Relative Arrested for Threatening to Kill Debtor’s Family in Loan Dispute

Picture of arrest.

A man has been arrested in Krabi on 23 February, after allegedly threatening to kill a debtor’s family and abduct their daughter in an attempt to reclaim a loan. The suspect, identified as Mr Phairot, 35, was taken into custody at a petrol station in Khlong Phon, Khlong Thom District, Krabi Province, under a warrant issued by the Krabi Provincial Court.

The case came to light when Ms Rattanakorn, 31, a mother of three, sought legal assistance from the Krabi Lawyers' Council. She claimed that Mr Phairot, her lender and a relative, had issued chilling threats, including the abduction and sexual assault of her daughter. He also allegedly posted a video outside her child’s school and demanded excessive interest rates, leaving her family in fear.

Following an urgent police investigation, officers from the Crime Suppression Division and Krabi Provincial Investigation Unit tracked down and arrested the suspect. Senior officers, including Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Khajornklin and Pol Maj Gen Lertchai Champathong, had ordered an expedited response due to the severity of the case and public concern.

Upon his arrest, Mr Phairot admitted to lending money to Ms Rattanakorn but insisted it was an informal arrangement between relatives. He claimed that he only demanded the repayment of THB 40,000 and denied being a professional moneylender. He also admitted to using an image of a firearm from the internet to intimidate the debtor, stating it was merely a scare tactic.

In his defence, Mr Phairot refuted allegations that he charged hourly interest rates. While he confessed to threatening Ms Rattanakorn, he maintained that he never intended to physically harm her or her family. His partner corroborated this account, stating that they had initially lent money to help the debtor invest in an oil business.

However, when Ms Rattanakorn struggled to repay the loan, tensions escalated, leading to further borrowing requests. The suspect’s partner argued that the exaggerated claims of excessive interest rates and multiple victims were false, stating that the couple had only ever lent money to this one individual out of sympathy.

Police searched the suspect’s home for further evidence before transferring him to Sai Khao Police Station for formal charges. Mr Phairot now faces four serious offences:

• Charging illegal interest rates – lending money at rates exceeding legal limits.
• Operating an unauthorised moneylending business – providing loans without a licence.
• Extortion – threatening violence to force repayment.
• Intimidation- Instilling fear through threats and making statements that caused distress to the victim.

Authorities have denied bail at this stage due to the gravity of the allegations.

-- 2025-02-24