Complex sentence: Kut Chum also achieved fame for issuing its own local scrip called "Bia Kut Chum" (bia, Thai for cowry shell, was once of a Thai baht, and still current in metaphorical expressions), but ran afoul of currency laws.
Split into simpler sentences: Kut Chum also achieved fame for issuing its own local scrip called "Bia Kut Chum". Bia, Thai for cowry shell, was once a unit of currency equal to of a Thai baht, and "Bia" is still current in metaphorical expressions, so the usage ran afoul of currency laws.