A 56-year-old Israeli man, Rami Ayash, was arrested on January 30 after attempting to exchange counterfeit US dollars at a currency exchange shop in Soi Bua Khao, Pattaya. The shop staff became suspicious of the banknotes and alerted Pattaya Tourist Police.
Ayash attempted to exchange 24 US$50 bills for 40,488 baht, but the staff noticed that the banknotes exhibited unusual characteristics. The texture of the bills was smoother than authentic currency, and the US$50 number, which typically changes color from gold to green, was inconsistent across the bills.
Upon questioning, Ayash admitted to attempting the exchange but claimed he was unaware that the banknotes were counterfeit, explaining he had received them in Israel before traveling to Thailand.
Despite his claim, Ayash was charged under Section 244 of Thailand’s Criminal Law for possessing and using counterfeit currency. The penalty for this offense includes imprisonment from one to 15 years and a fine of 20,000 to 30,000 baht.
This arrest follows a recent trend of counterfeit currency cases in Pattaya, including the arrest of two Nepalese nationals two weeks ago who were caught producing fake US dollar bills. Additionally, a Thai lottery vendor fell victim to a similar scam in Samut Prakan province.