70-Year-Old Woman Left Homeless After 18-Year-Old Impersonates Government Official, Cons Village Committee Out of 400,000 Baht for House Construction

A 70-year-old woman named Samruan Pathumrat in Buriram province has become homeless after her old house was demolished by the village committee in preparation for reconstruction following receipt of a 400,000-baht budget from the Community Organization Development Institute. A man claiming to be named Jetcharin, posing as a secretary of the institute and representing Buriram province, convinced the village committees to hand over the entire amount for construction. However, Jetcharin absconded with the money, leaving Samruan without shelter. On May 21, 2569, Piyanat Sengiem Sak from the Social Development and Human Security Office in Buriram, along with local administrators from Prakon Chai District, conducted an inspection of Samruan's demolished property. Investigators confirmed that an impersonation had indeed occurred, though the perpetrator was not actually a government official. Despite the confirmed fraud, the damage was already done and the elderly woman had suffered genuine hardship, prompting the Buriram governor to order immediate assistance. The Social Development Office indicated it could help through its housing repair budget and would expedite fund approval so villagers could assist in reconstruction. Officials have issued a warning to all village committees to be cautious of impersonation schemes and to verify credentials directly with government agencies rather than relying on appearance or verbal claims, especially given that an 18-year-old managed to perpetrate such an elaborate con.