Chiang Rai News

Poorest Thais Debts Mounting by Borrowing from Loan Sharks

Loan Sharks range their loans according to how poor you are and how long you take to pay; these are typically from 3% per day to 20% per month.

CHIANG RAI – Thailand is well known for corruption and in a recent study it was acknowledge that some 60% of any Government contract is filtered away to Government officials, Military and Police in graft.

You might be shaking your head wondering what on earth Loan Sharks have to do with Government corruption. The truth is that both are inextricably linked.

The equation is simple; if you have $1,000 and 60% is stolen you now only have $400 to complete whatever project or task set.

Such a practice, especially within the public sector, then leaves the public with a substandard product or service that will soon require yet more public money to make amendments and in turn this will be subjected to graft.

In the long term a particular project can often cost the public ten or twenty times the cost if corruption had not been present.

Let’s get specific… One area that is riddled with corruption is the Thai Education system. Often parents are forced to pay education administrators money under the table in order to get a place in the school for their children.

Now considering that most of the Thai population lives well below any acceptable poverty line the question is ‘Where do they find the money to pay for these bribes?’

The issue of corruption can now be firmly linked to Loan Sharks who ply their illegal trade to people they know have little or indeed no choice but to borrow, as they are unable to secure any legal bank loan due to being unable to meet the requirements of a loan application; due to their poverty status.

A few years ago the Thai Government attempted to assist the poor by buying off their loans and providing them with Government Bank Loans. This very act was a clear indication to the scale of the problem and only fueled its spread.

As the Government handed out legitimate bank loans to pay off the loan sharks the loan sharks in turn simply upped the ante by targeting even more poor people. The perception was that the Government would simply step in, provide full payment, and transfer the debt into a legitimate loan.

The ruse itself was simple but on the darker side of the equation it was well-known that the perpetrators who were providing the illegal loans were often high ranking police officers, government officials and high ranking military personnel; and they had just discovered a new way of fleecing the public funds to a greater extent.

During the time of Government intervention we could find not one single case where a Loan Shark operation was busted and where those operating it were brought to trial. Once again this is the true face of just how crippling corruption is; especially in a ‘developing’ country.

In May of last year the Bangkok Post, one of Thailand’s leading newspapers, broke a story of a Loan Shark ring in Bang Khen.

During the early hours of one morning a group of men, led by a man known only as ‘Keng’ from a neighboring prescient, attacked the home of one of his ‘clients’ after they failed to come up with their monthly repayment.

Despite the attack, in which two men in the house were stabbed and beaten and caught on CCTV, no person has yet to have been arrested and charged for the crime. Locals, however, continue to note that the coming and going of the ‘collectors’ is still prevalent.

During the attack that night not only were two of the residents stabbed and beaten but a home-made bomb was thrown into the house and the ‘collectors’ trashed the house and the occupants belongings.

The unnamed borrower originally took out a loan of 20,000 Thai Baht with the agreement to repay 24,000 Thai Baht at a rate of 1,000 Thai Baht per day for 24 days.

Considering the national minimum wage is just 9,000 Thai Baht per month and looking at the fact that the person was a food vendor for Thai desert, most likely earning much less, it is obvious that such a loan, within such a time frame and at such a extortionate rate, could not be honored.

The attack on the house came after the borrower had missed just two days repayment; after which the borrower received a menacing text message from the Loan Shark that retribution for non-payment would be swift.

After news broke of the incident the Justice Minister ordered the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to track down those involved. The Rights and Liberties Protection Department also said that it would help the borrower – presumably to repay the loans by transferring it into a legitimate bank loan.

Again the case went cold and both the police and the DSI never reported the capture of those involved; but as the locals reported, these were most likely high ranking police officers.

From an insider source meebal.com was told that the business of loan sharking was rife; alongside corruption and that most of the people running such businesses were either the police or paid off the police.

“Loan Sharks range their loans according to how poor you are and how long you take to pay; these are typically from 3% per day to 20% per month. Black money is as much as 49% of household debt now, with personal bankruptcies on the rise.” Anonymous Inside Source

Another insider provided us with even more information that foreign nationals should be aware of:

“Often when a Thai girl manages to snare a foreign boyfriend / husband it is not long before they provide a sob-story that they or their parents are in debt and need help to repay loan sharks.

This particular story is as old, and as weak, as the ‘sick buffalo’ scam but still many foreigners fall for it; often under the trip of romantic guilt.

Whether the debt actually exists is highly debatable but it is of course all about extracting as much cash out of their foreign boyfriends / husbands as they can.

I personally know of one guy who has been paying 10,000 Baht a month for the last two and a half years to pay off a so-called loan. Each month the funds are transferred to the mother in Issan who deals with the loan sharks.

I doubt very much if there is such a debt but it certainly isn’t uncommon. This issue here is that he has already paid over 300,000 Baht (approx US$10,000) and there is no end in sight to him being fleeced.

Foreigners need to be made more aware of this issue so that they don’t become entangled in this illegal practice and even more so when you consider that it is widely known that when a foreigner decides to step in and help the loan sharks often increase the interest rates – it’s just another way of getting more money out of a farang.” Anon

There have been reports of Loan Sharks being arrested but often these cases appear to go remarkably quite; the general consensus is that the Loan Sharks simply were not providing the police with a large enough cut and once arrested and a deal is struck the Loan Sharks are allowed to go on their merry way and continue applying their extortionate trade.

We often look at corruption as being a fixed point issue, that is some crooked government official skims off the top or a police officer fines a motorist and then slips the fine in their pocket.

The truth about corruption however, is that it touches every facet of life and society and for those at the bottom of the pecking order they are always the ones that will suffer the consequence and often live their lives in fear of someone coming in the dead of night to extract payment.

Like any country Thailand has its fair share of problems but in a society that is corrupt from top to bottom the underlying social issues is that a few will continue to grow rich on the misery of others whilst poor continue to suffer at the hands of their loan shark masters.

Chiang Rai News

Chiang Rai Man Kills Woman’s Infant Daughter When She Refuses His Sexual Advances

Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.

Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai

On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.

After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.

She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.

Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.

Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.

When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.

He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.

After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.

Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Police in Chiang Rai Launch Crackdown on Cyber Criminals in Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.

On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.

His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.

They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.

The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.

The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.

They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.

According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.

The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.

When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.

Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.

Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.

During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.

The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.