Elderly Couple Battles Life's Hardships, Surviving on Scavenging

[webfact]

 

Sanook reporters visited a construction worker's camp in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, and discovered an elderly couple's plight. Boonlue, 73, and Toi, 72, were found dwelling in a tiny room without any beds, using a thin mat to sleep on the bare floor.

 

Their few possessions include a single electric frying pan and a fan. The elderly couple, already suffering from signs of dementia due to their age, struggle to make ends meet by collecting and selling waste.

 

Photo: Sanook

 

Toi recounted their previous life at the camp, living with their son who worked as a construction worker and was the family's primary breadwinner. Tragically, their son passed away last month, leaving the elderly couple with the challenging task of providing for themselves.

 

Photo: Sanook

 

Their meager monthly income of around 400-500 Baht, from selling collected items, is used for food and drinking water. The pair don't have identification cards, depriving them of any social security benefits.

 

Photo: Sanook

 

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[Tropicalevo]

And for those that keep saying 'cashless is the way to go - use apps'?

Sad.

[Scouse123]

OMG,

 

That is bad.

 

What a lousy way to have to live.

[superal]

Disgusting situation because there is no social safety net from the Thai government , only a small monthly pension of between 600---1000 baht a month , depending on their age . Normally the family takes care of its elderly relatives in Thailand but in this case there is no family so they live the life of a street dog . Other people around them must be aware of their plight . Not sure if there are any refuges or charitable organisations ( Salvation Army ) in Thailand .

[billd766]

2 hours ago, superal said:

Disgusting situation because there is no social safety net from the Thai government , only a small monthly pension of between 600---1000 baht a month , depending on their age . Normally the family takes care of its elderly relatives in Thailand but in this case there is no family so they live the life of a street dog . Other people around them must be aware of their plight . Not sure if there are any refuges or charitable organisations ( Salvation Army ) in Thailand .

However from the OP

 

quote "Their meager monthly income of around 400-500 Baht, from selling collected items, is used for food and drinking water. The pair don't have identification cards, depriving them of any social security benefits."

 

As they have no ID cards they actually get nothing from the government at all.

 

Compare that with a story in the Post where an elephant was flown from Sri Lanka to Thailand for treatment.

 

Or another story in the Post where the 83 year old wife of the chairman of the CP group had her funerial rites at a vast expense.

 

But it doesn't matter as they are dirt poor, and of no consequence to anybody.

 

Sarcasm mode is off (I think).

[chalawaan]

That old CP auntie figures she can buy her ticket to heaven, it's not even true teaching, just superstitious nonsense, and some Abbot now has a gleaming Fortuner in a Sparkly Saffron paint job.

 

No thought of having a modest send-off that Lord Buddha would appreciate, and donating the rest to people like these.  

 

 

[superal]

40 minutes ago, billd766 said:

However from the OP

 

quote "Their meager monthly income of around 400-500 Baht, from selling collected items, is used for food and drinking water. The pair don't have identification cards, depriving them of any social security benefits."

 

As they have no ID cards they actually get nothing from the government at all.

 

Compare that with a story in the Post where an elephant was flown from Sri Lanka to Thailand for treatment.

 

Or another story in the Post where the 83 year old wife of the chairman of the CP group had her funerial rites at a vast expense.

 

But it doesn't matter as they are dirt poor, and of no consequence to anybody.

 

Sarcasm mode is off (I think).

I should have made it clearer . I was also talking about the aged in general in Thailand and how they are supposed to exist on under 1000 baht a month . Yes , they have no I.D. cards but is that insurmountable ? Maybe the wealthy monks could take care of them in their golden temples instead of soi dogs .