Northern Thailand: Teenager caught using foreign currency at self-service kiosk
A suspicious incident involving currency manipulation at a self-service payment kiosk was reported in Wichian Buri district, Phetchabun province today, December 20.
A local shop owner, Sarayut Singchangchai, spotted a foreign banknote, specifically a 500 Kyat note from Myanmar (equivalent to approximately 8 baht), in his payment kiosk. This discovery led to an investigation and the eventual identification of the culprit.
Sarayut’s establishment, a pharmaceutical store located in Ban Na Rai Dio village, Tha Rong sub-district, houses a self-service payment kiosk for the convenience of Wichian Buri residents. He recounted that he checks the cash in the kiosk daily and was surprised to find the foreign note yesterday, December 19. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, he identified a tall man wearing long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, and a headscarf who had used the kiosk at around 3.20am.
The man was seen depositing money into the kiosk, repeatedly transferring funds to a single phone number before departing on a motorcycle. The kiosk’s transaction logs confirmed a deposit and multiple transfers totalling 500 baht during that timeframe. Sarayut became convinced that the man had used the 500 Kyat note, prompting him to report the matter to the local police at Wichian Buri Police Station.
The police were successful in tracking down the suspect, a teenager from a nearby district. Although the young man compensated Sarayut with 500 baht, legal proceedings were still initiated. Sarayut expressed his concern that without any legal consequences, the teenager might be emboldened to cause trouble elsewhere, reported KhaoSod.
In response to the incident, Sarayut halted the kiosk services temporarily and reported the issue to the kiosk’s manufacturing company for rectification. He also shared the incident on social media as a cautionary tale for others. His post highlighted the need for vigilance, particularly for those operating self-service payment kiosks, against potential misuse and fraud.
In related news, a Thai woman filed a complaint against a lottery vendor accusing her of fraud after the seller refused to pay a prize of 18,000 baht on the December 1 draw. Read more about this story HERE.
