Widow seeks help to bring husband’s body back from South Korea

[webfact]

Widow seeks help to bring husband’s body back from South Korea

By SURACHAI PIRAKSA 
THE NATION 

 

 

A THAI woman whose husband committed suicide in South Korea has pleaded for financial help to bring his body home. The couple from Buri Ram’s Krasang district had originally borrowed money to buy tickets to visit South Korea last year, and stayed there to work illegally.

 

However, as they were facing hardship, the husband, Wansin Boonklang, 40, sent his wife, Om Wongchan, 40, back home, while he continued to try to make a living in Korea. 

 

Om, who has three children to support, was notified by the South Korean Embassy last week that Wansin had committed suicide by hanging. Om said the family could not afford to bring back her husband’s body for religious rites in Buri Ram.

 

 

She said that the couple had borrowed Bt150,000 from a bank to pay for their Bt40,000 tour package and repay other debts before they left for South Korea on December 11.

 

They skipped the tour and, with Bt40,000 cash in their pockets, went to find work. Their high hopes ran low after a week of staying in a hotel, facing high living costs, she said. 

 

Wansin felt sorry for her, so he sent her back to Thailand while he remained in Korea with only Bt15,000 in his pocket. 

 

Om cited phone calls in which Wansin said he had a job but had not been paid because the employer knew of his illegal status and took advantage of it. Wansin also had to skip meals while his cash was running low.

 

“I felt sorry for my husband, but I didn’t know what to do because we couldn’t afford his return ticket,” she said.

 

Last Thursday, she received a phone call from the South Korean Embassy saying that Wansin had hanged himself along a roadside.

 

“I was in shock. I never thought this could happen to our family. We were trying to borrow money from an unofficial source for his return ticket. I never thought he would kill himself first,” she said tearfully.

 

“My family is in ruins. My breadwinner is gone, and I have a debt to repay and three children to take care of. I also want to bring my husband’s body back for a funeral,” she said.

 

A ray of hope emerged when a Thai woman with a South Korean husband contacted her offering to help coordinate the return of the body. 

 

She also warned others to think twice about going to work illegally in South Korea. “A beautiful dream you have for a good life from that journey can turn into a hellish nightmare,” she said, adding that many Thai illegal workers were being taken advantage of by Korean employers.

 

Thai authorities have warned citizens about the danger of working illegally in South Korea without benefits and healthcare. The Thai Embassy in Seoul also warned people of freezing cold temperatures, dropping to minus-10 degrees Celsius. 

 

Embassy officials said 66 Thais had died in the country last year, mainly from illnesses related to extreme cold, as well as stroke, heart failure, pneumonia and sudden nocturnal death syndrome.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338681

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-13

[Get Real]

Yep! First borrow money for ticket to another country.

After engage in illegal activities related to work.

Then take his own life in a foreign country.

After that somebody else have to pay for bringing a dead body home.

Sounds a little bit dysfunctional to me.

[davehowden]

150,000 baht bank loan with what equity I wonder, will she loose her home as well now ?

 

Forward thinking not a great "Thai" thing I guess.

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, davehowden said:

150,000 baht bank loan with what equity I wonder, will she loose her home as well now ?

 

Forward thinking not a great "Thai" thing I guess.

 

They are taught to "forward think" about their re-incarnation/road to Nirvana and the next thing they can do to demonstrate their adoration for the glittering people.

 

Not much room for anything else after a childhood of that being force fed and vacuum packed in their minds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Enoon

[Lemonltr]

"Sudden nocturnal death syndrome" The Thai people know there is no such thing! It's 'Pee Mai' The widowed ghost that goes hunting for a new husband.

I remember, living in Isaan,  concocting a story ( in Thai) about a visit I had from her. "She was beautiful and wanted me to go to heaven with her and I felt to float away but upon seeing I was a Farang she turned into an ugly ghoul.  Both neighbours shouted in unison."PEE MAI". I had to go to another room to control my laughter. When I returned they shouted "true or not" as I always joked then play punched me.

One was so happy that her husband would be safe whilst the other said " She can have him"

[thaiguzzi]

6 hours ago, Get Real said:

Yep! First borrow money for ticket to another country.

After engage in illegal activities related to work.

Then take his own life in a foreign country.

After that somebody else have to pay for bringing a dead body home.

Sounds a little bit dysfunctional to me.

You ever been at rock bottom?

The only way is up?

This couple tried.

And unfortunately were not lucky, and failed.

Many are lucky going down this route, and drastically change their lives for the better, and give themselves and their kids a brighter future.

Many are not.

Have some empathy for Chrissakes!!!

[Get Real]

34 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

Have some empathy for Chrissakes!!!

Actually I have been at rock bottom. 2 times in my life.
Always found the way to fight back. That is something that according to me should be buildt in as an instinct in every person.

Especially when they are married and perent to a child. This is just a cowardly act that is showing the lack of backbone.

So, again! No empathy here.

 

[thaiguzzi]

43 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Actually I have been at rock bottom. 2 times in my life.
Always found the way to fight back. That is something that according to me should be buildt in as an instinct in every person.

Especially when they are married and perent to a child. This is just a cowardly act that is showing the lack of backbone.

So, again! No empathy here.

 

You have a wonderful day out there too now..........