Bank of Thailand allays fears of banknote shortage due to flooding

[webfact]

Central bank allays fears of banknote shortage due to flooding
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 9 – The Bank of Thailand (BoT) gave assurances today that banknotes would circulate sufficiently countrywide despite severe floods in a number of provinces.

BoT deputy governor Tongurai Limpiti said the central bank has prepared contingency plans and nine BoT’s banknote management centres nationwide are responsible for distributing cash to commercial banks in their respective zones.

Reserved banknotes on hand at the centres are enough for 3-5 months, she said.

In case of emergency, the Royal Thai Air Force will provide C-130 aircraft to transport the banknotes but it has never happened so far, she added.

Priyavat Chainuvat, BoT assistant governor for Banknote Management Group, said the central bank would continue educating people on detecting fake banknotes despite the fact that Thailand is one of the 10 countries with the lowest rate of counterfeiting.

Permsuk Sutthinoon, BoT assistant governor for Information Technology Group, said the central bank would expand the Imaged Cheque Clearing and Archive System (ICAS) nationwide by year-end in order to lower the cost of cheque clearing.

ICAS is a system that shortens the cheque clearing cycle to only one day nationwide and enhance the efficiency of Thailand’s cheque clearing process to meet international standards and strengthen the country’s competitiveness.

He said the payment system would be improved to connect with the CLMV group, covering Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam – one of the preparations for the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-09

[Pib]

In case of emergency, the Royal Thai Air Force will provide C-130 aircraft to transport the banknotes but it has never happened so far, she added.

Don't know if I would trust a C-130 loadmaster with money.

[siampolee]

Under the circumstance would not a helicopter be a more suitable form of transport as the space needed to land a helicopter is minimal compared to a C-130 needs in flood affected areas?

Of course there is always the problem of banknotes being scattered across the countryside due to the down thrust of helicopter rotors or a similar instance due to the prop wash of a C-130..

In that case one can only surmise that the finders of any money would indeed be the keepers and no annoying paper trail from a bank either, indeed a wonderful avenue to redistribute funds

Of course if the landing zone was in Dubai there would be no problems at all would there?

[i claudius]

There has been no flooding at our house ,but we do have a shortage of banknotes ,do you think the govt could help?

[JulesMad]

I still have a couple of hundreds that I don't use at the moment....

They can get them from me, just give me one 1000 THB note and you will get back eight 100 THB notes

[MaxLee]

Save the money, screw the people.... Who gets the first share, anyone???