Seven file complaints against runaway bride

Lawyer Songkran Achariyasap (seated left) and some of the victims file their complaints at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok on Tuesday. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Seven men have filed complaints against a woman, accusing her of fraud after she allegedly tricked them into marrying her and took away dowries.

Bringing the men to the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok on Tuesday, lawyer Songkran Achariyasap identified the woman as Jariyaporn Buayai, a 32-year-old native of Loei province.

He alleged she had approached her victims via Facebook, started romantic relationships and then asked them to invest in her "fruit trade business". They later had sex and got married before she took off with the dowries.

Among the victims, Prasarn Thiamyaem, 32, from Prachuap Khiri Khan province, said he knew the woman in February 2015 after exchanging "Likes" on Facebook. Then they discussed the fruit business and he was asked to be her co-investor.

Mr Prasarn said he had given the woman 200,000 baht in borrowed money as the investment. They then had sex and she later claimed she was pregnant. Their wedding was held in Prachuap Khiri Khan in November 2015 when he gave her another 200,000 baht as a dowry.

He lived with her four days. Then she told him she had to visit her hometown. Later, she reportedly had a relative tell him that she had a miscarriage and did not want him to contact her anymore.

Pairat Phuengsuk, 28, from Phetchabun province, said he also knew the woman through Facebook in April this year and had sex with her two months later. Then she asked him to invest in her fruit business and to marry her at her house in Rangsit area of Pathum Thani province in May.

He gave her a 180,000-baht dowry. The day after the wedding, she borrowed his pickup truck, claiming to pick up fruits in Chanthaburi province. She told him to wait for the fruit delivery in Phetchabun before disappearing.

Lawyer Songkran said Ms Jariyaporn had allegedly cheated 12 men out of about 2-3 million baht in total. She claimed to be Miss Soipet Paleewal, a woman she probably hired to open the bank account to receive money from her victims, he said.

The lawyer added the victims also demanded prosecution against her parents, whom they said had attended their weddings, as well as Miss Soipet, who had not shown up after the news.