I left a credit dispute unattended in the US and to my horror the creditor got a court judgments without my knowledge which allowed them to simply debit my US bank account for the full amount of their claim plus expenses. A big shock to a guy who always paid his bills on time. Is this practice as easily applied to Thai bank accounts? Any experience on this appreciated.

Might be slightly different to what the OP is saying, but still very relevant :

A few years ago, I was paying my electric bill by a monthly direct debit. Upon leaving for Europe for a couple of years, we rented the house out, and cancelled all our own direct debits.

For 4 months, the tenant regularly paid his own electric bill by cash. He then went on a holiday. During that time, the electric bill came, and also went past the due date.

Technically, the bill was 'overdue'. Since the electric company still had my own bank details on file, they decided to debit my bank account, despite the mandate being cancelled at both bank and electric company.

Result was that the tenant reimbursed me, and continues to be in the house 5 years on. But the main result is that I NEVER give my bank details to any organisations here, and certainly don't use the Thai Direct Debit system.

Might be slightly different to what the OP is saying, but still very relevant :

A few years ago, I was paying my electric bill by a monthly direct debit. Upon leaving for Europe for a couple of years, we rented the house out, and cancelled all our own direct debits.

For 4 months, the tenant regularly paid his own electric bill by cash. He then went on a holiday. During that time, the electric bill came, and also went past the due date.

Technically, the bill was 'overdue'. Since the electric company still had my own bank details on file, they decided to debit my bank account, despite the mandate being cancelled at both bank and electric company.

Result was that the tenant reimbursed me, and continues to be in the house 5 years on. But the main result is that I NEVER give my bank details to any organisations here, and certainly don't use the Thai Direct Debit system.