PATTAYA - An Uzbek man who exchanged fake US dollars for Thai baht and other foreign currencies to finance his spending in Pattaya has been arrested.
Police arrested Iskandarkhuja Farkhodkhuj Akbarkhujaev, 31, and seized 30 fake US$100 banknotes at a hotel room in central Pattaya, Pol Col Anek Srathongyoo, chief of Pattaya City police, said on Friday.
The arrest followed a complaint from a currency exchange shop in the beach town that a foreign man had brought some US banknotes to exchange for about 80,000 baht. Staff at the shop later found that the banknotes were fake.
Police examined security video, leading to the arrest of the suspect. Seized were two currency exchange receipts and about $3,000 in counterfeit US banknotes found hidden in a shoulder bag. He was taken to the Pattaya City police station.
During questioning, Mr Akbarkhujaev admitted he had brought the bogus bucks from Turkey for daily use in Pattaya. He exchanged the banknotes for baht and other foreign currencies, police said.
Police have charged him with possessing counterfeit banknotes. He is being held in police custody for legal action.