A South Korean court sentenced a pig farm owner to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for concealing the body of a Thai worker who had been working illegally at the farm for 10 years and died last year.

 

The body of 67 year old Boonchu was discovered on a mountain in Pocheon City, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, in March 2023. His employer, 60 year old Kim, admitted to abandoning Boonchu’s body after finding him dead in his room.

 

The Korea Times reported that the Uijeongbu District Court in Gyeonggi province delivered the verdict on July 12, sentencing Kim to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years.

 

Kim confessed in court that he did not report Boonchu’s death to the authorities because he feared legal repercussions for hiring an illegal foreign worker.

 

The news agency emphasised that Boonchu died from health issues and that there were no signs of sexual or physical assault on his body.

 

 

Boonchu travelled to South Korea on a tourist visa in 2013 and worked illegally at the pig farm for 10 years, earning 1.8 million won (approximately 46,000 baht) per month. He planned to return to Thailand but died before he could do so.

 

Pictures of the room where Boonchu lived for 10 years were shared on social media in both Thailand and South Korea, sparking criticism as they showed the unsanitary conditions in which he lived.

 

Many people agreed that these living conditions contributed to his health issues, which ultimately led to his death. Boonchu’s living conditions led his family to sue the employer to seek compensation for their loss.

 

In addition to his living conditions, many also criticised Boonchu’s working hours, as he had to care for over 1,000 pigs on the farm and worked for more than 12 hours per day.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Photo via Matichon

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-07-19

 

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15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In addition to his living conditions, many also criticised Boonchu’s working hours, as he had to care for over 1,000 pigs on the farm and worked for more than 12 hours per day

During 10 years of employment, if the conditions were so appalling I'm sure he could have done something... even surrendered and got deported.

I guess the salary was hard to walk away from?

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

a Thai worker who had been working illegally at the farm for 10 years and died last year. ... he had to care for over 1,000 pigs on the farm and worked for more than 12 hours per day.

 

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

His employer, 60 year old Kim, admitted to abandoning Boonchu’s body after finding him dead in his room.

 

He worked for ten years at the pig farm .

Definitely a hard job .

He died , his employer left his body to rot ...

Was it worth it ?

Sad .

I’m surprised his family didn’t complain earlier maybe the 46,000 a month that he was sending back to the family with your main concern TIT

did the thai man not send money home ?

do banks not ask and copy passport, visa and WORK PERMIT ?

 

23 hours ago, john donson said:

did the thai man not send money home ?

do banks not ask and copy passport, visa and WORK PERMIT ?

 

Majority of times these workers don’t send money through banks.
 

They wire the money locally or send by cash to Thais living in Korea. And those Thais then wire the money from their thai bank accounts to the receiver. So there is usually no international transfer involved and rates rate better than banks with no fees.

 

It’s pretty common, even for expats living in Thailand that wire small amount to like Korea, Phillipines etc.

23 hours ago, john donson said:

did the thai man not send money home ?

do banks not ask and copy passport, visa and WORK PERMIT ?

 

Long story short, wife last talked to him on Feb 20, he was suppose to go back home or March 30.

 

Wife talks to him multiple times daily but on Feb 20 he stop picking up phone calls. Wife ask other Thais to check up on him, Thais arrive at the farm couple days later, employer said he ran away, which was unlikely - they got police to check and employer refuse entry. Police search property and found the body.