Four men suspected of being a part of a predatory lending group turned themselves over to the police on Saturday evening. The quartet was accused of physically assaulting a 72-year-old woman because she failed to repay a loan of 10,000 baht in the Chok Chai district of Bangkok.

 

Commander Thanantorn Rattanapaksatid of the Metropolitan Police Division 4 stated the accused individuals, known only by their first names as Sophon, 27, Kenwit, 32, Natthawut, 27, and Sirisorn, 25, handed themselves over to the authorities at Chok Chai police station following police pressure.

 

The group is believed to have attacked Siripen Opastiangtham on July 21. They reportedly struck her in the face and kicked her legs, risking her losing her vision.

 

According to Commander Thanantorn, while Kenwit denied any involvement, the others confessed to the assault, stating they attacked her only once due to the delay in her daily debt repayment for July 20.

 

 

Charges brought upon them include assault, providing loans without a license, and violent methods of debt collection. Furthermore, officers found Kenwit had two previous arrest warrants in connection to similar assaults on borrowers from 2018 and 2023.

 

The issue came to light after Ms. Siripen lodged a complaint on July 20 and did not see any progress in her case.

 

In search of assistance, she reached out to Ekapop Luengprasert, a consultant to the Interior Minister and creator of the Sai Mai Tong Rod Facebook page.

 

Ms. Siripen mentioned she had taken a loan of 10,000 baht from the group after repaying a prior 6,000-baht loan from May. They demanded a daily repayment of 1,000 baht over 24 days.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-29

 

 

- Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

And is the poor lady eligible for the vote-buying 10,000 baht.

Does she have a smart phone, internet access?