Thailand Has a Law Prohibiting Stepping on Currency

In Thai culture, a deep-seated social hierarchy places the head as the most sacred part of the body and the feet as the lowliest and most unclean. Pointing one's feet at another person or a sacred object is considered a profound insult. This cultural value is magnified when it comes to the Thai monarchy, which is revered with immense respect and devotion. The King is seen as the spiritual and symbolic head of the nation, and his image is treated as a sacred extension of his person.

This reverence is enshrined in Thailand's formidable lèse-majesté laws, which criminalize any act seen as insulting or threatening to the royal family. Because every Thai baht coin and banknote bears a portrait of the King, the currency itself falls under this protective umbrella. Consequently, an act as simple as stepping on a dropped coin to stop it from rolling away is viewed not as an innocuous accident, but as a deeply disrespectful gesture: placing the lowest part of the body onto the image of the nation's most venerated figure. While enforcement can vary, this act is a serious offense that can carry significant legal penalties, including imprisonment.