The banknotes of the Thai baht are part of the physical form of the Thai baht, Thailand's currency. The issuance of the baht banknotes is managed by the Bank of Thailand. Throughout its history, the denominations have ranged from 1 baht to 1,000 baht. The circulating banknotes today in Thailand, however, are ranged from 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht and 1000 baht. The currently circulating series are 17th, 16th and 15th series. Thai baht banknotes commonly include the portrait or the picture of the sculpture of its kings. The obverses have been designed with the current king's portrait. Whilst, in the reverses, mostly the picture of notable kings and kings with the title "the great". Some reverses feature the King Bhumibol's sayings.
History In 1851, the government issued notes for , , , , and 1 tical, followed by 3, 4, 6, and 10 tamlueng in 1853. After 1857, notes for 20 and 40 ticals were issued, also bearing their values in Straits dollars and Indian rupees. Undated notes were also issued before 1868 for 5, 7, 8, 12, and 15 tamlueng, and 1 chang. One att notes were issued in 1874.
In 1892, the treasury contracted with Giesecke & Devrient in Germany to print notes for 1, 5, 10, 40, 80, 100, 400, and 800 ticals, called "baht" in the Thai text. They were delivered to the Siamese Treasury, but never issued. Eventually the notes held in reserve were destroyed, with only a few remainders saved.
The year 1902 marked the introduction of reforms by prince Jayanta Mongkol after his observations of banking practices in Europe, which became an important landmark in the inauguration of paper money in Thailand. On September 19, 1902, the government introduced notes which were printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, England, during the reigns of Kings Rama V and Rama VI, denominated 5, 10, 20, 100, and 1000 ticals, still called baht in the Thai text — each denomination having many types, with 1 and 50 tical notes following in 1918. In 1925, notes were issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 100, and 1,000 baht with the denomination in both Arabic and Thai numerals without English text; English speakers continued to refer to these as "ticals".
In 1942, the Bank of Thailand was founded and took over responsibility for the issuance of paper money. 50 baht notes were briefly reintroduced in 1945, with 50 satang notes issued in 1946. The one baht note was replaced by a coin in 1957 and the five baht was replaced in 1972. 50 baht notes were again reintroduced in 1985, with the 10 baht note replaced by a coin in 1988. The EURion constellation has been used on the reverse of 100 and 1000 baht notes since 2003. Older notes are occasionally still found in circulation, for example, 10 baht notes, and these can usually be spent without problem. In any case, they can be exchanged for free in banks.
Predecimal banknotes The characteristic of the banknotes of this era was that there were no series issued at the same time, rather they were issued sporadically and had multiple banks producing their own banknotes.
1851–1868, Rama IV era banknotes ImageValueWritten textValue in bahtIssuing bodyDate of issue1 fueangเฟื้องหนึ่ง方壹Octava pars ticalisOne eights of Tical1/8Royal Printing Works, Royal Palace of Siam18531 saluengสลึงหนึ่ง銭壹Quartia pars ticalisOne quarter of Tical1/4 1 salueng 1 fueang สลึงเฟื้อง方銭壹Tres octava partes ticalisThree eights of Tical3/82 saluengสองสลึง銭貳Media pars ticalisOne half of Tical1/22 salueng 1 fueang สองสลึงเฟื้อง方銭貳Quinque octava partes ticalisFive eights of Tical5/83 salueng สามสลึง銭參Tres partes ticalisThree quarter of Tical3/43 salueng 1 fueang สามสลึงเฟื้อง方銭參Septem octava partes ticalisSeven eights of Tical7/81 bahtบาทหนึ่ง圓壹Unus ticalisOne Tical12 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา สองตำงลึง818563 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา สามตำงลึง121853; 18564 tamlueng พระราชทานเงินตรา สี่ตำงลึง165 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา ห้าตำงลึง206 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา หกตำงลึง2418567 tamlueng พระราชทานเงินตรา เจ็ดตำงลึง288 tamlueng พระราชทานเงินตรา แปดตำงลึง3210 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา สิบตำงลึง401853; 185612 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา สิบสองตำงลึง48185615 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา สิบห้าตำงลึง601 chang พระราชทานเงินตรา ชั่งหนึ่ง801853; 18561 chang 5 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา ชั่งห้าตำงลึง10018561 chang 10 tamluengพระราชทานเงินตรา ชั่งสิบตำงลึง140
1868–1902, Rama V era banknotes Royal Treasury banknotes ImageValueDate of issue1 at18741 tical18925 tical10 tical40 tical80 tical100 tical400 tical800 tical
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) banknotes ImageValueDate of issue1 tical18895 tical10 tical40 tical80 tical100 tical400 tical
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China banknotes ImageValueDate of issue5 tical188410 tical40 tical80 tical100 tical400 tical
Banque de L'Indo-Chine banknotes ImageValueDate of issue5 tical198620 tical80 tical100 tical
Decimal banknotes 1902–1925 (Series 1), Rama V and Rama VI era
Series 1 - Uniface Series Series 1 was chosen due to the series which precedes this were non-decimal. Series 1 banknotes was the first series to be produced by De La Rue. In 1900, Charles James Rivett Carnac, a Royal Treasury Ministry advisor proposed that the Siamese baht followed the issuances of banknotes followed the British standard. The banknote department was established quickly thereafter. The main characteristic of this series was that the notes were one-sided and multilingual, containing Chinese, Malay (in Jawi script), and Latin scripts. It was also the last series to use the term "tical" to refer to the Thai baht and the largest in term of size of the circulated notes.
Series 1 banknotes (Rama V, VI) issued for 26 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 tical165 × 105 mmCyanEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] One Tical - หนึ่งบาท 暹羅國銀壹銖 - واڠ سيايم ساتو کوڤڠblank - no prints nor inscriptions1918–19255 ticals165 × 105 mmGreyEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Five Tical - ห้าบาท 暹羅國銀伍銖 - واڠ سيايم لايم کوڤڠ1902–192510 ticals205 × 126 mmBrownEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Ten Tical - สิบบาท 暹羅國銀拾銖 - واڠ سيايم سپولو کوڤڠ20 ticalsGreenEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Twenty Tical - ยี่สิบบาท 暹羅國銀貳拾銖 - واڠ سيايم دوا ڤولو کوڤڠ50 ticals165 × 105 mmGreyEmblem of Siam + Redacted inscriptions - overprinted to denominate 50 ticals1918–1925100 ticals205 × 126 mmEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Hundred Tical - ร้อยบาท 暹羅國銀壹佰銖 - واڠ سيايم سراتوس کوڤڠ1903–19281000 ticalsRedEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Thousand Tical - พันบาท 暹羅國銀壹仟銖 - واڠ سيايم سريبـو کوڤڠ1902–1928
1925–1935 (Series 2 to Series 3 Type 1), Rama VII era Series 2 - Ploughing Ceremony Series Series 2 banknotes were produced by De La Rue.
Series 2 banknotes (Rama VII) issued for 9 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 baht135 × 75 mmBlue and yellowEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] One Tical - หนึ่งบาทRoyal Ploughing Ceremony1925–19345 baht155 × 85 mmGreen and greyEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Five Tical - ห้าบาท10 baht175 × 95 mmRedEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Ten Tical - สิบบาท20 bahtGreenEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Twenty Tical - ยี่สิบบาท100 bahtBlue and greenEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Hundred Tical - ร้อยบาท1928–19341000 baht195 × 105 mmRedEmblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Thousand Tical - พันบาท
Series 3 Type 1 Series 3 type 1 banknotes were produced by De La Rue. This series was actually delayed due to the Siamese revolution to abolish the absolute monarchy and transform it into a constitutional monarchy. The issuance was supposed to happen in the early 1930s.
Series 3 Type 1 banknotes (Rama VII) issued for 1 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 baht135 × 75 mmGreenKing Prajadhipok and Suphannahongse Royal Barge + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] One Tical - หนึ่งบาทPhra Samut Chedi Temple1934–19355 baht155 × 85 mmGreen and greyKing Prajadhipok and Temple of the Emerald Buddha + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Five Tical - ห้าบาท10 baht175 × 95 mmBrownKing Prajadhipok and a scene of the Mae Ping River + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Ten Tical - สิบบาท20 bahtGreenKing Prajadhipok and a scene of a riverside community + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Twenty Tical - ยี่สิบบาท
1935–1948 (Series 3 Type 2 to Series 8), Rama VIII era Series 3 Type 2 Series 3 type 2 banknotes were produced by De La Rue. It was the first series to hold King Rama VIII's portrait, which replaced King Rama VII's portrait in the type 1.
Series 3 Type 2 banknotes (Rama VIII) issued for 2 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 baht135 × 75 mmGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Suphannahongse Royal Barge + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] One Tical - หนึ่งบาทPhra Samut Chedi Temple + โทษฐานปลอมหรือแปลงธนบัตรคือจำคุกตั้งแต่สิบปีถึงตลอดชีวิต และปรับตั้งแต่พันบาทถึงหมื่นบาทหรือพันเท่าราคาธนบัตร ปลอมแล้วแต่จำนวนไหนจะมากกว่ากัน
(Penalty for counterfeiting the banknote is ten years up to life imprisonment, and fined thousand up to ten thousands Baht or thousand times of that counterfeited notes depends on which is higher.)1935–19375 baht155 × 85 mmGreen and greyYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Temple of the Emerald Buddha + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Five Tical - ห้าบาท10 baht175 × 95 mmBrownYoung King Ananda Mahidol and a scene of the Mae Ping River + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Ten Tical - สิบบาท20 bahtGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and a scene of a riverside community + Emblem of Siam + รัฐบาล สยาม (Siamese Government) [date of printing] Twenty Tical - ยี่สิบบาท
Series 4 Type 1 Series 4 type 1 banknotes were produced by Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited.
Series 4 Type 1 banknotes (Rama VIII) issued for 5 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 baht125 × 65 mmGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Phra Samut Chedi Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall1937–19425 baht135 × 76 mmGreen and greyYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Phra Pathom Chedi 10 baht145 × 87 mmBrownYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Mahakarn Fortress20 bahtGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Golden Mountain Stupa1000 baht195 × 100 mmRedYoung King Ananda Mahidol and a Dusidabhirom Pavilion
Series 4 Type 2 - Survey Department Series Series 4 type 2 banknotes were produced by Royal Thai Survey Department and the Naval Hydrographic Department. During World War II, Thailand was allied with the Empire of Japan. This meant that the government of Thailand could not order banknotes from the British De La Rue.
Series Type II banknotes (Rama VIII) issued for <1 years Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse1 baht125 × 65 mmGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Phra Samut Chedi Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall194210 baht146 × 86 mmBrownYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Mahakarn Fortress20 bahtGreenYoung King Ananda Mahidol and Grand Palace100 baht125 × 65 mmCyanYoung King Ananda Mahidol and a Wat Arun
Series 5 Series 5 banknotes were produced by Notes Printing Works of Japan.