Loan-shark couple surrender in threatened the matter of requesting money case with naked photos

PRACHIN BURI: A married couple operating a private loan agency surrendered to Sri Maha Phot police in Sri Maha Phot district at 1.30am on Monday to answer charges of posting naked pictures of debt defaulters on line.

The 31-year-old woman and her husband were questioned by Sri Maha Phot station chief Pol Col Mongkol Thopao for an hour. Afterwards, the woman said they were shocked by the situation and were not ready to answer reporters' questions.

Pol Col Mongkol said the couple surrendered after learning that authorities went to search their house in tambon Tha Tum of Sri Maha Phot district on Sunday evening. They were in the northeastern province of Kalasin for merit-making and their house was locked up.

The station chief said he advised them to surrender when they returned.

The couple were charged with being loan sharks, posting pictures of naked people on computer systems and demanding repayment in an improper manner that damaged others' reputations.

Pol Col Mongkol said the couple had no debtors in Prachin Buri.

Earlier, a man who had allegedly borrowed 500 baht from the woman suspect complained that his naked picture was sent to his five guarantors, who included his own mother.

He said that when he borrowed the money, the creditor ordered him to pose naked with his ID card and sign a contract allowing her to release his photo if he defaulted.

The creditor allegedly charged him 100-baht weekly interest. The debtor said he paid the interest on time for six weeks. When he fell one day behind in the seventh week his naked photo was released. The man is a native of nearby Chachoengsao province.

The creditor reportedly also ordered woman debtors to pose topless for pictures for the same purpose.