Okay, I don't know why he did it and we are all just guessing. But here are a few facts: Most Thai (and maybe farang owners/lanlords) insist on a 2 month deposit and usually minimum one year lease. Well, actually, the law states a ONE MONTH deposit is maximum. But like so many things here, follow-the-leader is the norm, and the authorities never intervene to uphold the maximum deposit rule; The Thai landlord who rents to a foreigner assumes the foreigner will be leaving the country soon, so some make up fake excuses why the deposit will not be refunded - expecting the foreign renter to give up when time runs out and they must leave Thailand; The landlord, by Thai law, can only withhold part of the deposit to get things fixed that the tenant damaged (not wear and tear) and must provide estimates and final receipts for work completed. The repair can only restore the damage to what it was like when the tenant arrived and not use it to make things all brand new; The landlord - depending on their connections - may hold out even if the foreigner is not leaving Thailand. But if they are not a hi-so, the tenant has a reasonable chance of getting a court ruling in their favor for a return of most of the deposit (collecting it is another matter). Given the above, some renters - who have been unfairly refused a return of their deposit - take things into their own hands. In that scenario, who can really blame them. But it's a dangerous game. If caught they lose more than the deposit.
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