Debt-free, but at a terrible cost (Updated Friday)

The 1.5-million-baht debt owed by Sangvean Raksaphet, who suddenly set herself on fire on Wednesday while discussing her debt problem at a consumer protection office, was written off Thursday.

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Debt-free, but at a terrible cost

POST REPORTERS

The 1.5-million-baht debt owed by Sangvean Raksaphet, who suddenly set herself on fire on Wednesday while discussing her debt problem at a consumer protection office, was written off Thursday.

Lop Buri governor Thanakhom Jongjira negotiated with her creditor Thidarat Thep-arak. Ms Thidarat said she will make a formal agreement to write off the debt when Ms Sangvean recovers and agreed to let the woman grow rice on a land plot earlier seized as collateral.

Mr Thanakhom said Ms Sangvean had borrowed money from Ms Thidarat to pay for fertiliser used in the paddy field that she also rented from her.

The governor said Ms Sangvean had defaulted on her debt in June. Provincial authorities had already helped her to negotiate with Ms Thidarat to reduce her combined outstanding balance to 1.5 million baht.

The authorities had also earlier convinced Ms Thidarat to return title deeds for two land plots to Ms Sangvean, so that she could use them to borrow from the Government Savings Bank (GSB) and repay a separate 400,000-baht debt. The GSB lent Ms Sangvean 350,000 baht, which she used to repay the other creditor.

That led to a legal dispute between Ms Sangvean and Ms Thidarat. Ms Sangvean then turned to the complaint centre at Government House, the Lop Buri governor said.

Ms Sangvean’s sister, Janja Thong-aram, 41, said her sibling had discussed her problems with the Bangkok complaint centre several times, but had received no help.

Her debt issues began five years ago when she started to borrow small amounts. The accumulated debt then rose to 250,000 baht, so Ms Sangvean worked as a debt collector in a bid to repay her own debt, Ms Janja said.

“Due to the economic slowdown, she has not been able to collect debts lately. In the past two years, she wanted to earn money from growing rice, but her plan failed. The creditor then charged her a total of 3.5 million baht. The sum was negotiated down to 1.5 million baht,” Ms Janja said.

Ms Sangvean was extremely stressed about the 1.5-million-baht sum because it was much higher than the original loan amount, and her anxiety pushed her over the edge, Ms Janja said.

Largely as a result of Ms Sangvean's desperate action, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will extend a new law to regulate debt collectors.

The NLA on Aug 29 passed the bill in its first reading by a vote of 168, with four abstentions. The bill currently covers debtors in formal lending agreements, but NLA member Somchai Sawaengkarn said it will now be extended to cover those who owe cash under informal arrangements.

Meanwhile, Thai PBS reports this morning that Ms Sangvean's condition has improved but she still needs intensive care.

Earlier stories

13:45  Here is the latest on the woman's condition from our online reporters

The woman farmer who set herself ablaze in an office near Government House on Wednesday remained in critical condition in hospital on Thursday.

Dr Pollert Phanthanakul, acting director of Vajira Hospital, said Sangvean Raksaphet, from Lop Buri province, was in critical condition with severe burns to more than 50% of her body.

Although her blood pressure and breathing responded well to treatment, she suffered from excessive dehydration due to the burns, the doctor said

Prayut helps woman who set self ablaze

Post Reporters

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered authorities to provide full assistance to the woman who set herself on fire at the people's service centre of Government House yesterday while submitting a complaint about her debt.

Sangvean Raksaphet, 52, told Suksawat Suwannawong, chief of the complaint centre opposite Government House, that she had borrowed from Tidarat Thep-arak, a local creditor, using her land title deeds as collateral.

After she missed several repayments, Ms Tidarat demanded 1.5 million baht from her. Mrs Sangvean, believing she was being cheated, went to file a complaint with the centre, a unit under the PM's Permanent Secretary's Office.

While Mr Suksawat was making a call to the assistant district chief of Khok Samrong in Lop Buri to ask for more details, Mrs Sangvean said: "Why can't you help me?"

She then took out a bottle of fuel which she poured over herself and set herself ablaze with a lighter.

Some Dusit police who were stationed nearby helped put out the fire and took her to Vijira Hospital.

They also found a knife in her purse.

Doctors later said she was 50% burned, mostly on her head, face and upper torso, and remains in the intensive care unit.

Deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Gen Prayut, who has left Thailand to attend the 10th Asia-Europe Summit in Italy, had heard about the incident and expressed concern about Mrs Sangvean's condition.

"Gen Prayut has told authorities to give full assistance to Mrs Sangvean and solve her complaint," he said.

PM's Office Minister Panadda Diskul, who visited Mrs Sangvean after her admission to hospital in the afternoon, said he would talk to state agencies about her medical bills.

"Lop Buri officials told me Mrs Sangvean had asked for help with her debt restructuring several times but she might not have been satisfied with the efforts," he said.

ML Panadda said provincial officials would take care of her as provinces are carrying out government policies to help people.

More safety and preventive measures also might be put in place at the help centres, he added.

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