Thai reggae band member loses 8 million baht to contractor scam

A prominent member of the popular Thai reggae band Magenta reported being defrauded by a contractor during the construction of his house, resulting in financial losses of nearly 8 million baht.

A member of the band, 38 year old Kittipong Watthanarach, and his 30 year old wife, Artitiya Anthrabut, alleged that a well-known contractor in Khon Kaen scammed them.

They claimed that the contractor allegedly used a fake engineer to oversee the project, leading to severe structural deficiencies that now require the entire building to be demolished.

The contractor was hired to build a car garage worth 2 million baht and a house valued at approximately 20 million baht. However, both structures remain incomplete and unstable, with concerns they might collapse, resulting in a total loss of around 7.9 million baht.

The contractor initially accepted the job to build a two-storey house and a car garage in Mueang Khon Kaen District. However, he did not follow the approved plans, reducing the size and quantity of essential materials without informing the homeowners.

For example, 12 steel rods required for the building columns were reduced to six, compromising the structural integrity of the buildings.

Shady contractor

Attempts to contact the contractor for a resolution were met with evasiveness, and the contractor directed the homeowners to communicate with a person claiming to be his lawyer.

The couple visited the affected property, accompanied by engineer Phongphat Senee, who observed significant issues, including cracked and leaning columns. The garage, designed to accommodate seven cars using a hydraulic lift system, was also incomplete and failed to meet the specified standards.

Artitiya explained that they had purchased the land and started building the house over a year ago. Initially, they hired another contractor but were forced to terminate the contract once funds were misused.

They eventually hired a trusted acquaintance, identified as A, a former schoolmate of Kittipong.

A initially pointed out flaws in the previous construction and offered to correct them. However, as construction progressed, several discrepancies emerged. A deviated from the approved plans, such as using cement boards instead of the specified composite sheets for the garage.

Despite assurances to rectify these issues, the contractor failed to do so after receiving 5.1 million baht for the house and garage construction.

Switcheroo

Kittipong, upon noticing further irregularities, requested a detailed review of the construction materials and costs. An engineer friend assisting with the project discovered that the contractor had substituted lower-quality materials without informing the homeowners.

The investigation revealed that the supervising engineer provided by A was not legally certified. The imposter eventually admitted to not being a qualified engineer. Efforts to resolve the issue with the contractor were unsuccessful, prompting the couple to file a police report.

Determined to pursue legal action, the couple aims to hold the contractor accountable for the nearly 8 million baht lost and the incomplete and unsafe structures. They also plan to demolish the house and start anew, fearing the current structure might collapse.

The couple strongly urges others to thoroughly research contractors and seek expert advice to avoid similar costly mistakes, reported Khaosod.