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Holding Down the Thai Money
In Thailand, they hold their royal family, and especially the ruling monarch, in huge respect. Tourists are warned against making jokes or comments about the royals that might be construed as disrespectful: and the penalties for ignoring this can be high. The king’s face appears on Thai money, both the notes and the coins, and to step on this image would be a gross violation on the image of the king – not least because the feet are considered to be dirty and unclean, in more than a ‘you need a bath’ kind of way. So, yeah, if you drop your last banknote, make sure you catch it in a respectful way, and not by slamming your foot down upon the visage of the royals: it is illegal to step on Thai money.
