PATTAYA, Thailand – On September 21, a 31-year-old woman, Ms Ya, accompanied by her boyfriend and their 3-year-old child, reported a frightening encounter with loan sharks to Nongprue police.
Ms Ya explained that she had taken out multiple loans in her name on behalf of over ten acquaintances. Faced with daily interest rates as high as 20%, she was left responsible for the debts when her friends vanished.
In a recent incident, Ms Ya owed 200 baht in interest to a group known as BS Credit. After requesting a one-day extension, a loan shark arrived at her home in Huay Ruam Village in East Pattaya, threatening to take her child if the payment wasn’t made immediately. Fearing for her family’s safety, Ms Ya called the police.
Nongprue officers advised her to file a formal complaint. During the police interview, she received a call from the loan sharks, demanding payment within an hour. After tense negotiations, they granted a two-day extension but insisted on immediate payment of the overdue interest.
Ms Ya documented the threats and provided them to police as evidence. Authorities are now investigating BS Credit and other predatory lending groups in the area. The investigation is ongoing.
