Grand scam – Beware of fake banknotes circulating in Udon Thani

Police are warning the public against counterfeit 1,000-baht banknotes that have been found circulating in the sweaty expat paradise of Udon Thani province.

Police spokesman Pol Maj Gen Archayon Kraithong said there had been several reports of counterfeit bills in the province. Two cases were posted to social media, the first involving a barbecue restaurant and another at a grocery store.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned about fake 1000-baht notes before, urging anyone who finds them to hand them back to commercial banks.

The key to identifying the fakes is to examine the golden security strip embedded in all 1,000-baht notes to ensure their legitimacy. In genuine notes, the strips are seen as segmented when viewed normally. The words “1,000 BAHT” can be seen when the strips are held up to the light, and the colour will change to green when rotated.

Counterfeiting money is a violation of Section 240 of the Criminal Code and comes with the penalty of 10 to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht (US$1,000), Archayon said.

Inadvertent attempts to pass fake bills can result in up 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 20,000 baht, with no let offs for ingenuous foreigners. Intentional usage can incur a maximum of 15 years in jail.