Money mishap:Thai woman’s 20 baht note goes ‘choo-choo’ in the frying pan

A Thai woman mistakenly fried a 20 baht banknote, resulting in a shrivelled and crispy note that sparked much mirth on social media asking whether a bank would accept it.

A wave of humorous responses from netizens ensued after a Twitter user yesterday posted an image, from a life and family problems consultation group, where the woman sought advice, accompanied by a picture of a 20 baht note that had fallen into a hot frying pan. The banknote had shrunk to a tiny size.

The Twitter poster reached out for advice.

“I’m asking for knowledge. It was a mistake while I was selling things. The 20 baht note shrunk to a tiny size, but the components of the note are still intact.

“The numbers are complete, but the condition of the note is warped and crispy. If I exchange it at the bank, will they accept it? If the same accident happens with 500-1,000 baht notes, I won’t be able to handle it.”

She posted a picture of the offending 20 baht banknote that had undergone severe hot oil frying, shrunk to a tiny size and had a crispy texture similar to a well-fried rice cracker. However, the overall components were still identifiable as a 20 baht note, but the numbers were hard to see. When compared with a regular 20 baht note, the size difference was noticeable.

Despite this, when the netizens saw the post owner responding to each comment, it led to laughter.

“Is she genuinely stressed?”

The Bank of Thailand provides information on how to exchange damaged banknotes.

Banknotes that have more than 3/5 of the original size left and are easy to verify can be exchanged immediately at the bank, along with documents such as an identification card or bank account book.

Banknotes with less than 3/5 of the original size left and are difficult to verify require a filled-out petition at the bank. The bank officials will then send the petition and the damaged banknote to the Bank of Thailand.

Banknotes that may be damaged during delivery and are difficult to verify, such as water-damaged or burnt notes, should not be patched or peeled. Instead, take the damaged banknote to the bank, fill out a petition, and get a delivery note from the bank officials to contact the Bank of Thailand yourself.

Follow more of Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page HERE.