| The history of Thailand currency traces the evolution | | | | Sukhothai era to Rattanakosin until its withdrawal |
| of themedium of exchange used in Thailand prior to | | | | fromcirculation in 1904 during the reign of King Rama V. |
| the 1st century. | | | | The most profound changes in the history of Thai |
| This dates from the days of barter trade, ancient | | | | currencyoccurred during the Rattankosin era in the |
| beads andmoney in various shapes and sizes till the | | | | reigns of |
| currency in moderntimes. | | | | King Rama IV and King Rama V. Standardized |
| Ancient beads, seeds, bracelets and pebbles used as | | | | factoryminted coins and bank notes were |
| amedium of exchange in the early days around 200 - | | | | officiallyissued. |
| 300 | | | | During the reign of King Rama IV, when foreign trade |
| BC, have been discovered in Thailand, including old | | | | anddiplomatic relations expanded, the paper money, in |
| Roman copper coins dating back to 270 BC! | | | | the form ofroyal promissory notes, was issued in 1853. |
| During the 1st - 7th centuries, metallic coins of the | | | | These werefollowed by bank notes issued by the |
| Funan Kingdom in Indochina made their appearancein | | | | foreign to facilitate tradeclearance. |
| Thailand, followed by Dvaravati coins in the 7th - | | | | In 1857, Queen Victoria of Britain presented Thailand |
| 11th centuries. This was followed by a period in the | | | | with thefirst minting machine and the minting of the first |
| history of | | | | Thai silvercoins commenced. In 1858, a minting machine |
| Thai currency when money in different shapes and | | | | purchased from |
| sizes fromvarious places were in use. | | | | Britain and the Royal Mint was set up in the Grand |
| Sandal wood flower coins or Dok Jan coins from the | | | | Palace andthe minting of coins went ahead full steam. |
| Sri Vijaya Kingdom in SE Asia were introduced intrade | | | | In the reign of King Rama IV, money was denominated |
| in the region in the 8th - 13th centuries. Cowrie | | | | insatang, tho, phi, padueng and baht. |
| shellsand baked clay coins were also used from the | | | | During the reign of King Rama V, or King |
| pre- | | | | Chulalongkorn,coinage was streamlined. The numerous |
| Sukhothai era until the reign of King Rama IV, when | | | | denominations werereduced to only two, satang and |
| they were dropped from circulation. | | | | baht, based on themetric system, which remain till this |
| From the 14th - 19th centuries, coins from the | | | | day. Bank notes issuedwere in denominations of 1, 5, |
| Lanna Kingdom in the northern Thailand embossedwith | | | | 10, 40,80, 100, 400 and 800 baht. |
| various designs were also in circulation. Around the | | | | Today, the denominations have been streamlined to |
| sameperiod, 15th - 19th centuries, Lanchang, the | | | | 25, 50satang coins, 1, 5, 10 baht coins and 20, 50, 100, |
| kingdom innortheastern Thailand introduced silver and | | | | 500, 1,000 bahtnotes. |
| copperpieces in long and narrow boat shapes. | | | | The history of Thai currency goes back more than |
| In the history of Thai currency, the money that was | | | | 1,000 years,evolving from ancient beads and bracelets |
| mostenduring was Pot Duang or bullet money. This | | | | to the modern bahtthat's in current use. |
| firstappeared during the Sukhothai era, 13th - | | | | The ancient beads, bullet money and old currencies |
| 14thcenturies. Pot Duang money were hand-made | | | | can beviewed at the Bank of Thailand Museum in |
| coins. Metalstrips were bent and folded into spheres | | | | Bang Khun Phrom |
| very much like abullet, thus the name, bullet money. | | | | Palace within the premises of the Central Bank of |
| Bullet money was in circulation for 600 years from the | | | | Thailand. |