Loan dispute escalates into violent altercation in central Thailand

A debtor, who had previously complained to the Crime Suppression Division about being attacked with a knife and having his teeth knocked out, has been informed that his case is not progressing.

The police superintendent of Bang Bua Thong Police Station clarified that the incident was not related to illegal lending but was a case of assault stemming from a previous loan disagreement. Both parties are now preparing to face charges.

The debtor, Channan, and his family claimed that a creditor used a knife to sever four tendons in his arm, fracture a bone, and cause a seven-stitch wound on the back of his daughter’s mouth. His mother was also bitten on the arm by one of the creditors, who lived directly across from them. The incident occurred on October 23.

After reporting the incident to the Bang Bua Thong police, the case had seen little progress in nearly two months. Today, Channan had to travel to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to complain to the investigators to seek justice.

In response to the case, Police Major General Pruet Jumroon Sartsa, the superintendent of Bang Bua Thong Police Station in Nonthaburi, explained that the case was not related to illegal lending but was a case of assault stemming from a prior loan disagreement. One party failed to repay in full, leading to an argument that escalated into a physical altercation.

Before the incident on October 23, there had been a disagreement. The party that borrowed the money then reported the incident and claimed that their relative’s teeth had been knocked out by a knife. Two hours later, the other party, which was the lender and the knife user, also reported the incident, claiming that they were attacked by eight people who were brought by the borrower. This resulted in the lender’s child grabbing a knife and slashing the other party’s arm.

Health examination

Pruet continued to explain that the police had received complaints from both parties. The injured parties were then sent to the doctor for examination. The process is currently awaiting the results of the examination from the doctor to use in the investigation and prepare to charge both parties involved in the incident.

According to the investigation, the cause of the incident stemmed from both parties living opposite each other. One party ran a grocery store, and the other party was a customer. This led to a close relationship between the two parties and borrowing of money began. However, the money was not fully repaid.

Pruet further clarified that this was not a case of illegal lending and subsequent assault. There was no indication in the initial statement that it was related to illegal lending in any way. After the police had completed taking statements from both parties, they were simply waiting for the results of the injury examination from the doctor. The doctor will only be able to issue the results after the treatment is completed and there is no further complication.

Pruet stated that after hearing that one party had filed an additional complaint with the Crime Suppression Division, the police followed up with the doctor. It was confirmed that the medical results would be available within the next week.

Once the police have the medical results, they will consider charging the parties involved in the incident. It is expected that both parties will be charged as they voluntarily fought each other. One party that used the knife may face additional charges of causing serious injury to others, reported KhaoSod.