A woman from Udon Thani ended her life in a rented room in South Korea. Her husband, accompanied by their daughter, searched for two days before locating her. Relatives revealed she had accumulated about 30 million won in debt, borrowed to finance her trading business, and faced heavy debt collection and public shaming on social media.
Reporters stated that on 23 May 2026, the body of a 40-year-old Thai woman, later identified as Ms. Areerat from Udon Thani province, was found in a rented room in Seoul, South Korea. She had been missing for two days before her South Korean husband and their daughter began searching for her. Many Thai residents in South Korea expressed condolences online upon hearing the news.
On the afternoon of 24 May 2026, reporters visited Ms. Areerat’s home in Nong Wua So subdistrict, Nong Wua So district, Udon Thani province. They met with her father, Mr. Adirek, 71, her mother, Mrs. Bangorn, 62, and her middle sister, Ms. Anchalee, 42, to inquire about the situation.
The family initially confirmed the incident was true. Ms. Areerat’s South Korean husband is currently handling legal matters and arranging her cremation ceremony scheduled for the upcoming Tuesday. The family has been informed and is deeply saddened by her passing. They were unaware of her debts because she never complained or confided in them. The husband is pursuing legal action but it is unclear how the case will conclude since Ms. Areerat took her own life due to intense pressure from creditors who also publicly shamed her on Facebook. The family is left waiting to receive her ashes.
Ms. Areerat’s sister recounted that on the day of the incident, Ms. Areerat’s 13-year-old younger daughter, who is half Korean, called her elder sister, a 21-year-old who is Ms. Areerat’s eldest daughter with a Singaporean partner. She informed her that their mother had taken her own life in their rented room. They then notified other relatives. At first, family members in Udon Thani found it hard to believe. The sister called another elder sister working in South Korea to verify. Thai friends also visited the scene and confirmed the truth. Upon learning this, the family was deeply saddened and shocked that she had taken such a drastic step.
“Our sister started working abroad before she was 20, moving through several countries. Before arriving in South Korea, she worked in Singapore, where she had a relationship and gave birth to her eldest daughter, now 21 and working in Bangkok. She had been in South Korea for about 15 years. Initially, she entered illegally and was deported. By then, she had a South Korean partner who later proposed at our family home. They registered their marriage and lived together in South Korea, where they had their younger daughter, now 13. She first worked in factories, then at convenience stores, before discovering street trading opportunities. She spent her free time buying goods from Thailand to sell at camps or factories to Thai customers, including dried food and kitchenware, renting a room alone while her husband and daughter lived in a separate house some distance away.”
Ms. Anchalee further explained that after the incident, the family asked friends and other Thai acquaintances in South Korea and learned that their sister had financial problems. She was kind-hearted, often giving discounts, promotions, or allowing customers to pay later. Over time, debts accumulated. When she lacked capital, she borrowed money from Thai friends married to Koreans several times, accumulating around 30 million won (approximately 600,000 baht). She reportedly exhausted all funds, but creditors kept adding interest, doubling the debt, leaving her trapped. She posted a video clip on Facebook expressing thoughts of ending her life.. FacebookCreditors responded by publicly shaming her, accusing her of not repaying debts and ridiculing her threats of suicide, telling her not to embarrass others if she survived.
During this time, friends and a former employer tried to contact her to offer help and intended to provide funds to settle her debts. However, they could not reach her. Had they been able to contact her sooner, this tragedy might have been prevented. She never shared her stress or complaints with her siblings, always bringing joy and happiness to the family. It is known that she had suffered from depression for about five to six years. She was the family’s pillar. The family is heartbroken and speechless, wishing to tell her, “May you find a kinder world beyond.”
Mrs. Bangorn, the deceased’s mother, said her daughter was a fighter who worked hard from a young age. She loved singing and initially performed in Udon Thani city before traveling to Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and finally working in a factory in South Korea. She had two daughters, whom she raised. The younger daughter was cared for by her Korean father from the age of one year and six months. The eldest granddaughter has graduated and works in Bangkok. Since her daughter started working, she sent money home monthly, about 10,000 to 20,000 baht. The younger granddaughter would likely stay with her father, who loves her dearly. The family considers this fortunate. They are now only waiting to receive the ashes and wish to tell their daughter, “Rest in peace after your long struggles. We had no warning signs before this tragedy.”