S23 · E02

The Crypto Gold Rush

With the pandemic leaving many Thais cash-strapped and jobless, huge numbers of farmers and traders alike have turned to crypto to boost their fortunes. Though cryptocurrency is volatile, prone to scammers and market manipulation, Thailand remains a crypto-friendly nation, keen to harness new blockchain innovations in a new technological era. Jonathan Miller travels to north-eastern Thailand to meet a rice farmer who’s trading crypto using a smartphone, solar panel and online tutorials. However, in Bangkok, a man who made and lost nearly a million US dollars represents the downside to crypto.