NE woman disappears after trader mistakenly transfers nearly 300K into wrong bank account

[webfact]

File photo for reference only

 

A story coming from the north east of Thailand brings into the question the subject of honesty among not just Thai people but anyone who has a bank account. 

 

It involves the transfer of nearly 300,000 baht to the wrong bank account. The woman who received the money has paid back 160K but disappeared with the rest.

 

Now the police are issuing a summons.

 

The case started on April 28th when frozen seafood and pork meat for buffets' trader Wirawan Chuatpong, 40, filed a report with the police in Samut Sakhon.

 

She said she had trasferred 293,439 baht to the wrong account on an app.

 

She had intended to pay a pork trader but got the number wrong by one digit and wound up paying a woman called Saowanee in Samed sub-district of Buriram, NE Thailand. 

 

She had contacted the lady and received 160,000 baht back - but when asked about the remaining 133,439 baht she said she'd already spent it. 

 

The police in Samut Sakhon issued a summons. 

 

Siam Rath reporters went to the house in the village of Nong Kha and found it deserted and locked up yesterday.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

Picture: Siam Rath

 

They spoke to a neighbor who said they hadn't seen Saowanee or her husband for two days. 

 

She was feeding their three cats who had been abandoned.

 

The village elder or phu yai baan, a man called Teenoi Waram, said that he was aware that the person who had lost the money had been in touch. 

 

Two weeks ago he said that the woman arrived but Saowanee was not home. But he said they had been in touch over the phone and some of the money had been repaid. 

 

Then on Monday police arrived but only the husband was home. Asked as to the whereabouts of his wife he said he had no idea. 

 

The police asked him to tell her to come into the station on her return. 

 

As far as he was aware no summons had yet been served on Saowanee. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-05-18

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

[Hayduke]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

They spoke to a neighbor who said they hadn't seen Saowanee or her husband for two days. 

She was feeding their three cats who had been abandoned.

 

What sort of low life abandons three cats?

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

Sounds like Saowanee is not too smart. She is not going to get away with this for long. And as to the original transfer, Wirawan must have been in a hurry. The app clearly states the name of the account holder, prior to transfer. One always has to check that information carefully, especially so when transferring large amounts of money. 

[Olav Seglem]

The same sort of low life that that find a huuge amount coming into their account thinks "it is mine and must spend most at once " ????

 

[GrandPapillon]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The app clearly states the name of the account holder, prior to transfer

you are assuming she can read but probably can't ????

[RafPinto]

Doing a runner with 133k?

Won't last long.
Left husband behind ????

[GroveHillWanderer]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Sounds like Saowanee is not too smart. She is not going to get away with this for long. And as to the original transfer, Wirawan must have been in a hurry. The app clearly states the name of the account holder, prior to transfer. One always has to check that information carefully, especially so when transferring large amounts of money. 

Many Thais only know each other by their respective nicknames (ชื่อเล่น) and never actually know the person's real, full name.

 

I have several relatives whose real names I've never found out and others I've only found out (usually by accident) after decades of knowing them.

 

For instance I have a 31 year-old niece that I've known since she was born and I only found out her real name last month, when it happened to come up in conversation.

Edited May 18, 2022 by GroveHillWanderer

[TropicalGuy]

By Thai Culture, Lady got this all wrong. Either pay all back or spend all or disappear with all.
300k is like a lottery win& key to new life if you are in trouble or earning 10-15k month (privately).
300k will get a Thai a simple land / small house built for 150k in remote NE then 100k to Equip & Furnish cheaply with m/ bike. Leaves 50k to live until getting new income stream.

 

[spidermike007]

49 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Many Thais only know each other by their respective nicknames (ชื่อเล่น) and never actually know the person's real, full name.

 

I have several relatives whose real names I've never found out and others I've only found out (usually by accident) after decades of knowing them.

 

For instance I have a 31 year-old niece that I've known since she was born and I only found out her real name last month, when it happened to come up in conversation.

Well, while that may be correct, common sense would dictate asking for someone's real name, prior to transferring a large amount of money, to put yourself in a position to prevent exactly this kind of mishap. It is part survival, part self preservation and just smart business. 

[Excel]

1 hour ago, Hayduke said:

 

What sort of low life abandons three cats?

 

 

 

Somebody who prefers dogs perhaps

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

It involves the transfer of nearly 300,000 baht to the wrong bank account. The woman who received the money has paid back 160K but disappeared with the rest.

It was a handling fee. Totally legit.

[Rockhound]

THis happened to me about 45 years ago - I was 18 at the time.  A total of 5000 UK pounds was paid into my account - that's about 200,000 baht these days but I reckon it would be nearer a million baht these days.   I immediately informed the bank.  Pretty simple really.

[warrima]

I topped up my prepay sim at one of them kiosks. Put at 6 at the end instead of a 9 for my number - and pressed enter. Still hurts thinking about it now. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by warrima

[rbkk]

In 1998 at Bangkok Bank ATM Nathon Town Koh Samui the receipt, after I withdrew 10,000 baht, said "18,xxx,xxx' balance. I laughed and contacted the UK bank card issuer on my return to London. They said that yes it was an incorrect balance but i would have been able to withdraw multiple times up to the stated receipt balance. They blamed the Thai banking system.....

[cardinalblue]

The case was handled incorrectly from the start…should offered her 10k baht for the inconvenience - incentive stop temptation of greed

 

she is a low life for abandoning her cats b/c she thinks she has hit it rich….no thought given for living things depending on you…

 

maybe a motorcycle accident will be her karma… 

Edited May 18, 2022 by cardinalblue

[zyphodb]

If your only earning 10000Bht/month, 300,000 Bht is an unattainable fortune to you. Very tempting to do a runner with, I'm sure. Paying half back while spending the other half shows a basically honest person just unable to resist temptation when put in front of her.

 Sad, should have either taken the lot and ran, or returned it all. Now she'll be completely <deleted> over...

[Stefanix]

Did she use PromptPay? Then just one wrong digit can mean a wrong receiver. I think Thai bank account numbers do have a checksum. At least the digits are structured. If one digit is changed, the account number would be invalid. Safer but not as convenient as using phone numbers. 

[Dukeleto]

It ain’t only Thailand…this just happened in Japan for a bundle more than 300K THB. This Japanese dude swiped a cool ¥46,000,000 (thats 12.3 million baht) that was mistakenly transferred into his account by a government official transferring covid relief funds. Japan, apparently known for its honesty and generally not nicking other people goods seems to have a ceiling.

 

https://japantoday.com/category/national/man-mistakenly-sent-46.3-mil.-yen-in-covid-funds-gambles-it-all-away

[starky]

1 hour ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Many Thais only know each other by their respective nicknames (ชื่อเล่น) and never actually know the person's real, full name.

 

I have several relatives whose real names I've never found out and others I've only found out (usually by accident) after decades of knowing them.

 

For instance I have a 31 year-old niece that I've known since she was born and I only found out her real name last month, when it happened to come up in conversation.

Cant open a bank account with a nickname. As clearly stated when transferring money before confirmation the account holders name must be confirmed.

[ukrules]

Don't they have check digits on the account numbers here?

 

They are used throughout the world for a reason - this is the reason.

[Puccini]

14 minutes ago, Stefanix said:

Did she use PromptPay? Then just one wrong digit can mean a wrong receiver. I think Thai bank account numbers do have a checksum. At least the digits are structured. If one digit is changed, the account number would be invalid. Safer but not as convenient as using phone numbers. 

Thai bank account numbers do not have a "chechsum"

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Doing a runner with 133k?

Won't last long.
Left husband behind ????

Why would anyone lower their self for any amount of money? Test me, wire me 10 billion into my account and I will wire it right back to you.

[animatic]

57 minutes ago, Excel said:

Somebody who prefers dogs perhaps

Someone who abandons house, husband and cats for short term gain.

Edited May 18, 2022 by animatic

[RafPinto]

2 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Many Thais only know each other by their respective nicknames (ชื่อเล่น) and never actually know the person's real, full name.

 

I have several relatives whose real names I've never found out and others I've only found out (usually by accident) after decades of knowing them.

 

For instance I have a 31 year-old niece that I've known since she was born and I only found out her real name last month, when it happened to come up in conversation.

And everyone has a different surname.
Khomkong

Khomkung

Komkong

Komhung

 

All brothers and sisters.

They can trick you easily and especially with their line and facebook accounts.
If they don't want you to find them, it's all in thai language and many nicknames.

[ThailandRyan]

She invested in a new beginning and fled the scene of the crime.....after all she fled with the proceeds from the pork and I don't mean the fat....

[RafPinto]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

She invested in a new beginning and fled the scene of the crime.....after all she fled with the proceeds from the pork and I don't mean the fat....

She's now on Tinder:

 

Hello,

My name is lucky. I am a honest woman, looking for love.
I have my own business and do not need your money.
I recently divorced and am looking for a good, honest, loyal man.
Perhaps it's you.
Please no ONS or hookup.
I am serious.

Swipe right and maybe we can see each other soon.

Lucky

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, Rockhound said:

THis happened to me about 45 years ago - I was 18 at the time.  A total of 5000 UK pounds was paid into my account - that's about 200,000 baht these days but I reckon it would be nearer a million baht these days.   I immediately informed the bank.  Pretty simple really.

Not that simple, I had the same 2 years ago on the account of my kid. Regular payments came in from an unknown person and I contacted the bank. They said they couldn't do anything (they can't block someone to transfer money to you, they cannot contact the person directly). I trasferred the money back a few months with a text that it was wrongly transferred, but the money kept coming. So I saved it up till it was a large enough sum that they would notice if i transferred it back and only then it stopped.

[GroveHillWanderer]

21 minutes ago, starky said:

Cant open a bank account with a nickname. As clearly stated when transferring money before confirmation the account holders name must be confirmed.

That's exactly the point I was making. The nickname, which is often the only name the person making the payment will know, does not appear in the account details.

 

So checking the name that appears after you input the account number won't help you to make sure you've got the right person, if all you know is their nickname.

 

I've actually faced this problem myself when paying a builder who had done some work for me. He gave me a bank account number, I typed it in and the name that appeared was not the name I knew him by. So to make sure, I had to call him and ask if that was his real name (ชื่อจริง).

[Tarteso]

Number account to buy lottery? ????

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The police in Samut Sakhon issued a summons. 

But what does the law say exactly?

Shouldn't the reporters ask a lawyer for the legalities?

 

In my home country you cannot force anyone to pay back wrongly transferred money: it is on you to fill in the correct account number. Sure you can sue someone over it, but is there anything that makes the receiver legally obliged to return the money here?