A STRESSED-OUT community developer in Mae Hong Son set herself on fire in front of Mae Sariang district office this afternoon (Apr. 19) after loan sharks evicted her from her house and land to clear debts, Naewna newspaper said.
The civil servant, Ms. Kanya (surname withheld), 58, had asked a reporter to meet her at the district office and after giving her some documents poured oil and lit herself with a lighter. The reporter tried to grab the lighter from her hand but did not succeed.
Volunteer Defence Corps and district officials were shocked by what happened and stopped her as she tried to dash into the district office building and used a cloth to put out the flames.
She has suffered severe burns on her upper body, arms, face and hair. An ambulance quickly came and took her to Mae Sariang Hospital and she was later transferred to Nakornping Hospital in Chiang Mai for further treatment.
In the documents she wrote a message to TV news presenter and actor Kanchai Kamnerdploi, aka Noom Kanchai, saying he was a very kind-hearted person and to please build a small house for her mother.
She also gave details about her debt problems, mentioning that she had applied for a loan from the Government Housing Bank some years ago but approval is still pending. She had to pay a monthly interest of 3 to 5% to the loan sharks and they had now seized her house and land, setting tomorrow (Apr. 20) as the deadline to move out.
She added that she dared not tell her mother about this as she was very old and would get shocked.
Mae Sariang District Chief Mr. Worasak Phanthong coordinated with Pol. Col. Ratchawit Wasinpongthanat, superintendent of Mae Sariang police station, and Mae Sariang Mayor Lt. Col. Phunsak Deeman, to go through the documents and take action according to the law.
CAPTION:
Ms. Kanya lying in pain after setting herself on fire and the ambulance that came to take her to the hospital. Photos: Naewna
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