and redistributed. If you don't believe me google it for yourselfs. Beware when you grab your notes boys and girls, beware.

[Bobcatbob]

May be he got it as small change in notorious King Power Duty free shop while coming to Thailand. He should contact Srilankan Mr.Tony for his release

Hey everyone...before this poor alledged passer of forged notes is found guilty from "trial by forum experts" consder this...

Three years ago I received USD$5,000.00 in 100 dollar notes from my account via a bank teller in HSBC Singapore.

Upon returning to Phuket, I tried to change 10 x $100.00 notes for Baht. Four of the notes were rejected as forgeries.

Lucky for me, the guy at the exchange booth didn't contact the police, or I would have been in the same diabolical position.

HSBC firstly refused any liability, but when I threatened to contact the media, they reluctanly requested return of the notes

and two weeks later my account received a credit for $400.00. Think again folks...it could easily be you in the same position !!!!

[colinsmallman]

What's wrong with a bit more quantative easing anyway!!!!!!

A few hundred quid out of the BOE 175 billion, a drop in the ocean, and it's for a better cause.

[Maejo Man]

Most Banks have a limit of £200.00 per day from ATM machines in the UK. So unless the person in question had a number of accounts it is unlikely that he got the notes by that method

He told police he withdrew 1,500 pounds from a branch of Lloyds TSB in England before coming to Thailand on holiday last month.

Where did they mention they came from an ATM?

[jb5music]

How did he post the bail??

More dubious notes?

Can the BIB tell the difference?

Tell the difference between what Sherlock? "The notes" Which notes are those? "The ones the police have and are sending to Bangkok"

Oh I see - They're of course the same notes they found on him right? You were with them when they made the arrest and you haven't

taken you eyes off of the evidence. Not yet - Not for one second?

[Wolfie]

You are right, it doesnt mention an ATM, only "branch" - my mistake - surely the branch in question can verify the claim, do the banks in england track serial numbers on bank notes they hand out? i.e. the record that XYZ serials were handed out during a given transaction?

I guess they guy wished he'd bought travellers cheques now

[blackopsnz]

This looks like another case of poor reporting; why did the teller become suspicious? why was he arrested when the police don't know if they are counterfit? poor policeing. I just hope he is able to get the British Embusy involved to keep the BIB honist.

[CKM8ED]

My girlfriend also was taken by man who advertised on craigslist to buy and sold a watch of mine and recieved 32 $100 usd fake bank notes here in BKK

[CKM8ED]

Brit arrested with bogus banknotes in Phuket

The Bank of England introduced a new 20-pound banknote

in March 2007. It has several security features, including raised print,

a holographic strip, florescent features and micro lettering.

PHUKET CITY: -- A British tourist faces life in prison after being charged with forging English pound notes and trying to exchange them for Thai baht.

According to Chalong Police, Martin William Pritchard, 52, from Bristol, went to the Karon branch of the Nakorn Luang Thai Bank and tried to exchange twenty 20-pound notes for 21,972 baht.

The teller became suspicious and called police, who arrested Mr Pritchard.

Under Thai law, anyone convicted of passing forged currency can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined up to 30,000 baht.

If convicted of the more serious crime of forgery, they could be sentenced to life in prison.

Mr Pritchard has denied all accusations, police said.

He told police he withdrew 1,500 pounds from a branch of Lloyds TSB in England before coming to Thailand on holiday last month.

The money appeared to be real and he had no reason to believe otherwise, he told police.

Mr Pritchard, who has already been released on 300,000 baht bail, is expected to appear in court later this month.

Meanwhile, police have sent the suspect notes to Bangkok to determine their authenticity.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-17

My girlfriend also was taken by man who advertised on craigslist to buy and sold a watch of mine and recieved 32 $100 usd fake bank notes here in BKK

can we get a foto of man since we have one also and here is a fotot of the Piaget watch he recieved for the fake usd bank notes.

[mrtoad]

Most Banks have a limit of £200.00 per day from ATM machines in the UK. So unless the person in question had a number of accounts it is unlikely that he got the notes by that method

Do they? More like 500 per day from my experience.

[jayceenik]

Well lets see maybe he did get the notes from a bank in Uk and maybe they were real notes.

Maybe he handed over the real notes to the in the Nakorn Luang Thai Bank and as he was probably unable to track the movements of the notes from the time of handing them over who is to say that he was not a victim of yet another scam in Thailand with the bank replacing his real notes with fakes they had inadvertently taken from another customer.

There is no mention of him posessing any other fake notes or otherwise and as has been posted many times already where did he get the bail money.

This is noy making sense really - I guess another case of tourist or farang beware.

Once in Manila I went to a money changer with a $100 bill that was coming straight from my bank. My bill disappeared for a brief moment behind the changer's desk and then reappeared as "it's counterfeit money, Sir". I protested but nothing to do. Nicely done! After that I made a show of writing down the last numbers of the $100 bills I wanted to exchange at money changers.