Pattaya bar owner faces loan shark threats forcing staff to undress for debt money
A bar owner in Pattaya reported a violent debt-collecting gang to the local police after facing harassment and threats from 14 different loan providers. The 31 year old woman was forced to borrow money from various lenders for financial troubles, accumulating around 800,000 baht (US$23,100) in debt, with a daily interest payment of 30,000 baht (US$870).
The bar owner, Daranee (last name withheld), revealed her struggles and fear of illegal moneylenders. Initially, she was lured into borrowing money through flyers left at her establishment’s front door. However, as time went on, she found herself unable to make the interest payments and resorted to taking loans from other sources to make ends meet.
The situation escalated two weeks ago when she couldn’t find the money to pay the daily interest. The debt collectors sent people to her bar and forced female employees to undress and entice customers to earn more income for debt repayment. Some collectors also called and threatened to harm her if she failed to pay her dues.
As a result, Daranee filed a complaint with the Pattaya City Police, fearing for her safety and that of her employees. The bar owner had never planned to evade her debts, but after the aggressive actions by the debt collectors, she no longer felt safe operating her business. Her employees were also scared to come to work due to the possible dangers they could face.
Daranee shared her story as a cautionary tale for others considering borrowing from illegal lenders to weigh their options carefully. High-interest rates and potentially violent debt-collecting methods used by these moneylenders can have severe consequences. However, she also acknowledged that loan providers have their businesses to run and responsibilities to uphold.
