Found! Thai woman who kept wrongly transferred money says she'll work to pay off the debt in instalments

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: I made a mistake

 

Daily News reported that they had found the Thai woman who disappeared with money that had mistakenly been transferred to her bank account. 

 

She has apologized and asked the owner to allow her to pay off the debt in instalments. 

 

The media had a picture of the woman at what looked like a breeze block shack.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Earlier via Thai media and social media - including yesterday on ASEAN NOW - the story gained a great readership.

 

A seafood and pork trader in Samut Sakhon called Wirawan Chuatpong, 40, had transferred 293,439 baht to the account of Saowanee by mistake. She got one digit wrong on a banking app.

 

She returned 160,000 baht but said she had spent the rest then went to ground leaving her cats. 

 

After being found Saowanee said it was a mistake and advised people not to make off with others' money that isn't theirs. She made the obligatory "wai" for the press.

 

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

 

She complained that she had been vilified in "the court of social media" after the story went viral online especially in her native Buriram. 

 

She said she had even contemplated suicide.

 

In response to the furor she has paid 20,000 baht back after putting her daughter's motorcycle into an HP agreement.

 

She said she would return the remaining 110,000 in instalments by working. 

 

Wirawan was contacted by the press and said that Saowanee had been in touch to apologize and had returned 20,000 of the outstanding money.

 

She was concerned by her statement made earlier that she was prepared to go to jail rather than pay back the residue of the money.

 

She wants to see if Saowanee means her apology and left it in the hands of the police to follow up. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-05-19

 

- 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

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

After being found Saowanee said it was a mistake and advised people not to make off with others' money that isn't theirs.

Thank you so much for this magnificent lesson in morals and ethics... thief!

I wonder if you had dished out the same sage advice if you had NOT been apprehended.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

It has been my experience that with Thai people, once money changes hands---even wrongly---that immediately and automatically becomes THEIR money. It's a perception thing, an immediate perception shift. 

 

I know a woman who paid in advance for an iron worker to build her an iron gate for her house. A year went by, no gate. Two years went by, no gate! When she FINALLY demanded her money back, the iron worker acted like he couldn't understand why HE should have to give her HIS money! (She didn't want to involve the police, but finally had to.) 

 

Once the money was in HIS hands, it was HIS money, not HERS! 

 

I've seen at least a dozen other examples of this, over time. 

 

So, it doesn't surprise me in the least that when this woman received a bunch of money she KNEW didn't belong to her........ she rushed out and spent a bunch. 

 

And it doesn't surprise me in the least that she might think she'd be entitled to pay back the unpaid in payments.......... because she can't even grasp the fact that the money ISN'T HERS! 

 

It's in her hands........... therefore......... IT'S HERS! 

 

Why is this person---the person who made the mistake in the first place---expecting her to give them HER money? (Not give back the money......... just GIVE the money!) 

 

(We have one pending ourselves, right now. We advanced some money to do some roof work, and the guy just stopped showing up. Okay, that happens. But when my wife asks for the advance money back.......... he acts like he has no idea what we're talking about. He has HIS money........ but none of OURS....... even though he's never done the work! ????????????)

 

All kinds of people in the world! 

 

Cheers! 

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

After being found Saowanee said it was a mistake and advised people not to make off with others' money that isn't theirs.

Thanks for the advice love, but you're not exactly in the position to be preaching morals to others ????.

 

I am totally OCD about checking the account numbers before I send money on banking apps. I check it 5 times times, click OK then check it another 5 times before clicking Confirm. Because I am in no doubt about how hard it would be to get money back if I accidentally transferred it to the wrong person. Getting money back off a Thai is like getting blood out of a stone, even if you are obviously in the right. I doubt this woman will ever see the full amount repaid.

 

I wonder how she managed to spend so much in such a short period of time. It doesn't look like she spent it on house renovations or clothes. Maybe paying off old debts? Gambling? A week in a 5 star hotel/spa? 

[KanchanaburiGuy]

11 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Thanks for the advice love, but you're not exactly in the position to be preaching morals to others ????.

 

I am totally OCD about checking the account numbers before I send money on banking apps. I check it 5 times times, click OK then check it another 5 times before clicking Confirm. Because I am in no doubt about how hard it would be to get money back if I accidentally transferred it to the wrong person. Getting money back off a Thai is like getting blood out of a stone, even if you are obviously in the right. I doubt this woman will ever see the full amount repaid.

 

I wonder how she managed to spend so much in such a short period of time. It doesn't look like she spent it on house renovations or clothes. Maybe paying off old debts? Gambling? A week in a 5 star hotel/spa? 

My first guess......... Bought gold.

 

And, of course, once she HAS the gold, she's not going to give it up.

 

Gold is not just security in Thailand, it's prestige. 

[timendres]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She complained that she had been vilified in "the court of social media" after the story went viral online especially in her native Buriram. 

Because what you did is vile.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She said she would return the remaining 110,000 in instalments by working. 

The person waiting for this money would have better odds buying lottery tickets.

[worgeordie]

Thought she had won the lottery ,without buying a ticket, 

quickly went on spending the money, not sure why she just

paid half back, not so bad a crime ? , 

Then she goes on to say , "advised people not to make off with others' money that isn't theirs. "  if only she had followed her own advice, 

 

Then she goes on to say...she had been vilified in "the court of social media" after the story went viral online especially in her native Buriram. 

Yes because you stole someone's money.... 

regards worgeordie

[kotsak]

she'll work to pay off the debt in instalments

 

[Hellfire]

Poor people in Thailand are damned. It is so hard for them to make it out of poverty. The system does everything to keep them poor (and uneducated). I guess, she never had such a big sum of money at her disposal before. I really cannot blame her for her actions. I prefer to blame the corrupt system which keeps millions of hard working people poor and without any hope for a better future.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Hellfire

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

It has been my experience that with Thai people, once money changes hands---even wrongly---that immediately and automatically becomes THEIR money. It's a perception thing, an immediate perception shift. 

 

I know a woman who paid in advance for an iron worker to build her an iron gate for her house. A year went by, no gate. Two years went by, no gate! When she FINALLY demanded her money back, the iron worker acted like he couldn't understand why HE should have to give her HIS money! (She didn't want to involve the police, but finally had to.) 

 

Once the money was in HIS hands, it was HIS money, not HERS! 

 

I've seen at least a dozen other examples of this, over time. 

 

So, it doesn't surprise me in the least that when this woman received a bunch of money she KNEW didn't belong to her........ she rushed out and spent a bunch. 

 

And it doesn't surprise me in the least that she might think she'd be entitled to pay back the unpaid in payments.......... because she can't even grasp the fact that the money ISN'T HERS! 

 

It's in her hands........... therefore......... IT'S HERS! 

 

Why is this person---the person who made the mistake in the first place---expecting her to give them HER money? (Not give back the money......... just GIVE the money!) 

 

(We have one pending ourselves, right now. We advanced some money to do some roof work, and the guy just stopped showing up. Okay, that happens. But when my wife asks for the advance money back.......... he acts like he has no idea what we're talking about. He has HIS money........ but none of OURS....... even though he's never done the work! ????????????)

 

All kinds of people in the world! 

 

Cheers! 

You never give any sort of contractor here all the money in advance. A small deposit maybe. If he is known to you. I do agree it is hard to get money back from most Thais.

 

The tale of the One Way store. Great stuff. You could not make this stuff up, if you tried! I went to a local mini mart. Bought six bottles of soda water. The old guy told me I had to pay 5 baht deposit, per bottle. I said ok. Went back with my bottles later, and wanted to buy some more. He quoted me a price that did not take into account my 30 baht deposit. I said I get the deposit back, and then pay you for the water, right? He said no, the deposit is one way! I would have been upset, if I was not laughing so hard. I said no, this farang is one way, that way, and never come back. I took my bottles and left. It was well worth it. Have been telling that story to my friends for weeks. We all love it!

I have had hundreds of these kinds of encounters here in LOS. Always amazed by them. There is a complete disregard for the future, for future patronage, for the idea of loyalty, and rewarding you for such. It has happened with merchants I had been dealing with for years. Over tiny amounts of money. Of course, they lose me for life. But, they do not seem to care one iota.

I am a business owner. I will do nearly anything to retain a loyal customer. Whatever it takes. A full refund, an exchange, just tell me what you want. Here? None of that. Tomorrow? Why think about tomorrow, when I can make an extra 30 baht today?

 

[LennyW]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You never give any sort of contractor here all the money in advance. A small deposit maybe. If he is known to you. I do agree it is hard to get money back from most Thais.

 

The tale of the One Way store. Great stuff. You could not make this stuff up, if you tried! I went to a local mini mart. Bought six bottles of soda water. The old guy told me I had to pay 5 baht deposit, per bottle. I said ok. Went back with my bottles later, and wanted to buy some more. He quoted me a price that did not take into account my 30 baht deposit. I said I get the deposit back, and then pay you for the water, right? He said no, the deposit is one way! I would have been upset, if I was not laughing so hard. I said no, this farang is one way, that way, and never come back. I took my bottles and left. It was well worth it. Have been telling that story to my friends for weeks. We all love it!

I have had hundreds of these kinds of encounters here in LOS. Always amazed by them. There is a complete disregard for the future, for future patronage, for the idea of loyalty, and rewarding you for such. It has happened with merchants I had been dealing with for years. Over tiny amounts of money. Of course, they lose me for life. But, they do not seem to care one iota.

I am a business owner. I will do nearly anything to retain a loyal customer. Whatever it takes. A full refund, an exchange, just tell me what you want. Here? None of that. Tomorrow? Why think about tomorrow, when I can make an extra 30 baht today?

 

Ah.....thats why wholesalers call it Soda one way!

[alekth85]

7 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

Poor people in Thailand are damned. It is so hard for them to make it out of poverty. The system does everything to keep them poor (and uneducated). I guess, she never had such a big sum of money at her disposal before. I really cannot blame her for her actions. I prefer to blame the corrupt system which keeps millions of hard working people poor and without any hope for a change.
 

Well... you should just sh*t on her for being desperate and poor. Just look at the other comments to see how that's done.
Forget sense.

 

[spidermike007]

Lock her up in debtors prison, until a family member can come up with the cash! Old school! 

[JonnyF]

9 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

Poor people in Thailand are damned. It is so hard for them to make it out of poverty. The system does everything to keep them poor (and uneducated). I guess, she never had such a big sum of money at her disposal before. I really cannot blame her for her actions. I prefer to blame the corrupt system which keeps millions of hard working people poor and without any hope for a better future.

 

 

A lot of them are too lazy to try and break out of the rut in my experience. We have a farm near Korat and trying to get them to work is really difficult. A lot of them don't have any money or any job but would still rather sit around on their porches gossiping all day and stealing fruit off other people's trees at night (often ours) than go and earn money. Then they moan about how poor they are. 

 

Same as the rice farmers. A lot of them plant the rice and then just sit around waiting a few months for it to grow. If that was me, I'd be doing other work during that downtime to pay the bills but they just sit in the hammock waiting for harvest time. Then when it's harvest time they pay a machine to harvest it and lose about 30% of their profit because they don't want to do a few days work in the field. 

 

The one's who do work, seem to do OK. We know a few builders who do a good job and they are always busy, have relatively new trucks, decent house, kids are well dressed etc. 

 

It's like when I was at Uni, all the other students wondering why I was always cashed up during term time. It was because I was working 7 days a week as a labourer on a building site during the holidays while they were lounging around at their parents house waiting for term to start. Then they'd moan they hit their overdraft limit half way through each term. 

 

I'm not saying it's easy, but they really don't help themselves a lot of the time. There are obviously exceptions.

[Hellfire]

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

A lot of them are too lazy to try and break out of the rut in my experience. We have a farm near Korat and trying to get them to work is really difficult. A lot of them don't have any money or any job but would still rather sit around on their porches gossiping all day and stealing fruit off other people's trees at night (often ours) than go and earn money. Then they moan about how poor they are. 

 

Same as the rice farmers. A lot of them plant the rice and then just sit around waiting a few months for it to grow. If that was me, I'd be doing other work during that downtime to pay the bills but they just sit in the hammock waiting for harvest time. Then when it's harvest time they pay a machine to harvest it and lose about 30% of their profit because they don't want to do a few days work in the field. 

 

The one's who do work, seem to do OK. We know a few builders who do a good job and they are always busy, have relatively new trucks, decent house, kids are well dressed etc. 

 

It's like when I was at Uni, all the other students wondering why I was always cashed up during term time. It was because I was working 7 days a week as a labourer on a building site during the holidays while they were lounging around at their parents house waiting for term to start. Then they'd moan they hit their overdraft limit half way through each term. 

 

I'm not saying it's easy, but they really don't help themselves a lot of the time. There are obviously exceptions.

 And what about that 10 usd wage per day? With the family to feed? Working under the hot sun? Would you still be able to succeed when paid so little for the hardest kinds of work? And this is the reality for the most of poor people in Thailand. “There are obviously exceptions”.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Hellfire

[JonnyF]

20 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

 And what about that 10 usd wage per day? With the family to feed? Working under the hot sun? Would you still be able to succeed when paid so little for the hardest kinds of work? And this is the reality for the most of poor people in Thailand. “There are obviously exceptions”.

 

 

Actually we offer a decent (by local standards) wage for quite easy work. Cleaning the inside of our house (with the air con available) for example. Washing up. Laundry, dusting etc.  Maybe some light gardening like pulling weeds out of the driveway either early morning or late afternoon when it's not too hot.

 

We add on lunch and normally offer them some fruit to take home at the end of the day. If they work for us for a while we'll get them small gifts for Songkran and other events (rice cooker, electric fan etc.). Drop them off at the market at the end of the day if they need.

 

Still often there are no takers (have to go to temple, have to visit cousin etc.). Then we see them gossiping with each other on the porch when we drive past. Then they come and ask to borrow money which they have no intention of paying back. 

 

That is my experience. They have every excuse in the book and play the victim, same as this woman.

[Jimbo 12345]

Keep the money,  it wasn't your fault some idiot put money into your account,  I don't blame you at all. 

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

She made the obligatory "wai" for the press.

Did it to me, she'd hit my fist on the way down

[JeffersLos]

Quote

Thai woman who kept wrongly transferred money says she'll work to pay off the debt 

As what, as a standup comedian? 

[Hellfire]

39 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Actually we offer a decent (by local standards) wage for quite easy work. Cleaning the inside of our house (with the air con available) for example. Washing up. Laundry, dusting etc.  Maybe some light gardening like pulling weeds out of the driveway either early morning or late afternoon when it's not too hot.

 

We add on lunch and normally offer them some fruit to take home at the end of the day. If they work for us for a while we'll get them small gifts for Songkran and other events (rice cooker, electric fan etc.). Drop them off at the market at the end of the day if they need.

 

Still often there are no takers (have to go to temple, have to visit cousin etc.). Then we see them gossiping with each other on the porch when we drive past. Then they come and ask to borrow money which they have no intention of paying back. 

 

That is my experience. They have every excuse in the book and play the victim, same as this woman.

 What your post with your limited personal experience has to do with the FACT that majority of the Thai people are paid pennies for their work? 
 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Hellfire

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

She wants to see if Saowanee means her apology and left it in the hands of the police to follow up

Good luck in getting repaid then.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A seafood and pork trader in Samut Sakhon called Wirawan Chuatpong, 40, had transferred 293,439 baht to the account of Saowanee by mistake. She got one digit wrong on a banking app.

 

She returned 160,000 baht but said she had spent the rest then went to ground leaving her cats

So what did she buy with the 133,439 baht?

She can't earn that kind of money but sure can spend it.

[GrandPapillon]

the victim will never see that money back,

 

the thief knew it wasn't hers, but still took the opportunity, and thought it was a sign of good luck

 

like finding a bag full of cash in the street,

 

you take the money and run, and buy a ton of gold, which is easy to keep and hide ????

 

[JonnyF]

8 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

 What your post with your limited personal experience has to do with the FACT that majority of the Thai people are paid pennies for their work? 
 

 

Not really limited experience. Quite a few years now with many Thai people.

 

I would have thought my point was fairly obvious. Try reading it again, slowly this time.

 

Wages are low, I would agree but that's the way the Thai economy works. Raise the minimum wage to 2000 Baht a day if you like and see what happens. 

 

The point stands that while some of them work their way up from 300 Baht a day to maybe owning a food stall, then a small shophouse selling food, then a small restaurant etc. others just sit there and moan, gossip, play the victim, do nothing and steal from others who can be bothered to get off their backside. 

[rwill]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The tale of the One Way store. Great stuff. You could not make this stuff up, if you tried! I went to a local mini mart. Bought six bottles of soda water. The old guy told me I had to pay 5 baht deposit, per bottle. I said ok. Went back with my bottles later, and wanted to buy some more. He quoted me a price that did not take into account my 30 baht deposit. I said I get the deposit back, and then pay you for the water, right? He said no, the deposit is one way! I would have been upset, if I was not laughing so hard. I said no, this farang is one way, that way, and never come back. I took my bottles and left. It was well worth it. Have been telling that story to my friends for weeks. We all love it!

Was he going to charge you 5 baht per bottle again?  Or was it just an even exchange of bottles?

[Hellfire]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

Wages are low, I would agree but that's the way the Thai economy works. 

I would say, that’s the way most of the corrupted societies’ economy works. 
And again, your opinion about Thai people being generally lazy is not obvious in any way since it stems from your personal and limited experience. My own experience, for example, is quite different: some of the hardest working people in the world. And still, unacceptably poor (most of them).

[Hellfire]

I remember now the calloused, rough hands of my ex-girlfriend's father. His sun-wrinkled face. This man worked hard all his life and at the same time had no any savings and not even a decent house. And now some pampered farang is telling me about lazy Thai people...

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Hellfire

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

I would say, that’s the way most of the corrupted societies’ economy works. 
And again, your opinion about Thai people being generally lazy is not obvious in any way since it stems from your personal and limited experience. My own experience, for example, is quite different: some of the hardest working people in the world. And still, unacceptably poor (most of them).

Like I said, increase minimum wage to 2000 Baht if you like. Watch the price of essential goods skyrocket, watch the foreign manufacturers pull out and setup elsewhere, watch local businesses close down, watch the export market crash and burn. 

 

Thais are some of the hardest working people in the world? ???? I've been working here myself for 16 years, worked with Thais, employed Thais, worked for Thais. You must be living in a different Thailand to me. Of course there are some hard working Thais but there are also a lot that would rather steal or cheat (or just remain poor and moan about it) than work hard.

[spidermike007]

27 minutes ago, rwill said:

Was he going to charge you 5 baht per bottle again?  Or was it just an even exchange of bottles?

NO. That was my point. I give him back his bottles, and he charges me a new 5 baht per bottle deposit. Huh? Really? Kind of a new twist on things. One way deposits, redefined! 

[Hellfire]

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Like I said, increase minimum wage to 2000 Baht if you like. Watch the price of essential goods skyrocket, watch the foreign manufacturers pull out and setup elsewhere, watch local businesses close down, watch the export market crash and burn. 

 

Thais are some of the hardest working people in the world? ???? I've been working here myself for 16 years, worked with Thais, employed Thais, worked for Thais. You must be living in a different Thailand to me. Of course there are some hard working Thais but there are also a lot that would rather steal or cheat (or just remain poor and moan about it) than work hard.

You know, if my only option was to work in the construction or in the rice field for 300 baht a day - I would prefer to steal or sell drugs instead.