Bank repossesses the wrong house in central Thailand
A woman from Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, couldn’t believe her eyes when she returned home to her locks changed, all her belongings seized, and a ‘for sale’ sign outside her house.
Thailand’s “Government Savings Bank” (the pink one) sent bailiffs to repossess a house in Wanasiri Park View Village on September 5. The bailiffs changed all the locks and seized everything – even going as far as cutting down trees and removing the house’s awnings.
To add insult to injury, the homeowner – Kanchana – later found out that a “worker” (possibly one of the bailiffs?) had been sleeping in her seized house and using her electricity and water for “three or four days.”
The bailiffs put up signs saying, “for sale,” “do not trespass” and “property of the bank.” The sign stated that house number 99/44 belonged to the bank, but the sign was placed outside house number 99/38. Confused, a neighbour rang Kanchana on September 15 and asked her what was going on.
Kanchana, who was staying elsewhere at the time, was gobsmacked when she arrived at her house. Kanchana said she has never been in debt or been sued in her life. She rang the bank straight away, whose customer service team told her that the bank would contact her back within three business days.
The next day, Kanchana filed a complaint at Lam Lum Kaeo Police Station, where officers helped her to urgently contact the bank’s legal team.
On September 18, a legal representative from the bank called Kanchana to apologise for wrongly repossessing her house. The bank invited Kanchana to discuss the matter further on September 20 at the police station.
The bank estimated the total damages to amount to around 2 million baht. The bank said several things had already been destroyed, including clothes, books, family photos, collectables, items belonging to Kanchana’s children, and other things with sentimental value.
Kanchana said she is still waiting to hear exactly how the bank plans on compensating her. It has been almost a month since the repossession, and still, no word from the bank said Kanchana.
Whoever is responsible for the repossession may face criminal charges relating to trespassing, burglary and causing loss of property.
Government Savings Bank said they will make a public statement on the matter tomorrow, October 4, at 2pm.
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