A freshman at Chiang Mai University, one of Thailand’s most prestigious schools, has left the school midway through her first week of classes amid accusations that she scammed about 300 people out of a million baht (about US$30,000) in an online shopping fraud.
Asst. Prof. Rome Jiranukrom, Chiang Mai University’s acting vice president, last night announced the 18 year old’s withdrawal from the College of Arts, Media and Technologies (CAMT), after the school looked into numerous accusations made against the incoming student.
“This afternoon, both the parents and student have met with the administers of the CAMT,” he said. “The student expressed much sadness for damaging the university’s reputation and decided to leave.”
The scandal started last Friday when CAMT’s Facebook page published photos of the incoming freshmen class — part of a long-standing Thai College initiation tradition.
While most students received a handful of likes, one 18-year-old woman wearing glasses and a bandana around her neck, quickly received a thousand shares, with commenters alleging that she was the mastermind behind a notorious online shopping scam.
“This girl’s hard to hunt down,” one angry customer wrote. “She scammed me and my friends over THB4,000 (US$120).”
Other comments said that she is running several online shops selling makeup and K-Pop merchandise (the sort that can’t be bought in Thailand). But once the customers transferred their prepayments, she’d allegedly disappear.
“This is the face behind the fraudulent Talay Review and Pimjai_review online stores,” reads another comment. “Not only has she not returned any money, she keeps changing her name to evade capture. Girl, after you pay for your tuition, don’t forget your debt to hundreds of people.”
Victims told local news outlet Manager that an e-banking account associated with the fraudulent stores is registered to a woman they believe is the freshman’s mother and possibly assisting her daughter in the scam.
At press time, there are no reports indicating that charges have been filed in the case.
Speaking for the university, Rome said he hopes this can be a lesson for all of us “to go about our lives righteously, with integrity and honesty.”
And, of course, to disassociate your school’s reputation from alleged scammers. That, too.
Reader Interactions