Woman loses life saving in Y2K scare

A Thai vendor who took her life savings out of the bank before the New Year because of Y2K fears has lost it all in a house fire, a Thai newspaper reported.

A Thai vendor who took her life savings out of the bank before the New Year because of Y2K fears has lost it all in a house fire, a Thai newspaper reported.

Kieuthong Attapharb, who sells grilled squid to make a living, lost over 100,000 baht (£1650) in the blaze Sunday at her home in the beach town of Rayong, 90 miles south of Bangkok, The Nation reported.

She had gone off to work at the local market and only learned of the fire when one of her three children arrived by bicycle to tell her. An electrical short circuit was believed to have caused it.

The fire gutted the house. All they have is some food, clothes and a mosquito net donated by friends and neighbors, the report said.

Kieuthong had planned to deposit her 15 years of savings back in the bank on Tuesday.

Thailand's banks were reported to have weathered the Y2K scare without incident when they reopened for business after the holiday.