Woman who set herself ablaze over debt dies
By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- After clinging to life for five months, the distraught woman who set herself ablaze at a government complaint center died last night at Vajira Hospital.

Sangwien Raksapetch, 52 of Lopburi, had been treated at the hospital following her Oct. 14 self-immolation at a junta complaint center where she was seeking relief from an exploitative creditor she said was going to take her land.

The office later claimed it was in the process of making calls on Sangwien’s behalf when she exlaimed "You can't help me, can you?" and set herself on fire.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/03/17/woman-who-set-herself-ablaze-over-debt-dies


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-03-17

And this act would stop the land from being taken away? A somewhat one way of thought, from the start of getting money into her hands, to lighting herself up.

I feel very sorry for the death of this woman.

What she's gone through and what she's suffered it's unbelievable.

But that's not the way to end your life for financial or other reasons.

Most of us we gone through very difficult times in our lives and others are still and will be suffering for the rest of their lives.

But I believe it takes certain abnormalities in ones mind to end his/her life, especially in that horrible way.

May she Rest in Peace.

RIP to the unfortunate misguided woman.

Woman dies from burns suffered five months ago in suicide attempt at government House



BANGKOK: -- A Lop Buri woman who burned herself at Government House in October 14 last year to protest bureaucratic delay in treating her debt burden complaint died on Monday night after five months treatment for serious burns at Vajira hospital.

Sangwien Raksaphet, 52, from Tambon Wangchan in Lop Buri’s Khok Samrong district, filed debt complaint with the Government House people’s service centre on Oct 14.

She complained with authorities of being cheated by a local creditor whom she had borrowed from using her land title deeds as collateral.

But she said she missed repayments several times, prompting the creditor to demand 1.5 million baht from her in accumulated debt which she said was a cheating.

Upset by delay to handle her case, she asked a complaint officer whether he could help she then took out a bottle of petrol, poured the fuel over herself and set it ablaze with a lighter.

She sufferred burns to 40% of her body and was immediately admitted to Vajira hospital for treatment.

Learning of the suicide attempt, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the authorities to provide full assistance to her.

Her creditor also agreed to give up all her debts.

Sangwien died at the hospital at about 10 pm on Monday.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/woman-dies-from-burns-suffered-five-months-ago-in-suicide-attempt-at-government-house


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-17

Shame they cancelled her debt, so she did it for nothing poor woman and heartfelt sorry's to the ones she left behind.

And this act would stop the land from being taken away? A somewhat one way of thought, from the start of getting money into her hands, to lighting herself up.

You don't know much about Thai's and their culture, do you?

The debts not cleared.....who's the next of kin........?

Never ever borrow money, and above all never even think of borrowing from a loan shark you will get burnt no pun intended just a fact. Rip in the pain is over I have an idea how it felt been burnt took years to heal still have the scars.

The debts not cleared.....who's the next of kin........?

From the OP

"Her creditor also agreed to give up all her debts."

The debts not cleared.....who's the next of kin........?

It was the exhorbitant interest that had not been paid that caused this and the loan shark cleared her of that debt after this unfortunate incident

Don't know what it is here, but elsewhere in Asia they have what's called the 5/6 rule, I lend you 5000, and you owe me 6,000 at months end... doesn't sound like much, but if you're on a limited income that can be the beginning of the end for many, you can't pay the 6,000, so you pay the interest of 1,000, after a year you've paid them 12,000 in interest and still owe the original 5,000 As an aside Companies in the UK like "Wonga" when fees etc. were added for payday loans were charging something like 2,000% per annum, yes thats right, two thousand percent, their TV ad's even clearly stated the %... Unbelievable that people still went for it. Don't think thats legal now, but it's still astronomical.

5/6? wow that's 20% per month, or 892% annual interest rate, if I've poked the right buttons.

5/6? wow that's 20% per month, or 892% annual interest rate, if I've poked the right buttons.

Yes, you did poke the right numbers, and there is one particular nationality, or ethnicity that do it to these people... I won't say who they are because I'm being very PC, but it's easy enough to find by going there or googling it.

Som na na.

Som na na.

Som Na na

It is sad when some one does this, but every one knows what they are getting into before they say yes to that loan, the trouble is, to many people say yes and regret it when its gone

Don't know what it is here, but elsewhere in Asia they have what's called the 5/6 rule, I lend you 5000, and you owe me 6,000 at months end... doesn't sound like much, but if you're on a limited income that can be the beginning of the end for many, you can't pay the 6,000, so you pay the interest of 1,000, after a year you've paid them 12,000 in interest and still owe the original 5,000 As an aside Companies in the UK like "Wonga" when fees etc. were added for payday loans were charging something like 2,000% per annum, yes thats right, two thousand percent, their TV ad's even clearly stated the %... Unbelievable that people still went for it. Don't think thats legal now, but it's still astronomical.

That's why many of the peoples debts were wiped clean and Wonga were fined and kicked off the tv, and not to mention the made up solicitor letters they were sending people were all bogus.

How this poor woman must have suffered,her extensive burns would have been horrendous,may she now rest in peace for eternity!

Full marks to Prime Minister Prayut for this statement: "Learning of the suicide attempt, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the authorities to provide full assistance to her."

Don't know what it is here, but elsewhere in Asia they have what's called the 5/6 rule, I lend you 5000, and you owe me 6,000 at months end... doesn't sound like much, but if you're on a limited income that can be the beginning of the end for many, you can't pay the 6,000, so you pay the interest of 1,000, after a year you've paid them 12,000 in interest and still owe the original 5,000 As an aside Companies in the UK like "Wonga" when fees etc. were added for payday loans were charging something like 2,000% per annum, yes thats right, two thousand percent, their TV ad's even clearly stated the %... Unbelievable that people still went for it. Don't think thats legal now, but it's still astronomical.

That's why many of the peoples debts were wiped clean and Wonga were fined and kicked off the tv, and not to mention the made up solicitor letters they were sending people were all bogus.

When the loan sharks move in it's a sure sign of a country mismanaged and in decline!

Som na na.

Som Nam Na! and pray you never get in a financial fix, that's what crooks prey on!

Don't know what it is here, but elsewhere in Asia they have what's called the 5/6 rule, I lend you 5000, and you owe me 6,000 at months end... doesn't sound like much, but if you're on a limited income that can be the beginning of the end for many, you can't pay the 6,000, so you pay the interest of 1,000, after a year you've paid them 12,000 in interest and still owe the original 5,000 As an aside Companies in the UK like "Wonga" when fees etc. were added for payday loans were charging something like 2,000% per annum, yes thats right, two thousand percent, their TV ad's even clearly stated the %... Unbelievable that people still went for it. Don't think thats legal now, but it's still astronomical.

That's why many of the peoples debts were wiped clean and Wonga were fined and kicked off the tv, and not to mention the made up solicitor letters they were sending people were all bogus.

Thanks Cookee, I've been over here in Thai, so I didn't know how that played out with Wonga, but when I was in the UK and saw those (oh so cute) TV ads for Wonga and their interest rates I was horrified, and asked my Brit friends what the heck? in N. America we call that Usury and it's a prison-able offence? They just shrugged. It's no wonder people see no way out.

It is sad when some one does this, but every one knows what they are getting into before they say yes to that loan, the trouble is, to many people say yes and regret it when its gone

Not "entirely" true.

Few people in Thailand can count with percentage and even less so with accumulated interest. The lenders do and their ONLY objective is to lend money, preferably to someone that doesn't understand it.

I call this "anti-teaching" - taking advantage of people without knowledge and teach them wrong. This on the other hand is a widespread phenomenon.

It is sad when some one does this, but every one knows what they are getting into before they say yes to that loan, the trouble is, to many people say yes and regret it when its gone

Not "entirely" true.

Few people in Thailand can count with percentage and even less so with accumulated interest. The lenders do and their ONLY objective is to lend money, preferably to someone that doesn't understand it.

I call this "anti-teaching" - taking advantage of people without knowledge and teach them wrong. This on the other hand is a widespread phenomenon.

Well said MrYang.. I trust the lenders will get their Karma when the time comes.

Why do so many people hope that "Karma" will be some sort of punishment? Are criminals really concerned about "Karma"? Justice should be handed out now, speedily and transparently. "Karma" sounds somewhat like a western religion, pray and you will be forgiven (much beloved of those "born again")! Do not be concerned about the victim, look after yourself first.

My condolences to her family and may this poor tortured soul rest in peace.

she probably costed the tax payer about 10x what she owed