Prawit orders Isoc to coordinate ‘well-rounded solution’ to woes faced by loan shark victims

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Prawit orders Isoc to coordinate ‘well-rounded solution’ to woes faced by loan shark victims

By The Nation

 

 

Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan has instructed the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), police, Army and related administrative officials to proceed with the implementation of a well-rounded solution to the problem of people reeling under huge debts after falling victim to unfair contracts with loan sharks.

Defence Ministry spokesman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantravanich on Monday said that Prawit, who is also defence minister and the deputy premier overseeing police affairs, had urged Isoc to coordinate all related agencies’ cooperation to tackle the woes faced by illegal money-lenders’ victims by negotiating for debt release, new and fair loan contracts, and by strictly enforcing the law. 

 

Under the new drive, once officers search and seize properties and arrest illegal money-lenders, police would eventually return the assets that loan sharks had unfairly seized from their debtors to the rightful owners, especially land and house title deeds, so that borrowers could get back on their feet again, Kongcheep said. 

 

The spokesman also quoted Prawit as instructing the agencies to boost people’s access to legal loans, especially those arranged by the state, promote debtors’ vocational skills to enable them to generate sufficient income, and to follow up by providing mental rehabilitation for terrorised debtors to prevent them from suffering extreme stress that can lead to family problems and/or violence. 

Those being threatened by loan sharks can call the 1155 hotline or file a complaint to their provincial Dhamrongtham Centre, he added.

 

In the meantime, national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda vowed to crack down on loan sharks across the country – including those with alleged ties to uniformed influential figures – following the case in which a 46-year-old Bangkok resident, Natthasak Khamkhern, last Thursday killed his 25-year-old wife and two children, aged one and five, before attempting to commit suicide at their shop house in Khlong Sam Wa district.

 

Natthasak claimed that “the family had mutually agreed to die to avoid harm from a loan shark’s threat”. 

 

In the latest development concerning the triple killing, Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3 deputy chief Pol Colonel Charnwit Phumpho on Monday said police had already taken into custody and presented to a court four illegal money-lenders, from whom Natthasak had borrowed money at a beyond-legal interest rate, for the charges of public fraud and charging an illegal loan interest rate. 

 

A remorseful Natthasak, who has confessed to the killing of his wife and children, was still recovering from his self-inflicted serious injury and as of press time was being held by police at a hospital. 

 

It is expected that within a week, doctors would be able to release him so that police could move him for detention to Min Buri Prison and Correctional Facility, Charnwit added.

 

A police source said that Natthasak, in order to fund his audio-system shop, had borrowed from multiple loan sharks in Pathum Thani, with the highest amount said to be Bt50,000 from a single moneylender.

 

He soon fell behind with his repayments, resulting in huge debts – for which he reportedly had to pay a total of Bt8,000 per day to multiple lenders – and immense stress that allegedly drove him to kill his family members and try to commit suicide.

 

Meanwhile, relatives on Monday brought monks to perform a rite in the early morning to invite the three deceased victims’ spirits to depart the scene of their violent deaths and travel to Wat Bumpen Nua, where the cremation ceremony was due to be held at 5pm.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30368539

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-29

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prawit orders Isoc to coordinate ‘well-rounded solution’ to woes faced by loan shark victims

ISOC couldn't coordinate a 'well-rounded solution' to woes created by the Muslim insurgency. But maybe it can be successful against unarmed loan sharks.

[Eric Loh]

kind of oxymoron for someone rich beyond his earning ability to suddenly has empathy towards the poor and downtrodden indebted peasants. Maybe he has seen the light and start a go fund for the poor and setting an example by auctioning his expensive watches. His other rich generals will follow suit.

[fisherd3]

Here in Rayong one of the Biggest Loan companies had a problem with one of its agents who attempted to kill the owners daughter (she was pulled out of the local reservoir), who was a member of the King's Bench , (Judge) , after she discovered he was going to steal a large parcel of land from the company. 

The loan shark agent has never been apprehended by the Royal Thai Police.

 

What chance do mere mortals stand against insidious long term infiltration of loan sharks into Thai society , whose job is it to enforce any dream package ??  When loan sharks can get away with the attempted murder of a Judge ?

 

[sammieuk1]

Sounds like they got the best well rounded general in the country on the case????

[fisherd3]

48 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

ISOC couldn't coordinate a 'well-rounded solution' to woes created by the Muslim insurgency. But maybe it can be successful against unarmed loan sharks.

I don't think unarmed is correct.