PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya’s Tourist Police have arrested a 56-year-old Israeli man for attempting to exchange counterfeit $50 bills at a currency exchange shop on Soi Buakhao. The arrest followed a report from the exchange shop, which alerted the authorities after the suspect tried to exchange 24 fake $50 bills, amounting to approximately 40,488 Thai Baht.
The arrest took place on January 30, when a team of officers led by Pol. Col. Man Rothong, Superintendent of Tourist Police Division 1, along with other officers, visited the exchange shop. Upon investigation, the suspect, Mr. Rami Ayash, confessed to using the counterfeit bills for exchange.
The shop employee, Ms. Nawaporn Tarasi, identified the bills as fake after noticing that the counterfeit notes had a smoother texture than genuine currency. Additionally, when tilted, the gold-colored numbers on the bills did not change to green, as they would on authentic notes.
Mr. Ayash claimed that he had obtained the bills in Israel before bringing them to Thailand for exchange. The police have charged him with possessing counterfeit currency with the intent to use it.
The counterfeit $50 bills, totaling 24 notes, were seized as evidence. Mr. Ayash was taken into custody for further legal proceedings at Pattaya Police Station.
