Spreaders of Conspiracy Theories: Unmasking the Motivations Behind the Lies

[bluesofa]

I saw a news article about an elephant foundation in Lampang and a Thai trader in Chonburi.

Apparently confusion arose when donations for the bank account of the elephant foundation started to arrive in the Chonburi trader’s bank account.

 

The news report (I saw it in Khaosod English) said the Chonburi woman had linked her bank account using the new Prompt Pay sytem. Her mobile number to link to her own account happened to be the same as the elephant foundations bank account number, causing the confusion.

 

However, this doesn’t seem to ring true to me.
Granted, Thai bank accounts are ten digits long, the same as mobile numbers. I had a look, and according the the Friends of the Asian Elephant facebook page, their account with the Bank of Ayudhya in Lampang starts with the digits 040.

Thai mobile numbers at present begin with either 06, 08, or 09.

04 phone numbers are landlines located in Issan. Specifically 040 is not even a valid area code with that group.

 

The only possible way I can see the above being correct is if the elephant charity have changed their bank account due to the confusion.

 

It does seem to prove the Prompt Pay system is still not foolproof, despite having been delayed and re-launched very recently. Or am I being too harsh – maybe it’s the people making donations who aren’t reading all the information?

 

 

 

Note:
Since writing the above I’ve just noticed in the Nation that it does list a Kasikorn Bank a account beginning 088, and doesn’t mention the Bank of Ayudhya 040 account.

 

That does seem to indicate the people making donations aren’t following the instructions.

Either that or there's not yet enough understanding of Prompt Pay and using a mobile number to link to it.