In the bustling city of Songkhla, a distressing scenario has unfolded amongst a group of first-year university students. They were left high and dry, quite literally, all thanks to a duplicitous landlord who allegedly abused their trust and financial means. The narrative exploded across social media, revealing a web of deceit that ensnared over 50 unsuspecting students.
The crux of this modern melodrama revolves around Songkhla Rajabhat University students in search of accommodation. In their quest, they stumbled upon what seemed like the perfect lodgings through a Facebook post. Located in the heart of the Mueang district, these mixed-material houses seemed to offer, albeit superficially, an idyllic abode. However, the illusion shattered as a dark tale of deception unfolded.
The setting of this tale—there lay a two-story building and an adjoining three-story structure, between them, a mere nine rooms supposedly available for rent. A young lady, a fledgling student of economics and business administration, was among the first to sing the tales of woe. Having initiated contact with the owner, a woman seemingly between her 30s and 40s, via the LINE app, she made her storied pilgrimage to the accommodations on June 1st. Faced with a dwelling that was unapologetically a fixer-upper, her resolve remained unfazed, figuring the proximity to university made it worthwhile.
Swiping her card, she handed over 5,000 baht—a deal covering both deposit and insurance. All seemed well in her world until she arrived on June 9, brimming with hope and fresh linen, only to find her assigned quarters embarrassingly occupied. With a rather elaborate excuse involving ‘contractual issues,’ the owner swiftly proposed a hotel as her temporary home. As dawns broke and set, on June 12, our protagonist stumbled upon fellow students in similar straits, playing musical chairs with rooms.
A counterpart, a greenhorn in communication arts, found himself ensnared under similar circumstances. Enthusiastically sealing the deal with 5,000 baht, his excitement soured on discovering his room was one among many already spoken for. As stories spread like wildfire, the realization dawned that these weren’t isolated incidents but the result of an artful dodger’s scam.
Continuing to pull at the tangled thread of deceit, past tenants shared tales of woe, like a chorus of betrayed souls. One former student, a wistful lamenter, recounted his own experience, speaking of perpetually leaky ceilings and perpetually false promises. Alongside the anecdotal evidence, he cast forth financial ties turned sour—a failed investment with the owner, a whopping 60,000 baht down the drain.
In an act bordering on the heroic, Songkhla Rajabhat University marched to the rescue, offering temporary roofs over heads to those left out in the cold. Some students, a resilient bunch, found solace either in friends’ homes or nestled into new accommodations.
The owner, elusive as a specter, absconded discussions but for an assertion of innocence delivered via private LINE messages. Proclaiming refunds released and innocence intact, she expressed a desire for resolution yet skirted around the damning double-booking allegations.
In the unfolding drama, Songkhla’s law enforcement, led by the diligent Police Colonel Chamlom Suwalak, has vowed to leave no stone unturned. With the gears of justice set in motion, they aim to swiftly illuminate the truth and bring the sheltering suspect to light, as reported by KhaoSod.
As the saga unfolds, hearts and eyes alike watch intently, hoping for closure and justice for those ensnared in this rental riddle.
How could this landlord get away with this for so long? Shows how unreliable some rental listings on social media can be.
Right? People need to be more careful and maybe stick to verified housing pages. But in desperate times, people overlook warnings.
True, but universities should offer more support. Housing scams are getting out of hand, especially for young students.
Seeing that police are involved is a relief. Hope justice will be swift, and this doesn’t just fade away under bureaucracy.
Unfortunately, these things tend to drag on. The landlord might get away if they know how to play the legal system.
I think with enough public pressure and media coverage, especially in this digital age, they’ll have to act fast.
I feel so bad for the students. Moving to university is already so stressful without worrying about housing rip-offs. And 5,000 baht isn’t a small ammount for them.
Yeah, but it’s kind of naive to trust blindly on social media listings. A lot of young people should learn basic due diligence.
Agreed, but maybe schools or local authorities should provide guidelines or alerts about these scams. Prevention can save a lot of heartache.
But telling someone to be more careful after they are scammed isn’t really helping. They need empathy and real solutions.
My heart breaks for these kids. I hope the university compensates them in some way or finds some reliable housing quickly.
What puzzles me is the audacity of the landlord to deny wrongdoing through private messages. How can someone be so brazen?
Some people just lack conscience and are experts at manipulating the truth.
They must really think they’re invincible or think students won’t fight back. But they underestimate them.
In places like this, these scams are too common. Lack of strict regulations or enforcement allows landlords to exploit students.
Absolutely. It’s the same everywhere. People know they can get away with it because others have in the past.
Isn’t the landlord technically guilty of fraud? I feel like this should be a straightforward legal case.
Why aren’t there stricter checks before posting accommodations online? Letting anyone post is asking for trouble.
Saw a similar case in my city last year. Best bet is to go directly through university’s housing or references.
Yeah, even if it means waiting longer for a place, it’s worth it in the long run.
The sad truth is, scams like this show no sign of slowing down. It’s easy money for the scam artists.
I’m glad to hear some students found refuge with friends because being stranded is the worst possible scenario.
I hope this serves as a warning for future students not to trust too easily. Skepticism can be an ally.
The university absolutely should have a roster of approved landlords. This could have been avoided.
Stories like these make me glad I opted for dorms despite the high cost. At least they’re secure.
If landlords abuse trust like this and face no repercussions, it sets a precedent for even bolder scams.