Bangkok – Thailand’s Treasury Department has sent out vehicles to collect old and unwanted coins from people in 14 provinces.
Encouraging people to swap loose change for banknotes for easy handling, on Monday the department deployed mobile coin exchange vehicles to Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya provinces, the first two target cities. These vehicles will be traveling through communities in both provinces throughout January and February.
Other provinces to be visited by the coin exchange units are Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Nakhon Pathom, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, and Sara Buri.
Treasury Department Director General Amnuay Preemonwong said more than 3 billion coins are in circulation today, but his department is able to retrieve only 30% or 1 billion coins for recycling. Once returned, old coins are melted down to make new ones.
Those looking to exchange old coins for new ones should seek the grey vehicles that bear the logo of the Treasury Department.
