Just a reminder to anyone changing money in Laos or anywhere in SE Asia.

These girls were very lucky... you might not be

http://jclao.com/kiwis-caught-fake-notes-drawn-vientiane-international-airport/

Apparently the root cause of the problem was not exchanging money, but that an ATM in Vientane dispensed counterfeit bills.

Yes that is correct. I've been trying to find out which bank's ATM it was, without any luck

So bank ATMs in Laos dispense 100 USD bills?

News to me!

Maybe they bought them in Talad Sao?

Precisely... I'm very surprised they got away with it.

So bank ATMs in Laos dispense 100 USD bills?

News to me!

Maybe they bought them in Talad Sao?

Good point. One can be careful about counterfeit currency in an exchange but has virtually no protection if getting them from an ATM.

Yes are there ATM's that dispense USD in Vientiane airport? On-the-street currency exchange in LPB shorted me 20% of the kip I was expecting (and apparently quite on purpose as on questioning they admitted they knew I should receive more so gave me a small amount more cash, ie: shorted me 10%) so I demanded the foreign currency back and received it, then took it to the bank.

So bank ATMs in Laos dispense 100 USD bills?

News to me!

Maybe they bought them in Talad Sao?

Good point. One can be careful about counterfeit currency in an exchange but has virtually no protection if getting them from an ATM.

If you get some of the North Korean super notes I reckon there is virtually no way that most people will be able to spot them as fakes.

Probably best avoid all 100 USD notes from Laos to be safe.

Or stick with the ones that have been through the Vietnamese banking system and have the small round bank stamps.

I read this story in another site.They changed their kips on departure back to US$ in the bank at the airport,no ATM was involved.

They were going to Thailand,they should have bought Thai Baht,not US$.

Only 3 notes were fake out of 10.

Outrigious experience!