Foreign Couple In Phuket Pass Fake Uk Banknotes At Kata Currency Booth

[webfact]

Foreign couple in Phuket pass fake UK banknotes at Kata currency booth

Phuket Gazette

Exchange booth owner Kanyarat Tiewsakul holds up the fake notes. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

The relatively new cashier was unable to spot the counterfeit notes. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The owner of a currency exchange booth in Kata fell victim to a pair of unidentified foreigners that systematically passed off a series of counterfeit British £20 banknotes.

Kanyarat Tiewsakul, 48, who owns the exchange booth, and the massage parlor and spa next door, said that twelve counterfeit £20 notes were exchanged by the couple between July 17 and July 18 for 11,436 baht.

“A member of my staff told me that a woman came to the booth at about 5pm on Tuesday and exchanged the British banknotes. Later that day, a man came and also exchanged some UK currency. Altogether we took eight notes that day,” Ms Kanyarat explained.

The next morning the couple allegedly appeared together at the booth and exchanged five more bank notes.

“Only the top bank note was real,” said Ms Kanyarat. “The others were fake.”

The couple was described by staff as being in their forties, with the man being blond and a little overweight.

“My husband went to exchange the banknotes in Phuket Town on Wednesday morning (July 18). Later, the bank called to tell us that the eight banknotes were counterfeits,” said Ms Kanyarat

“But the bank’s notice was too late, as the couple had just given us another four bad notes half an hour before they called,” said Ms Kanyarat.

She said that her shop didn’t have CCTV and it was unlikely that the CCTV system at the hotel across the road had any footage.

Chalong Police officers visited Ms Kanyarat and took one of the counterfeit banknotes as evidence for the investigation.

“The new female staff member who was in the booth at the time has only worked here for two months. Now all my staff will be trained on how to identify counterfeit-international banknotes,” Ms Kanyarat said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16469.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-21

[NomadJoe]

Unlikely they returned a day later to commit the same crime at the same place with the same staff. I would be looking at the staff.

[Payboy]

Now all my staff will be trained on how to identify counterfeit-international banknotes

Great idea, she could even charge royalty fees on that one to other currency exchange business owners !

[hansgruber]

Unlikely they returned a day later to commit the same crime at the same place with the same staff. I would be looking at the staff.

Even the most stupid thief wouldn't return to the scene of a crime.

[espinoza]

Why did`nt the police take all the fake bills ? Maybe somebody could make a good time with the remaings ?

[ddpffft]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

Edited July 21, 2012 by ddpffft

[Rionoir]

LoL My BS detector just exploded.

[stevenl]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

No, the booths don't write down passport number (at least not for me when I exchange) and no, the banks don't make copies of exchanged notes and (again speaking from experience) also does not photocopy the passport.

[ddpffft]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

No, the booths don't write down passport number (at least not for me when I exchange) and no, the banks don't make copies of exchanged notes and (again speaking from experience) also does not photocopy the passport.

i havent exchanged foreign notes in any BKK bank without having passport and notes photocopied... us dollars and other currencies

the photocopies have to be usually signed by you...

i still have such a photocopy (passport plus notes), as the currency wasnt exchanged eventually...

also superrich takes photocopies (at least of the passport)...

actually i was wondering, if it was a requirement by law...

at what bank did you exchange money?

Edited July 21, 2012 by ddpffft

[phl]

She did say that her husband took money to the bank to be exchanged and was told its fake, I guess employee is not the only one who needs training

[stevenl]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

No, the booths don't write down passport number (at least not for me when I exchange) and no, the banks don't make copies of exchanged notes and (again speaking from experience) also does not photocopy the passport.

i havent exchanged foreign notes in any BKK bank without having passport and notes photocopied... us dollars and other currencies

the photocopies have to be usually signed by you...

i still have such a photocopy (passport plus notes), as the currency wasnt exchanged eventually...

also superrich takes photocopies (at least of the passport)...

actually i was wondering, if it was a requirement by law...

at what bank did you exchange money?

I exchange regularly at different banks. No idea about Superrich since they are not on Phuket.

See what happens when you tell them you don't have your passport with you. They'll be happy to exchange your notes. And imagine what happens when all notes exchanged are photocopied, simply very timeconsuming, inefficient, not practical, etc.

[Fgis]

It is a so nig news for 15 banknotes ? Ridiculous...

Fake banknotes are exchanged everyday, are we going to get news each time a fake note is found ?

[wazzi]

I have never been asked for ID when exchanging at Booths, in 12 years of visiting Thailand. However just about every time in a bank ID is asked for and photo copied.

Twice I have had a booth refuse my Aussie note because it had a small tear but never any other queries.

[DoctorG]

Likewise. I have exchanged various currencies all over thailand (and other parts of asia) without ever being asked for ID.

[ddpffft]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

No, the booths don't write down passport number (at least not for me when I exchange) and no, the banks don't make copies of exchanged notes and (again speaking from experience) also does not photocopy the passport.

i havent exchanged foreign notes in any BKK bank without having passport and notes photocopied... us dollars and other currencies

the photocopies have to be usually signed by you...

i still have such a photocopy (passport plus notes), as the currency wasnt exchanged eventually...

also superrich takes photocopies (at least of the passport)...

actually i was wondering, if it was a requirement by law...

at what bank did you exchange money?

I exchange regularly at different banks. No idea about Superrich since they are not on Phuket.

See what happens when you tell them you don't have your passport with you. They'll be happy to exchange your notes. And imagine what happens when all notes exchanged are photocopied, simply very timeconsuming, inefficient, not practical, etc.

i did, they refuse - also at superrich...

once i managed, with quite some "effort", showing only my bank card - being their customer...

[Beetlejuice]

in their forties, with the man being blond and a little overweight.

That narrows the suspects down to about 900 million.

[pacovl46]

Unlikely they returned a day later to commit the same crime at the same place with the same staff. I would be looking at the staff.

Why is it unlikely??? From their point of view it's much less of a risk to go back to the shop where it already worked with one and the same staff several times instead of going to a new shop and risk being made out right away. And I honestly don't believe that the staff had anything to do with it. She's new in this job and obviously has no clue what British pounds are supposed to look like.

[stevenl]

i did, they refuse - also at superrich...

once i managed, with quite some "effort", showing only my bank card - being their customer...

Must be your looks then, sorry, no other explanation.

[ddpffft]

i did, they refuse - also at superrich...

once i managed, with quite some "effort", showing only my bank card - being their customer...

Must be your looks then, sorry, no other explanation.

is there anybody else who has to show passport when changing money at superrich or BKK-banks?

[supaprik]

i did, they refuse - also at superrich...

once i managed, with quite some "effort", showing only my bank card - being their customer...

Must be your looks then, sorry, no other explanation.

is there anybody else who has to show passport when changing money at superrich or BKK-banks?

ID passport or my Thai D/L and copied every Aussie note, multiple times at multiple branches of both SCB and Kasikorn

[Payboy]

She did say that her husband took money to the bank to be exchanged and was told its fake, I guess employee is not the only one who needs training

You sayin' the mia noi finally got the iPhone she wanted?

[Seismic]

i did, they refuse - also at superrich...

once i managed, with quite some "effort", showing only my bank card - being their customer...

Must be your looks then, sorry, no other explanation.

is there anybody else who has to show passport when changing money at superrich or BKK-banks?

There seem to be two mechanisms here, Changing money at an extrenal booth of a bank, rather than internal, secondly using a standard moneychanger shop instead of an organisation like superrich. I have never been asked for ID at an outside exchange booth, or at a moneychanger, The exception's have been Superrich where they always ask for ID and make a photocopy, and inside the banks where I have been asked for ID. This in 33 years of coming here.

[phl]

She did say that her husband took money to the bank to be exchanged and was told its fake, I guess employee is not the only one who needs training

You sayin' the mia noi finally got the iPhone she wanted?

i would never say that , can not get an Iphone for 10000 baht

[crazykopite]

Sorry but why did this lady not have a light machine that allows you to identify fake notes .when you change currency you are asked to show your passport and sign for the exchange !!!!!

[TackyToo]

strange... usually exchange booths write down at least the passport number, dont they?

the bank makes photocopies of the notes plus passport...

Why bother about victims of their own greed?

[Notstupid30]

Happens all over the world this but never gets printed .. OMG

[nahkit]

Unlikely they returned a day later to commit the same crime at the same place with the same staff. I would be looking at the staff.

Why is it unlikely??? From their point of view it's much less of a risk to go back to the shop where it already worked with one and the same staff several times instead of going to a new shop and risk being made out right away. And I honestly don't believe that the staff had anything to do with it. She's new in this job and obviously has no clue what British pounds are supposed to look like.

What, two months in the job and she still doesn't know what British pounds look like?

[Payboy]

She did say that her husband took money to the bank to be exchanged and was told its fake, I guess employee is not the only one who needs training

You sayin' the mia noi finally got the iPhone she wanted?

i would never say that , can not get an Iphone for 10000 baht

I guessing the BB was a compromise.

[Unkomoncents]

Why did`nt the police take all the fake bills ? Maybe somebody could make a good time with the remaings ?

What police?

[market trader]

Unlikely they returned a day later to commit the same crime at the same place with the same staff. I would be looking at the staff.

Don't jump to conclusions.