An American in my last run group only had the equivalent in US dollars. He was refused at first but showed the officer a current exchange rate through a website on his phone then was accepted. This was at Sadao border.
I suspect the guys freaking out and pulled the "beaten" card to attract some sort of sympathetic attention that he thinks will bring his case to light. If he really has been beaten there's no doubt he asked for it through ill manner and conduct
4 land border crossings with a SETV each time, that's no issue, you must be refrerring to the 2 Land Border Crossings per year on a VISA exemption, that I have 1 of.