Unpaid Phone Bill Debt To Cat

[ChiangMaiThai]

My firend came out from the US for six months this year. My girlfriend offered to lend her name so he could get a mobile with GPRS, long distance calling etc. My friend went back two months ago and soon after my girlfriend receives a bill from CAT for 25,000 baht worth of calls to the US. My friend says he doesn't have the money, but maybe can pay someting each month. Needless to say, I'm not real impressed.

CAT sent a letter today saying that if its not received in 15 days they will pursue legal action.

Does anyone know what exactly they will do?

Will they garnish her wages?

Do Thais have credit reports and will this end up as a blemish on her credit report?

Is CAT like some US companies that will work out monthly pay plans?

I could cover it all, but I would rather wait until I recoup the money from my friend or use his monthly payments to me to pay it down slowly.

Thanks for any advice.

[lopburi3]

Your friend.

Your girlfriend.

I could cover it all,

I think you answered yourself.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Your friend.

Your girlfriend.

I could cover it all,

I think you answered yourself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I know that there is no credit report for Thais and CAT will do nothing more than send letters, then I am okay with paying them off monthly with my friend's money and not involving my own funds...

[lopburi3]

CAT is the government. Your GF I am sure was doing you the favor. Now you are OK with her taking the heat when you can easily avoid it?

[Tywais]

If I know that there is no credit report for Thais and CAT will do nothing more than send letters, then I am okay with paying them off monthly with my friend's money and not involving my own funds...

They do have credit reports and you (GF) can get blacklisted and find getting credit in the future difficult. They can also send out a collection agency who will hound you and if no further action on your part can and will take you to court after contacting the police. It would be best to contact them and see about monthly payments or else bite the bullet and make full payment.

This is not a guess on my part but first hand experience.

[ChiangMaiThai]

lopburi, the whole point of the post is to find out if she will take any heat for it or not. If she will, I will take care of it. If she won't I'm sure CAT will make do with 5,000 a month for 5 months.

But from tywais, it seems that it must be paid. Thanks for the first hand info.

[HarryHacker]

....morals?

[Khutan]

A similar thing happened with my wife and AIS, they just hold the account open until its paid and no new connections / calls etc.

[Dragonman]

A similar thing happened with my wife and AIS, they just hold the account open until its paid and no new connections / calls etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is the normal procedure.

There is a credit report system, but it was out of use for a considerable time and is not reliable.They will accept monthly payments, as most thais don't pay their bills at some time. Attachment orders can be made to wages, but this is in extreme circumstances. Reach an agreement on payments.

[CaptainIgloo]

Hi there

I had the same pb with CAT after some international phone calls from my mobile.

I paid just before litigation and i haven't had any news from then after (though i still cant make any international phone call from my mobile ...)

All I can tell you is that thailand has a unique credit bureau called NCB (natioanl CB). So your friend may be blacklisted if CAT is an NCB contributor (you can check that last point easily through the web)

good luck.

[kayo]

They will find the girl, the friend, you and all of your relatives and chop you into small pieces and fed you to their carnivorous pink elephants, said the menacing clown, with an equally menacing grin..... Hmuahh!!

[Heng]

If your girl doesn't have any real estate holdings and doesn't plan to have any for the rest of her life, then no worries at all, nothing for the court to seize.

[lovethailandlongtime]

If your girl doesn't have any real estate holdings and doesn't plan to have any for the rest of her life, then no worries at all, nothing for the court to seize. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a mod on here that goes about closing threads like this....

He is known to very emotional when it comes to "credit"

[Firefan]

Your friend caused this. I would cover it immidiately and consider the repayment from your friend to you a completely different issue.

Of course she will take heat... Heck they have just threatened with legal action - how much "heat" do you need?

Cheers!

[Heng]

If your girl doesn't have any real estate holdings and doesn't plan to have any for the rest of her life, then no worries at all, nothing for the court to seize. 

There is a mod on here that goes about closing threads like this....

He is known to very emotional when it comes to "credit"

And what does that have to do with my post? I'm certainly not suggesting he/she run from their creditor. In fact, not being able to own real estate for the rest of one's life in the LOS is a pretty harsh/sad sentence/deterrence in itself.

[ASIC]

CAT will sue. I know it from experience.

[billd766]

My firend came out from the US for six months this year. My girlfriend offered to lend her name so he could get a mobile with GPRS, long distance calling etc.  My friend went back two months ago and soon after my girlfriend receives a bill from CAT for 25,000 baht worth of calls to the US. My friend says he doesn't have the money, but maybe can pay someting each month. Needless to say, I'm not real impressed.

CAT sent a letter today saying that if its not received in 15 days they will pursue legal action.

Does anyone know what exactly they will do?

Will they garnish her wages?

Do Thais have credit reports and will this end up as a blemish on her credit report?

Is CAT like some US companies that will work out monthly pay plans?

I could cover it all, but I would rather wait until I recoup the money from my friend or use his monthly payments to me to pay it down slowly.

Thanks for any advice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it was my "friend" who came over here for 6 months and my girlfriend who did him the favour then I would pay the debt myself because after all is is my girlfriend who has the direct problem with CAT. I would then explain to my "friend" that he owes ME the 25,000 baht or $600 + dollars and that I want MY money now. If he can afford to come to Thailand for 6 months then he can afford the money he owes. If he does not pay up then write him off as any sort of "friend" as he is obviously a cheap charlie and willing to run up debts on somebody elses account and then walk away saying "Sorry about that".

Alternatively if he does come out again I am sure that you will be able to find someone who would help you recover your debt for a reasonable commission.

Edited October 12, 2005 by billd766

[Heng]

CAT will sue. I know it from experience.

Absolutely. They even charge interest on the debt. Hear about 1-2 cases a year. And they'll wait too... an aquaintence of mine had a bill ran up by scammers back when she didn't own anything. 3-4 years later when she finally saved up enough to buy a townhouse, like magic, 30 days later a court summons shows up at her tabien baan address for her new condo. Court found in CAT's favor and now she's paying the debt down monthly (she negotiated it down into payments, and they reduced about half the interest or something like that; but yeah, they'll get their principle).

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Ole CMT has ducked for cover as per usual

[Gary A]

I agree with most of the opinions. The girl did it for you and your friend is the one who is at fault. Pay the bill and get the heat off your girlfriend. Choose your friends more carefully in the future.