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| Sitthichai |
Cash-strapped taxi driver, Sitthichai Klaichit, 72, ended up an overnight millionaire after a TV account of his teary story was shared online and sympathetic netizens sent an impressive 8.3 million to his bank account.
He scrambled to rescue his reputation last week after his former taxi depot boss in Samut Prakan went to Muang district police over an unpaid debt of 13,570 baht he said he was owed.
Preecha Chumsombat, owner of Mangkorn Chao Phraya taxi depot, said Mr Sitthichai and his son Sakthai, who rented a taxi from him, had run up the debt since January when they were struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus lockdown.
He said Mr Sitthichai was better off than he portrayed in the media and the public had been duped. As Mr Sitthichai’s daughter hurriedly paid back the debt on her father’s behalf, netizens reacting to the claims demanded their donations back with some threatening to lay a complaint with police.
Mr Preecha denied he was motivated by envy in laying the complaint, and after Mr Sitthichai’s side transferred the outstanding rent on Wednesday said he wanted nothing more to do with the matter as the debt had been repaid.
Mr Sitthichai’s daughter said her father had been tied up with a family funeral and did not mean to dodge paying his debts.
She said he was also receiving treatment for a kidney problem, though since his overnight change in fortunes had also managed to buy two houses, a taxi, and donate 400,000 baht to various charitable causes in line with a promise he made when thanking Thais for their generosity. Her father, who has yet to front the public, was stressed by the claims, she said.
Mr Preecha said he had reminded Mr Sakthai that the pair still owed the outstanding rent on the taxi, and he promised they would discharge the debt. However, since Mr Sitthichai’s change in fortunes, the pair had stopped renting the taxi and had not been back to pay the bill. Attempts to visit them at their home or call were unsuccessful.
Mr Preecha also took issue with the original TV coverage, in which Mr Sitthichai, crying before the cameras, said he was alone and had just 200 baht left to his name. He was forced to turn to a courier delivery firm for help, delivering parcels after passengers under the lockdown all but dried up.
The taxi depot boss said Mr Sitthichai lived with his son and a relative in a house owned by his former wife. He was not alone as he claimed nor having to pay rent.
“All of them have jobs. I am not envious of his riches, but I do hope netizens look carefully before giving to such causes. There are many deserving cases out there, but there are many who squeeze out a tear and dupe the public as well,” he said.
Mr Sitthichai, he said, was easily offended if asked to pay his bills. He would also refuse to take responsibility if the taxi broke down.
Mr Preecha’s claims that the public was duped were backed by a driver from their former rank, outside Tesco Lotus in Bang Poo, Muang district.
A driver and friend of Mr Sakthai’s, Laphit Petchyaem, said he felt conflicted when he saw footage of Mr Sitthichai wai-ing to the camera and dabbing his eyes.
“People who know them don’t feel the same way as the public,” he said, adding he had lost contact with Mr Sakthai even though they were once close.
Bully called to account
A
Pathum Thani teen charged with assaulting a disabled youngster in a
park is facing threats after netizens reacted strongly to a video clip
of the beating.
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| Pathum Thani teen attacks disabled friend |
Thanyaburi district police last week charged “Uwan”, 15, from Bueng Nam Rak sub-district, after his victim, “Ball”, 14, and his parents laid a complaint of assault.
They took legal action after a clip of the assault was shared widely on social media, though Ball did not tell his parents himself of the attack.
His father said a relative from the provinces sent him the clip and when he saw his son, born with no arms, being beaten decided he had to go to the police.
Uwan is a much larger lad and the boys belong to the same group of friends. Regardless, he was shown in the May 6 clip kicking and punching Ball repeatedly.
The younger boy, who was knocked to the ground during the beating, is heard saying he had picked no quarrel with Uwan and was forced to apologise so he would stop his attack.
Media reports say another youngster surreptitiously took the video at a playing field at the Green Garden Home village in Rangsit where they met. While others are seen milling about, no one went to Ball’s aid.
Media reports say Ball went to the park to clear the air in a dispute with another teen, and happened to meet Uwan there. Ball and Uwan had fallen out at a friend’s place shortly before and Uwan took advantage of the opportunity to seek vengeance.
Uwan encouraged the other boy with whom Ball had a problem to hit him, but the teen demurred as Ball was unable to defend himself. Unhappy with the response, Uwan hit him himself.
Ball said his dispute with Uwan started the previous day when the pair went to see a friend. As Ball went to open the door to leave, a feat he accomplishes by gripping the door handle between his head and shoulders, Uwan, who was on the other side of the door, pushed back against the door to tease him.
When Ball finally got it open, Uwan kneed him in the chest, and Ball responded saying he would get an older boy to sort him out.
Uwan told police he had since apologised to Ball. Still, a media clip shows Uwan’s mother having to urge Uwan to show contrition.
Netizens angered at the clip shared coordinates of where it happened in the park, and started an online campaign to track down Uwan.
Asked whether he was afraid of retribution, Uwan claimed he wasn’t. His mother was seen admonishing him at the station and insisting he was scared of reprisals.
Ball said he was not angry with his frend but asked him not to attack others again. Police have charged Uwan with assault causing danger and sent him to the Thanyaburi Juvenile and Family Court.
Bail no obstacle to fraud
A
woman charged with fraud after encouraging gullible Thais to invest in
bogus state-backed oil and gold schemes and gamble online has a history
of repeat offending.
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| Supitchchaya |
Police arrested Supitchaya Phromsaenpang, 24, at her Klong Toey condo last week on an April 17 warrant issued in Thon Buri for fraud.
Inquires revealed she also had outstanding warrants for fraud in Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Pathom, and was charged with fraud earlier in Bangkok on March 22 but released on bail. Undeterred, she went back to offending again.
Media reports say that after her March 22 arrest, Ms Supitchaya, 24, kept herself indoors, and asked others to perform financial transactions for her. As well as hatching the bogus state-funded oil and gold schemes, she also solicited funds for online gambling and lending schemes, conned people with the false promise of finding them jobs overseas, and launched a bogus venture to export facemasks and alcohol gel.
Police had received many complaints, with damages put at 100 million baht. Media reports showed Ms Supitchaya calmly inspecting the latest warrant as police came to arrest her. They say she would seldom leave the condo, getting her meals delivered. She admitted the charges.
After her March 22 arrest, police sent her to Udomsuk station for further action. However, once she secured bail, she went back to her old ways. Officers say inquiries reveal she also had outstanding warrants for fraud issued by the Ubon Ratchathani provincial court on March 30, and Nakhon Pathom district court on April 2.
This time they sent her to Rat Burana station. Police are looking into whether she is part of a crime network.
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