I am from Bangkok, and you need to know how store owners and businesses operate their advertisements. There are specific tourist seasons for different countries. Businesses change their ads depending on what season it is. For example, June through August is the US season, you will see ads targeting them with dollar prices. Its been that way for the 20 years I lived in Bangkok. I'm not sure whether the author simply saw the change and mistakenly thought that Bangkok wasnt interested in taking dollars anymore, or that he has a political axe to grind. Either way, the story is bogus.