Police arrested three foreigners on April 1 after they attempted to settle a bill at an entertainment venue on Bangla Road in Phuket with toy banknotes.
A staff member at the venue contacted police after detecting suspicious banknotes used by the group of foreign men, whose nationalities were not disclosed. The suspects reportedly handed over three US$100 notes to pay for food and drinks.
The worker prevented the group from leaving and checked the banknotes more closely, later confirming they were fake.
According to images shared by local media, the notes were printed on standard paper rather than official currency material, with a noticeably different texture.
Photo via Facebook/ ศูนย์ข้อมูลภูเก็ต Phuket Info Center
The banknotes also featured the word “Copy” in blue and the phrase “For Toy Only” at the top, indicating they were likely taken from a toy or card game set.
Under Criminal Law of Thailand, the suspects could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 baht if convicted.
A similar incident was reported in Pattaya last week, where two foreign tourists, believed to be Indian nationals, handed out fake US dollar notes to people, including children, at Runway Market. Recipients initially believed the notes were genuine until vendors refused to accept them.
Photo via Facebook/ ศูนย์ข้อมูลภูเก็ต Phuket Info Center
The counterfeit notes in both cases appeared similar, carrying the word “Copy” and resembling those used in games. There have been no reports of arrests in the Pattaya case.
In a separate case in November last year, a Thai man used counterfeit banknotes worth 300 euros to tip a female party entertainer. The fraud was discovered when the recipient attempted to exchange the money.
In October last year, workers at a currency exchange shop in Phuket were also affected by fake currency when a foreign man exchanged counterfeit pound sterling notes, resulting in losses of nearly 40,000 baht.
Photo via Facebook/ ศูนย์ข้อมูลภูเก็ต Phuket Info Center
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