Bangkok: A retired woman has fallen victim to a deceptive romantic relationship with an Air Force captain, costing her a staggering 4 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ann, a 61-year-old retiree, sought assistance at the "Sai Mai Must Survive" Facebook page office after being swindled by Captain Phum, an Air Force officer. The captain allegedly manipulated her into lending him substantial sums of money, which led to her financial ruin, including the loss of her home.
The ordeal began in March 2020 when Captain Phum borrowed 60,000 baht from Ms. Ann's mother in Chiang Mai and failed to repay the loan, causing familial stress. Ms. Ann stepped in, lending him money on the promise of repayment through a cooperative. The relationship deepened when she sold land for 3.5 million baht later that year, and Captain Phum offered to help manage the funds. Under the guise of a romantic interest and using his military status, he borrowed additional amounts ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 baht, claiming it was to clear debts to his superior.
When the money from the land sale was exhausted, Captain Phum persuaded Ms. Ann to mortgage her house, accruing a total debt of 2.4 million baht over three separate instances. Despite promises of repayment, Captain Phum never returned the money, and Ms. Ann was left to pay the mortgage interest alone. Eventually, the house was seized, and the total loss exceeded 4 million baht. Once her financial resources were depleted, Captain Phum distanced himself, revealing he had a wife and children, which devastated Ms. Ann further.
Mr. Ekkapop Lueangprasert, a founder of the "Sai Mai Must Survive" page, remarked that this situation resembles a romance scam. He pointed out that the concealment of facts regarding the nature of the loan could be considered fraudulent. While Ms. Ann was not at fault for her trust, the deception took advantage of her belief in the captain's integrity as a military officer. Mr. Ekkapop called for an investigation by military authorities to address the damage caused by Captain Phum's actions.