Songkhla Banks to Accept Damaged Currency Daily Throughout December
Central bank to distribute notes via GSB and commercial ATMs; extends damaged currency exchange window in Songkhla area
- Commercial banks in the Songkhla province area will now accept damaged banknotes for exchange every day throughout December, a change from the previous Wednesday-only schedule.
- The Government Savings Bank (GSB) is also offering daily exchange services for flood-damaged currency at any of its operational branches.
- This initiative by the Bank of Thailand is a response to recent floods to help the public exchange currency that is too soiled or damaged for normal use.
- A mobile "Banknote Clinic" will also be deployed to affected areas to provide a more convenient exchange service, with details to be announced soon.
Central bank to distribute notes via GSB and commercial ATMs; extends damaged currency exchange window in Songkhla area.
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has increased its cash reserves to meet the public's demand for banknotes during the recovery phase following the recent floods, ensuring a sufficient supply for higher-than-normal withdrawals.
Budsakorn Teerapunyachai, assistant governor for the Payment Systems Policy and Infrastructure Group at the BOT, announced that the central bank is preparing to handle the surge in demand.
The BOT has secured additional banknotes at currency management centres in nearby provinces and is ready to deploy them to Hat Yai if demand increases.
The bank has also coordinated with financial institutions to ensure that cash is distributed effectively to the public through all functioning bank branches and ATM networks.
To address currency damaged by floodwaters, the public can now exchange notes that are too soiled or damaged for normal transactions at any operational branch of the Government Savings Bank (GSB) daily.
Crucially, commercial banks in the Songkhla province area and surrounding regions are also cooperating by extending their exchange hours.
They will now accept damaged banknotes every day throughout December 2025, a significant change from the previous Wednesday-only exchange schedule.
The central bank further plans to introduce a mobile "Banknote Clinic," which will travel to affected areas to provide a more convenient service for the public to exchange damaged currency.
Details regarding the dates, times, and specific locations for these clinics will be announced soon.
Budsakorn also noted that polymer banknotes, designed to be more robust, can typically be cleaned, washed, and dried for continued use. However, any damaged polymer notes can also be exchanged via the channels listed above.
