Man offers family’s organs to save home

A local government official has offered to sell his family’s eyes and kidneys in a desperate bid to raise money after his house and land were seized because he was guarantor for a friend’s purchase of a farm tractor.

Rakthewa Khapim-udomlarp, 48, works for a tambon administrative organisation in Ubon Ratchathani’s Khemarat district. He signed as guarantor for the purchase of an 860,000-baht tractor by the wife of a local policeman. She defaulted on the payments.

Mr Rakthewa, his wife and their two sons were in the middle of a 100-kilometre walk in pouring rain yesterday, from their home to the provincial capital. They planned to ask the prime minister for help when he visits there today. They were greeted by residents along the way, who came out to support them after learning of their plight.

They earlier placed two signs in front of their house in tambon Kham Pom, offering to sell the eyes and kidneys of all four family members to raise the money to save their house and 9 rai of farmland, according to media reports.

The property was seized by the Legal Execution Department’s provincial office and put up for auction.

Mr Rakthewa said he had known Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manit Thiprasaharn, the husband of the woman he stood as guarantor for, since they were children. In July 2014, his friend asked for his help, to stand as guarantor for a tractor his wife Jurairat Thiprasaharn wanted to buy. His friend promised there would not be any problems.

Two years later, a warrant from the Ubon Ratchathani provincial court arrived at his house. He was named the second defendant in a court case over the purchase of the tractor. He contacted his friend, who said the case was being mediated in court.

On Aug 3, 2016 the court ordered Ms Jurairat, as the first defendant, to return the tractor. However, she did not return it, Mr Rakthewa said.

Last year, the Legal Execution Department sent notification that his land and house were being seized.