Four suspected members of a notorious loan shark gang turned themselves in on Saturday night, following accusations of brutally assaulting a 72-year-old woman over an unpaid 10,000-baht sum in Bangkok’s bustling Chok Chai area. The Metropolitan Police Division 4 commander, Pol Maj Gen Thanantorn Rattanapaksatid, identified the suspects only as Sophon, 27, Kenwit, 32, Natthawut, 27, and Sirisorn, 25. The four men surrendered at the Chok Chai police station, feeling the heat from relentless officers determined to bring justice.
The elderly victim, Siripen Opastiangtham, faced this horrifying ordeal on July 21. Allegedly, the suspects slapped her face and kicked her legs so severely that she almost lost her eyesight. Pol Maj Gen Thanantorn mentioned that while Kenwit vehemently denied all accusations, the others confessed to the crime, albeit claiming it was a one-time incident due to her delayed debt payment for July 20.
The suspects now face multiple charges, including assault, offering unauthorized loans, and violent debt collection. Adding fuel to the fire, police uncovered Kenwit’s darker past—he had two outstanding arrest warrants from 2018 and 2023, both related to assaults on debtors.
This case came to light after Ms. Siripen lodged a complaint on July 20, but grew frustrated with the lack of progress. Desperate for justice, she reached out for help from Ekapop Luengprasert, an adviser to the Interior Minister and the brain behind the popular Sai Mai Tong Rod Facebook page.
Ms. Siripen recounted her unfortunate financial predicament. She initially borrowed 10,000 baht after settling a previous debt of 6,000 baht in May. The gang’s extortionate demand required her to pay 1,000 baht daily for 24 days—a crushing burden for anyone, let alone a septuagenarian.
This is absolutely horrifying! How can anyone justify assaulting an elderly woman over a loan?
It’s disgusting, but this is what happens when people get involved with loan sharks. They have no morals.
True, but we should also be questioning why she felt the need to borrow from such sources in the first place. The system fails older people.
Exactly, John. Laws need to be stricter, and these gang members should face harsh punishments.
Right? Sometimes it feels like the legal system isn’t doing enough. We need to protect our elderly.
The sad part is even if they get punished, there will always be another gang ready to take over. It’s an endless cycle.
I blame the authorities for being too lenient on these criminals. Why is Kenwit still walking around with two warrants?
That’s a good point, Beth. Corruption and incompetence in law enforcement are serious issues.
Right! If the police had acted sooner, maybe Ms. Siripen wouldn’t have been assaulted.
Well, it’s easy to blame the police, but do we really understand the pressures they face?
I get that Karen, but failing to execute arrest warrants is a severe oversight. It leads to tragic consequences like this.
I agree with Beth. Police incompetence can’t be excused when it endangers lives.
Why did she borrow money if she can’t pay it back? Seems like poor planning on her part.
That’s insensitive. Sometimes people are desperate and have no other option.
Desperation is no excuse. There are other ways to handle financial problems.
Loan sharks are a plague on society. We need more social support for those in financial distress.
This is why I advocate for better financial education. People need to understand the dangers of borrowing from shady sources.
It’s so sad to think about vulnerable people being taken advantage of by these thugs.
Can someone tell me why the government isn’t stepping in to regulate these loans?
Tommy, good question. I think part of the problem is that loan sharks operate outside the law, making it harder to regulate.
That’s true, Lulu. And often, they prey on those who can’t access traditional financial systems due to bad credit or lack of collateral.
People, this is not just about loan sharks. It’s about systemic poverty driving people to desperate measures.
The authorities did a good job catching these criminals, but what about preventing such crimes?
Loan sharks should receive the harshest penalties. We can’t let them continue to terrorize communities.
But how harsh is too harsh? We have to balance punishment with rehabilitation.
When people’s lives are at stake, I don’t think there’s such a thing as too harsh.
I feel sorry for this woman. The community should come together to support victims like her.
Yes, Lucas, community support can be a game changer in such situations.
Totally. It’s on all of us to look out for one another, especially our elders.
Can these criminals ever be reformed, or are they just born this way?
Rehabilitation is possible, but it requires a lot of resources and commitment.
I hope so, Nina. Otherwise, they’ll just return to their criminal ways.
Justice needs to be swift and severe to deter future crimes like this.
This is awful! I hope Ms. Siripen receives justice and recovers soon.