Friendship with ‘smiley’ buffalo takes heart-breaking turn

By Thanapol Saengthong, 
Kornkamon Aksorndech 
The Nation 

 

 

THE 34-year-old Chai Nat farmer Surat Paewkate – who made headlines for his unusual friendship with a five-year-old buffalo called Thong Kham – was separated from his four-legged best friend yesterday when police took the animal away over allegations that Surat had used this “friendship” to get money from others. Surat had been hired to take care of the buffalo.

 

According to Bangkok’s Khanna Yao Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Singh Singhadech, Surat is set to face four charges: public fraud (punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and/or a maximum of Bt100,000 in fine); violation of the Computer Crimes Act by posting false information that can be accessed by the public (punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and/or a maximum of Bt100,000 in fine); violation of the Fundraising Control Act (punishable by a maximum of one month in jail and/or a Bt200 fine); and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (punishable by a jail term ranging from one to 10 years and/or a fine ranging from Bt20,000 to Bt200,000).

 

Singh said police, having seized the animal and cash as evidence, will ask the Anti-Money Laundering Office to help check Surat’s transactions as part of the investigation.

 

Noen Kham district resident Surat – whose selfies with the “smiley” buffalo Thong Kham went viral on Facebook and made them both famous – is in trouble because he sought donations to raise Bt100,000 so he could buy his four-legged friend. In two days, he was able to raise Bt135,969 in a crowd-funding campaign to “save” his buddy. 

 

Thong Kham is one of three buffaloes that Surat was hired to temporarily take care of since early this month.

 

However, after Surat handed Bt100,000 to the buffalo owner’s representative, things did not end happily as expected. 

 

The buffalo’s 64-year-old owner, Tambon Suk Duan Ha municipality mayor Boonlert Kadpakdee, and famed lawyer Songkran Achariyasap, showed up at the Khanna Yao Police Station and filed a complaint accusing Surat of committing two offences – public fraud and violating the Computer Crimes Act. 

 

Boonlert also said his plan was to sell Thong Kham to a buffalo conservation centre, not to the slaughterhouse as Surat claimed. 

 

However, Surat tearfully denied any wrongdoing and insisted that his intention was to look after the buffalo the best he could and create smiles for people. 

 

He said he has not done anything with the remaining money, and had even asked his new-found Facebook friends for ideas. 

 

Yesterday morning, Surat saw Thong Khom taken away to the Bangkok precinct in another farmer’s pick-up truck, and said he hoped his “friend” would eventually be returned to him. He also claimed that Boonlert has forgiven him and wants Thong Kham to be left under his care. 

 

He said he needed some time before he could explain his sincere intentions and the claim of Boonlert forgiving him to police. If all goes well, he said, he will even spend some time as a monk.

 

A source at the Attorney-General’s Legal Aid branch office in Chai Nat said Surat will seek legal advice today. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30359409

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-28

Farmer who bought smiling buffalo charged with fraud, money laundering

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

Tongkum and Surat Phaeoket. Photo: Smiling Buffalo, A Little Thing Called Happiness. “Surat Phaeoket & Tongkum / Facebook

 

BANGKOK — A farmer who crowdfunded the purchase of a buffalo he had bonded with was charged Tuesday afternoon with fraud, money laundering and violating the Computer Crime Act.

 

After surrendering the buffalo to the police this morning, Surat Phaeoket was charged with serious crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a 200,000 baht fine, one day after the official he bought the animal from accused him of defrauding donors with misleading statements.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/crime-crime/2018/11/27/farmer-who-bought-smiling-buffalo-charged-with-fraud-money-laundering/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-11-28

I'm really failing to see the crime here.

 

Some 'dude' who has no money wants to buy this beast, he turns to the internet and the internet is kind, buying the buffalo for him through donations.

 

So what ? He's a beggar at worst. Now if he had not purchased the buffalo and spent all the raised money on beer and hookers then I could see the point but he did what he said he would...

 

If they ban this kind of thing then the gofundme website should be forever blocked in Thailand.

 

Edited November 27, 20187 yr by ukrules

39 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I'm really failing to see the crime here.

Indeed, nicely staged photos with a definite resemblance must have bought a smile to a few people. And no salacious bovine related depravity involved either. 

47 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I'm really failing to see the crime here.

He is an ordinary person who finds himself in conflict with a mayor of a sub-district. A mayor of a sub-district may not sound a big deal but it is several notches of social status above and a net worth of perhaps 100 times that of an ordinary Thai.

 

Under Thai culture, the police and courts will always give far greater weight to the concerns and complaints of the side with the higher social rank and wealth. In fact it is enshrined under a system called sakdina.

 

From your comments you are approaching this from a Western or British perspective, looking at the facts and the law and using judgement and ethics. You need to put all that to one side here. It is the side with the higher social status, connections and wealth that will be listened to.

He did not commit any crime if the buffalo is not pointing at him!

 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

violation of the Computer Crimes Act by posting false information that can be accessed by the public

While assuming the buffalo is the one with the horns, I can't help wondering if TAT haven't heard about this crime

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Singh said police, having seized the animal....

 

At least it is now in the company of its peers.

What happened to the 100,000 baht that he gave to the farmer?  Sounds like farmer will end up with both money and buffalo...

2 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Indeed, nicely staged photos with a definite resemblance must have bought a smile to a few people. And no salacious bovine related depravity involved either. 

They prefer 'swinging' dogs in the north.

Poor Buffalo, he's in the middle of this mess.

The donors knew exactly where the money was going and how it would be used. <deleted> it's not like they entered into a contract. Some lawyer lost face so what would otherwise be a non-issue is a 'serious crime'. I'm glad the buffalo fanatic has a big fan club some capable people may be coming to his aid. 

Someone just want to spoil the party mood. Why a mayor would like to turn a happy occasion into such mess? Something is going on !

This story belongs in THE RIDICULOUS FILE.

another fine example of why it can be April 1st 365 days a year in Thailand

 

carnage on the roads and this pile of nonsense is somehow more important

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

He is an ordinary person who finds himself in conflict with a mayor of a sub-district. A mayor of a sub-district may not sound a big deal but it is several notches of social status above and a net worth of perhaps 100 times that of an ordinary Thai.

 

Under Thai culture, the police and courts will always give far greater weight to the concerns and complaints of the side with the higher social rank and wealth. In fact it is enshrined under a system called sakdina.

 

From your comments you are approaching this from a Western or British perspective, looking at the facts and the law and using judgement and ethics. You need to put all that to one side here. It is the side with the higher social status, connections and wealth that will be listened to.

From anyone’s perspective the poor guy is being f* over by a vindictive dude who thinks himself better than the farming crowd. This behavior is disgusting and I hope it will get a lot of backlash. The haves and the nothaves same old story. And then all these over the top allegations, that just looks like an extreme abuse of power, despicable old people that don’t understand the internet and wanna charge him with computer crimes? It’s ridiculous at best

Don’t see the police turning themselves in for tacking money fraudulently 

The poor in Thailand always lose and the wealthy and powerful are guaranteed to win. He did what he had said he would do then asked for online advice about what to do with the rest of the money. Poor guy. Poor buffalo. What were the 'lies' he told online? 

It sounds like a load of bovine excrement to me.????

I fail to see how fraud was committed. He wanted to buy the animal, he told everyone that was why he was raising money. People donated knowing full well.

I feel a 44 coming, we can't have a Buffalo grabbing all the news coming up to an election - one too many

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

What happened to the 100,000 baht that he gave to the farmer?  Sounds like farmer will end up with both money and buffalo...

Am I reading correctly that it was the owner/owner's lawyer who were the ones who turned him in?  Why agree/offer to sell if they have a problem with it?  And whether the buffalo goes to a "conservation center" or this guy, what do they care if they get a fair price?  Did they suddenly decide they wanted to keep it or something?

No brown envelope!

16 minutes ago, smedly said:

I feel a 44 coming, we can't have a Buffalo grabbing all the news coming up to an election - one too many

Would there be a yet-unnamed committee established first with generals appointed to the prime positions or just go straight for a 44 ?

16 minutes ago, Katia said:

Am I reading correctly that it was the owner/owner's lawyer who were the ones who turned him in?  Why agree/offer to sell if they have a problem with it?  And whether the buffalo goes to a "conservation center" or this guy, what do they care if they get a fair price?  Did they suddenly decide they wanted to keep it or something?

Yes.

The owner gave a price of 100k, thinking the caretaker could not / would not stump up the cash.

He did, via the internet.

Then he had to sell it, for the agreed 100k price, in front of witnesses.

After all that, it went tIts up - did'nt really want to sell it, too cheap, yada nada da bing.

Then one of Thailand's slimiest nastiest characters got involved, the Victorian era moralistic fat lawyer.

I hope this becomes a huge Thai social media story and both the Scum Lawyer and Scum original Owner have to eat humble pie and are made to look like the lowlife scumbags that they are.

Edit.

For some uncanny reason that fat lawyer has always reminded me of the fat slimy greaseball lawyer in the Turkish Prison drama, the movie Midnight Express.......

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by thaiguzzi

I admire the attempts of people trying to make sense of this none news story

 

The truth is - it comes down to childish jealousy (which there is a lot of in Thailand) the owner of the buffalo just can't stand the fact that someone is making big money from his buffalo an animal he was about to send to the slaughter

 

How dare you exploit my Buffalo for money without giving me a share - it really is as stupid as stupid gets

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A farmer who crowdfunded the purchase of a buffalo he had bonded with was charged Tuesday afternoon with fraud, money laundering and violating the Computer Crime Act.

That’ll teach you, peasant scum...don’t mess with your betters. 

 

(Sarcasm alert) 

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

I'm really failing to see the crime here.

 

Some 'dude' who has no money wants to buy this beast, he turns to the internet and the internet is kind, buying the buffalo for him through donations.

 

So what ? He's a beggar at worst. Now if he had not purchased the buffalo and spent all the raised money on beer and hookers then I could see the point but he did what he said he would...

 

If they ban this kind of thing then the gofundme website should be forever blocked in Thailand.

 

Greed taking over..

 

3 hours ago, Briggsy said:

He is an ordinary person who finds himself in conflict with a mayor of a sub-district. A mayor of a sub-district may not sound a big deal but it is several notches of social status above and a net worth of perhaps 100 times that of an ordinary Thai.

 

Under Thai culture, the police and courts will always give far greater weight to the concerns and complaints of the side with the higher social rank and wealth. In fact it is enshrined under a system called sakdina.

 

From your comments you are approaching this from a Western or British perspective, looking at the facts and the law and using judgement and ethics. You need to put all that to one side here. It is the side with the higher social status, connections and wealth that will be listened to.

Sakdina is what it is,  primitive, backward and lacking justice. 

4 hours ago, Briggsy said:

He is an ordinary person who finds himself in conflict with a mayor of a sub-district. A mayor of a sub-district may not sound a big deal but it is several notches of social status above and a net worth of perhaps 100 times that of an ordinary Thai.

 

Under Thai culture, the police and courts will always give far greater weight to the concerns and complaints of the side with the higher social rank and wealth. In fact it is enshrined under a system called sakdina.

 

From your comments you are approaching this from a Western or British perspective, looking at the facts and the law and using judgement and ethics. You need to put all that to one side here. It is the side with the higher social status, connections and wealth that will be listened to.

That may be true but the mayor is still a pos.