Iranian Man Busted for Passing Off Fake 500-Euro Banknote in Central Thailand

PATTAYA – Police in the resort town of Pattaya, Thailand have arrested and charged an Iranian man with exchanging a fake 500-euro banknote for Thai baht at a locan money changer.

According to the Bangkok Post, Pol Lt Col Piyapong Ensan, a Pattaya tourist police investigator, said that Ali Ismaeli Hossanabadi, 39 was arrested on Sunday after Saichon Poonko, 40, an employee of a money exchange company filed a complaint with Pattaya police that on the night of June 7 an Iranian man came to her outlet with a 500-euro note and exchanged it for 17,540 baht.

Mrs Saichon said she later checked the banknote and found it to be counterfeit.

With help from the footage from surveillance cameras in the area and Thailand’s new biometrics system, the Iranian man identified as 39 year-old Ali Ismaeli Hossanabadi, he was arrested on Sunday morning.

Mr. Hossanabadi was charged with intentionally using a fake note. The Iranian denied the charge, saying that he got the banknote from running a business in his home country.

By Geoff Thomas