The baht is the official currency of Thailand.
It's issued by The Bank of Thailand and is ranked among the most frequently used world payment currencies.
In this article, we'll talk about some interesting yet lesser-known facts about baht.
Thai baht (with the symbol ฿, and currency code THB) is divided into 100 satangs, and available in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 (฿100 notes being the most commonly used).
It's extremely durable, as it's made up of a special type of cotton fiber. Each banknote has intaglio ink, and also numerous hidden Arabic numerals.
Without further ado, let's have a look at some interesting facts about Thai baht that you probably didn't know.
It dates back to 1902
Thailand used shells, pot duangs, and baked clay coins before banknotes. Mai (the first paper money of Thailand) was introduced in 1853 under the reign of King Mongkut as foreign trading flourished significantly at that time. It wasn't successful, leading to several other currencies namely pee, Att Kradat, etc. over the years. Baht was introduced in 1902, and eventually became the official currency of the Land of Smiles.
Each coin or banknote features a portrait of the Thai King
The Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn's face is pictured on each coin and banknote of the Thai baht. Hence, in Thailand, it's considered illegal to step on a banknote or coin, as it would be a disrespect to the Thai monarchy. Also, while traveling in Thailand, make sure not to carry money in your back pockets, as it would be sitting on an image of the king. For the same reason, don't ever throw away the notes or coins in anger or any other reason.
It features some famous Thai temples
Thailand is home to over 40,000 temples, some of which are featured on the back of Thai baht coins. The list includes Wat Phra Kaew/The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (on the 1-baht coin), Wat Saket/The Temple of the Golden Mount (on the 2-baht coin), Wat Banchamabophit/The Marble Temple (on the 5-baht coin), Wat Arun/The Temple of Dawn (on the 10-baht coin), and more. All of these temples are located in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand.
Also, if you want to change the currency, do it in Thailand only to get the best exchange offers.
