British woman jailed after collecting debt from Thai millionaire

[ChipButty]

3 hours ago, riverhigh said:

Another one of those articles lacking in detail. From the article I have no idea what was the dispute between her and her client. What was the alleged service she provided and did not get paid?

Wait for the book to arrive

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

British woman jailed after collecting debt from Thai millionaire

 

Seems to be in error.  She was in jail after not collecting a debt. 

 

She just got an expensive lesson in how business is done in countries like Thailand.  I'd be surprised if "debt collecting without a work permit" isn't on the list of charges.  And it apparently cost her over 2x the debt to get out of jail.

 

My heart goes out to her, but this is a cautionary tale for anyone contemplating anything similar.  If I was her, I'd be making my way to Swampy before they get really mean with her.  The client may have plans to visit the UK, in which case her breathing in and out would be inconvenient for him.

 

I'll bet she made him lose face. She should have contracted a Thai law firm to recover the debt.

[theblether]

Unbelievable part to me? If I had been unfairly jailed I'd be on the first aircraft out of the country, not wandering around various provinces. Reading that, it looks like she is still voluntarily in Thailand?  Truly unbelievable.

 

Scam alert.

 

 

[kimothai]

52 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

How would you go about collecting it?

I think I would start by consulting a lawyer with international business experience to see if the collection is even feasible.  A civil suit in court may also be an option.  All very time consuming.

[khunPer]

If someone don't pay business debt, you use a lawyer and court system – or write if off, if the debtor is from a foreign country, where there might be a doubtful debt collection...

[MangoKorat]

1 minute ago, kimothai said:

I think I would start by consulting a lawyer with international business experience to see if the collection is even feasible.  A civil suit in court may also be an option.  All very time consuming.

You would probably get very frustrated in Thailand + the civil court list probably extends into the next century.

[kimothai]

2 hours ago, thjames88 said:

why wouldnt you travel 13 hours to collect a 30k gbp debt?    sure there are holes but she didnt write the story   

Sounds like she thought if she showed up in person that she would be paid upon request.  Not much of a plan.  She should have gotten legal advice before jumping on a plane. 

[kimothai]

7 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

You would probably get very frustrated in Thailand + the civil court list probably extends into the next century.

I have no idea how long the que is for civil case, as I've always tried to avoid such situations.  It's still a way better option than staying in the monkey house IMHO.

[MangoKorat]

5 minutes ago, kimothai said:

I have no idea how long the que is for civil case, as I've always tried to avoid such situations.  It's still a way better option than staying in the monkey house IMHO.

Well, if all she did was try to collect a debt, I doubt she had any idea she could be arrested - would you?

[soi3eddie]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

If I was her, I'd be making my way to Swampy before they get really mean with her.

 

It say's she's on bail. In that case, they almost certainly have her passport.

 

[kimothai]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know about you, but a 30,000 pound debt is not something I would just write off.

I never said she write it off.  To think that the debtor is going to change their mind and pay the debt because she showed up at his front door seems a bit naive to me.

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, kimothai said:

I never said she write it off.  To think that the debtor is going to change their mind and pay the debt because she showed up at his front door seems a bit naive to me.

If she had never been to Thailand before, she probably did not understand how corrupt it can be.

[MangoKorat]

4 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

It say's she's on bail. In that case, they almost certainly have her passport.

 

She says she plans to return to the UK so maybe not.

[kimothai]

2 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

Well, if all she did was try to collect a debt, I doubt she had any idea she could be arrested - would you?

I agree, I wouldn't expect to be arrested.  No crime asking someone to repay their debt which brings me back to my original statement that there seems to be some holes in this story.  Something doesn't add up.

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

British private estate consultant,

 

Is this one of those situations where the 'real estate agent' (term used very loosely) claims 3% of the sale value for helping sell someones property ???

 

And... in this case when the sale went through she realised she was owed her 3% for her 'connections' in making the sale. 

 

The owner... knowing that all she'd done was post some photos and put them up on a WebPage decided that 3% (which could have been 3% of 32 million Baht property) decided he wasn't going to part with 1.28 million baht)

 

 

We've sold properties before and the agents use 'our own photos' to post on their page and then want the 3% if we get a sale - we tell the get get flooked too !!!

 

 

Thus: It could be, she had a property listed on some overseas sites etc....   but when she came here to claim her 'cut' was told to take a hike......    and when she made more of a nuisance of herself the business man pulled some strings.

[MangoKorat]

3 minutes ago, kimothai said:

I agree, I wouldn't expect to be arrested.  No crime asking someone to repay their debt which brings me back to my original statement that there seems to be some holes in this story.  Something doesn't add up.

If a rich Thai paid someone to arrest her claiming she'd attacked him etc. etc.  - it would happen.  There is very little that can't be bought in Thailand.

 

Not saying that's what happened, just raising the possibility.

[kimothai]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If she had never been to Thailand before, she probably did not understand how corrupt it can be.

In regard to the corruption in Thailand I totally agree. 

[Upnotover]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Is this one of those situations where the 'real estate agent' (term used very loosely) claims 3% of the sale value for helping sell someones property ???

More like some kind of slave trader....."Rachel Stallard. Private Household & Estate Management Recruitment"

[impulse]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

She lost 70.000 quid. Not just pocket money.

 

And it could have gone a lot worse for her.  Banged up for years or floating dead on a beach.  If they found the body at all.

 

 

[Thingamabob]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

The cleanest cell I have ever seen in Thailand. 

Are you a frequent inmate ?

[newbee2022]

Just now, impulse said:

 

And it could have gone a lot worse for her.  Banged up for years or floating dead on a beach.  If they found the body at all.

 

 

Yeah, in another blog I read she has plans to go home

[Ctkong]

3 hours ago, kimothai said:

Am I missing something? Why would someone travel half way around the world to collect a debt? Too many holes in this story to even comment. 

I have a true story to tell. My Singaporean friend who worked for a German firm in Singapore once told me a story of his German superior coming to Indonesia via Singapore to collect an unpaid debt of US$200,000  that was owed for more than a year. The Singapore office side was unable to collect on the debt thus the German was sent from head office instead. The German met up with the customer in Indonesia and after a couple of meeting at the customer’s office, the customer relented and paid the whole debt in Indonesia rupiah in front of the German guy .The debt was paid in full with photo and documents as evidence. However the Indonesian customer informed the German guy that he would not be responsible for the German guy’s money once he stepped outside his office. Given the state of security in Indonesia capital Jakarta at that time where people kill for less money, the German guy was reluctant to hold onto the cash.  The customer then came up with a solution to wire the money instead to the Singapore office . The German ,being not wanting to be responsible for the safe keeping of the cash, immediately agreed to the proposal. 
When told to the Singaporean manager later on about the proposal, my friend laughed at the German stating that the debt will never be paid and no money will be wired. He was right on the button there. 

[newbee2022]

41 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'll bet she made him lose face. She should have contracted a Thai law firm to recover the debt.

Maybe she did and the lawyers refused?

[Ctkong]

In Thailand, it is easy to make people disappear. The fee is cheap and plenty of opportunities to kidnap and murder people. Taxis can be fake and authorities bribed to turn the other way. People had been kidnapped by fake taxis in front of their hotel or kidnapped at the meeting place and nobody would be wiser. 
life is cheap here and many foreigners found that out to their detriment. 

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Yeah, in another blog I read she has plans to go home

 

She doesn't have to go home.  But I'd suggest she get out of Thailand.  I hear Bali's nice this time of year.

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Is this one of those situations where the 'real estate agent' (term used very loosely) claims 3% of the sale value for helping sell someones property ???

More like some kind of slave trader....."Rachel Stallard. Private Household & Estate Management Recruitment"

 

 

Yep... seems like that...   Seems she places 'service staff' at the homes of the wealthy - likely meaning they are highly trained etc..   they the wealthy guy has decided he's not going to pay......

 

Quote: 'All because a client who has millions didn't want to pay his staff wages or my fees,' she sa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-stallard-272aa516b/?originalSubdomain=uk

 

 

Sadly - this stuff happens all over the world - not just Thailand... but its seems this guy is powerful enough to be protected by the Thai justice system. 

 

- I've been owed 10's $$ for Promise of Quarantine payment (day rates) when going to work, only for the company to 'refuse' after the job was complete.

- The company I work for is owed $$ Millions by 'a government body' (not in Thailand) - the government simply are not paying it.

 

....  the big fish simply do not like to pay debt and refuse to pay upfront - its a sad facet of having to do business - they get away with it...  

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

To be paid for the work she did for the agreed price?

Strange woman?

 

She should expect that in the UK UK laws are enforced and in Thailand Thai laws are enforced.

Does she have a legal right to collect money for a UK invoice in Thailand? I doubt it.

 

Obviously, we all like to get paid. But we also should be aware of the legal situation.

And if she visited the person in Thailand and demanded money for a UK invoice and maybe she threatened the person then that might be illegal in Thailand.

Is it fair? Not really. But it's a good idea for all of us to follow the local laws wherever we are - even if we think it's not fair.

 

 

[Tiger1980]

And the British Embassy did nothing well we are not surprised at that.

They might as well close the place down.

[newbee2022]

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

She doesn't have to go home.  But I'd suggest she get out of Thailand.  I hear Bali's nice this time of year.

 

Well, I told you what she said in another blog. Home is UK. However, since she's still in Thailand plans could change.

[norsurin]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

It is a very believable story there are an awful lot of rich Thais here who are rather nasty and vindictive, and morally bankrupt. Their God is cash. There's no question that a guy in the right position could get the police to orchestrate something like this and the judiciary would be entirely cooperative for the right fee. 

 

It really just sounded like she out of her element, and had no understanding of how Thai society, the incredibly crooked cops and the bought and paid for judicial system here works. 

I agree with u.I had a high so friend in surin many years ago.He was wery nice and we went to karaoke together sometimes.But i feel sorry for the people owing him money.He was wery straight forward and if they didn't pay him back they would have alot of problem. He had many different business around surin and other places.His wife asked me if i could take him to karaoke and that's how we meet first time.I haven't see him after i left surin more then 7 year ago.