Man denies chopping off thumb to grab insurance
The Phuket landlord and serial insurer accused of chopping off his thumb to collect Bt16 million in insurance yesterday insisted he suffered a mishap in the kitchen and welcomed a police investigation.
"I've got nothing to hide," Pichet Porntantipong told The Nation. "I'm ready for the police to investigate the facts." He declined, however, to go into the details of the case, saying he had hired a lawyer to represent him. In January, Siam Commercial Samakki Insurance asked police to investigate an accident claim filed by the 38-year-old landlord last October. In it, Pichet said he accidentally chopped off his left thumb while cooking and that it fell onto the stove where it was badly burned. Upornrat Boonwong, a representative of the insurer, said the firm doubted Pichet because he had so many insurance policies. He had taken out policies with 30 companies - for Bt60 million in total - and all of the insurers had agreed to ask police to investigate the loss of Pichet's thumb, Upornrat said. In 2005 and 2006 Pichet purchased four policies from Siam Commercial Samakki that insured him to the tune of Bt5 million. Compensation for the loss of a thumb is equal to one quarter of that amount. Yesterday, Pichet said that immediately following the accident he went to a hospital where staff took photographs of his thumb-less hand. He then contacted the insurance companies, told them what happened and invited them to inspect the accident scene. The purchase of numerous policies is normal and many people are similarly insured for far larger sums, he said. "I lost my thumb in an accident and I don't understand why the insurance companies are suspicious," he said. He dismissed reports that he had gone into hiding, saying he was living and working in Phuket as though nothing had happened. Crime Suppression acting commander Colonel Pongpat Chayaphan said 13 officers were investigating the case. If they conclude that Pichit chopped off his thumb as part of an insurance scam he will be prosecuted, Pongpat said. Forensic evidence suggests that it took more than one chop to sever the thumb. Forensic expert Pol Lt-Colonel Dr Pattana Kitkrailas was shown photographs of Pichet's hand and severed thumb. He told investigators that the thumb could not be completely severed in one chop and that the actually separation of the thumb from the hand occurred after an initial cut was made. If found guilty of fraud Pichit faces up to two years in jail and/or a fine of Bt6,000.
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