Stained or slightly-torn US dollar bills to be accepted across Cambodia
Stained or slightly-torn US dollar bills to be accepted across Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet has announced that dirty or slightly-damaged US dollar banknotes are to be accepted throughout the country from now on without any charges or penalties to facilitate the spending of them by tourists.
At a get-together and solidarity dinner with the Cambodia Oknha Association and the Housing Development Association of Cambodia held in Phnom Penh this evening, Mr Hun Manet said that the acceptance of slightly damaged, old, ripped or stained dollar bills was first piloted in Siem Reap province, but now the National Bank will issue an order to accept the exchange of those bills across the country.
“This issue looks small, but it can affect tourism as a whole,” he said. “At the same time, we need to be careful so that Cambodia will not become a place just for exchanging dirty, torn and old US dollar banknotes.”
Mr Hun Manet took the opportunity to once again encourage the use of the Riel, the national currency, rather than the US dollar, whenever possible.
According to the premier, he heard a complaint about the issue of dirty or slightly-damaged US dollar bills not being accepted for payment during his undercover visit to Pub Street – a nightlife area in Siem Reap – on July 17, 2024.
Though the Riel is the national currency of Cambodia, the US dollar is sanctioned for legal use as well and is widely used in the country except in some rural areas. The exchange rate is typically one US dollar for around 4,000 Riel.
