A Thai university student has ended up sleeping outdoors after the bank froze his bank account.
The freeze was triggered when he lent the account to a Vietnamese student ‘friend’ for e-commerce activities, only to be left without access to his funds while facing mounting bills and no support from authorities.​
Incident Details
Mr Thongtae, 22, is a third-year Management Science student at a university in Udon Thani province.
In August, a Vietnamese fourth-year student asked him for help, claiming he was unable to open a Thai account for his online business. Trusting this acquaintance, Mr Thongtae gave access to his bank account.​
The Account Freeze
Shortly after, a transfer of 50,000 baht (about S$2,000) landed in Mr Thongtae’s account.
He withdrew these funds at his friend’s request. Within weeks, his bank suspended his account with no prior warning. Citing anti-mule-account policies, the bank left him unable to withdraw his savings or make payments, including monthly rent for his dormitory, which had accrued to 4,400 baht (~S$175).
The student was forced to vacate his dormitory and began sleeping in a common room on campus, where discomfort from mosquitoes and lack of privacy made getting rest difficult.
​
Lack of Assistance from Authorities
Attempts to resolve the freeze were met with apathy. Police advised Mr Thongtae to wait, attributing fault to his decision to allow account usage by others.
His student loan of 3,000 baht per month and earnings from a food stall job could not be accessed. His grandmother, reliant on a small government allowance, was unable to assist financially.​
Personal Aftermath
Despite adverse consequences, Mr Thongtae refused to blame his Vietnamese friend publicly.
He conceded that his trust had been misplaced and said that he never anticipated such complications arising from a simple favour.​
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