Help pours in for poor family who plans to commit suicide to escape poverty

[webfact]

Help pours in for poor family who plans to commit suicide to escape poverty

BANGKOK: -- Help has been streaming in for a desperate family of five in Sukhothai province who planned mass suicides to escape their abject poverty.

The family is made up of a 63-year old grandma, one disabled son and three grandsons under ten years old. As the only breadwinner, Mrs Luan Ngampit has been making a living by selling sweets which has earned her an average of 3,000 baht income a month which is barely enough to feed five mouths. Often times, they went without food.

Their plight was made public only recently when a teacher of the three kids found out that one of them went to a shop to buy insecticide with money borrowed by their grandma from someone in the neighbor so that all of them could kill themselves by taking the insecticide and would no longer have to suffer from poverty.

It was reported that it was one of the boys who initiated the idea of mass suicides.

The teacher intervened and told the boy to stop the plan. The family’s plight was then posted on the social media and it was then that help started to pour in.

Local officials have been helping to build a new house for the family while donations were provided for the family. Among the helpers was Sukhothai governor Piti Kaewsalabsee who visited the family. He asked the three boys to follow the example of Tham, an armless cyclist in Phitsanuloke, who took part in the “Bike for Mom” cycling event last month.

Mental health officials from Thung Saliam district hospital have checked the mental help of the three kids and found them to be normal.

For long-term help, the Thung Saliam tambon municipal has spared a piece of public land near the family’s home to work on by farming and fish raising.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/help-pours-in-for-poor-family-who-plan-to-commit-suicides-to-escape-poverty

-- Thai PBS 2015-09-11

[ratcatcher]

A sad but also heartwarming story. Too bad it had to get to such a point before society reacted.

[canopus1969]

A sad indictment on Thailand

[bangkokfrog]

A sad indictment on Thailand

Sad indeed, but I don't know about an indictment on Thailand. Can you name another developing country (or indeed developed country outside a privileged few in Northern Europe) where this could never take place. And what about the teacher who picked it up and those who have helped since... we should be applauding these rather than using the story as another excuse to bag Thailand.

[jerojero]

Sad state of affairs. And the Government says don't post suicides or such plights on social media! Many more desperate poor need govt help and politics spend money uselessly on submarines, or their 5000 active military General positions, or ineffective subsidies, or high speed trains. Maybe social media will be the conduit though which social change will happen. One can hope.

Edited September 11, 2015 by jerojero

[Sviss Geez]

A sad indictment on Thailand

Yes, terrible that people have stepped in to help this family and give them a future, absolutely damnimg. Clown.

[anto]

A sad indictment on Thailand

Really ?

[Happy Grumpy]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

[anto]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

Really ?

[NeilSA1]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

The family is made up of a 63-year old grandma,

one disabled son and

three grandsons under ten years old​.

Sounds like a typical family scaming donations........

Edited September 11, 2015 by NeilSA1

[Somtamnication]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

You are a sad human being.

[Artisi]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

Could make a suggestion on a name change for you, the only problem being it would be deleted and I would end with a warning or even red carded and your certainly not worth being sin binned over.

[tajtom]

And the big shots want the public support funny stuff

[williamgeorgeallen]

A sad indictment on Thailand

this story reflect positively on Thailand. great this family was helped.

[graemeaylward]

How great to see a teacher discovering and caring enough about one of her students to be able to prevent a tragedy. Congratulations and best wishes to all who have supported this family.

[Robroona]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

One thing the new owners of ThaVisa could do is get rid of people like you. Your comment shows an alarming lack of decency which shames us who, by membership of the Forum, are associated with you.

[kinmaew]

Where is their DSS money? I will tell you its been stolen by their elite while they are forced to crawl on their feet in front of them. Hey Thais, GET UP OFF YOUR FEET FROM POVERTY!! but you wont will you instead "Get money from Farang" is the prevailing attitude - Think for yourself and stop following!!

[lildragon]

yet again these threads bring out you absolute mouth breathers. Do you have nothing better to do than be a hateful individual?

Well done to the teacher in this heart warming story and everyone that donated.

[scorecard]

A sad but also heartwarming story. Too bad it had to get to such a point before society reacted.

IMHO this is a key point.

Why hadn't the village headman stepped in years ago and reported this situation to a higher official?

Why, in many countries is there a lack of thinking and action in terms of developing a civil society where we all share, we all support and care for each other.

One answer is the rise of rampant capitalism where we all worship one thing money / materialism, with reducing broader thought about the whole society.

[daveAustin]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

Could make a suggestion on a name change for you, the only problem being it would be deleted and I would end with a warning or even red carded and your certainly not worth being sin binned over.

Just remove the Happy bit.

[Stradavarius37]

A sad indictment on Thailand

Did you read this whole article - mouth breather

[Happy Grumpy]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

One thing the new owners of ThaVisa could do is get rid of people like you. Your comment shows an alarming lack of decency which shames us who, by membership of the Forum, are associated with you.

Man are you in for a shock when you start to understand Thai society and culture.

[cookee68]

It is sad that a teacher had to say something first, it is sad that a child can buy anything at a local shop, regardless of it's danger, and that until it was shared on a social web site, nobody found it a problem, is this the Thai face thing raising it's head for merit points, monitoring and personal help would be a better solution, as sad as it is, lets see how many more will use this for their own benefit now.

[cookee68]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

One thing the new owners of ThaVisa could do is get rid of people like you. Your comment shows an alarming lack of decency which shames us who, by membership of the Forum, are associated with you.

It has happened before on many occasions, what happened to the parents of the grand children, lets hear a little bit more about them, are they dead, did they abandon the kids, are they piss heads in the village, many answers should be answered as well before we start judging other people's responses. like the begers that are rich but still beg,

[lildragon]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

One thing the new owners of ThaVisa could do is get rid of people like you. Your comment shows an alarming lack of decency which shames us who, by membership of the Forum, are associated with you.

It has happened before on many occasions, what happened to the parents of the grand children, lets hear a little bit more about them, are they dead, did they abandon the kids, are they piss heads in the village, many answers should be answered as well before we start judging other people's responses. like the begers that are rich but still beg,

A desperate family nearly commit suicide together due to their sheer destitution, people have found out about it, awareness spread and now they are getting help....

Some TVF members "Yeah well, we can still find a way to Thai bash anyway! Any excuse to belittle these people we need to take it! Are superiority complex compels us to."

Seriously, what is wrong with you?

[cookee68]

Wouldn't be surprised if it is a scam to get donations.

One thing the new owners of ThaVisa could do is get rid of people like you. Your comment shows an alarming lack of decency which shames us who, by membership of the Forum, are associated with you.

It has happened before on many occasions, what happened to the parents of the grand children, lets hear a little bit more about them, are they dead, did they abandon the kids, are they piss heads in the village, many answers should be answered as well before we start judging other people's responses. like the begers that are rich but still beg,

A desperate family nearly commit suicide together due to their sheer destitution, people have found out about it, awareness spread and now they are getting help....

Some TVF members "Yeah well, we can still find a way to Thai bash anyway! Any excuse to belittle these people we need to take it! Are superiority complex compels us to."

Seriously, what is wrong with you?

That is not an answer to my question, they have lived the same life in the same village, in the same circumstances, where was the Thai mercy then? stick to the question, or cant you read either

[Happy Grumpy]

The newbs are adorable.

[Mudcrab]

A sad but also heartwarming story. Too bad it had to get to such a point before society reacted.

IMHO this is a key point.

Why hadn't the village headman stepped in years ago and reported this situation to a higher official?

Why, in many countries is there a lack of thinking and action in terms of developing a civil society where we all share, we all support and care for each other.

One answer is the rise of rampant capitalism where we all worship one thing money / materialism, with reducing broader thought about the whole society.

Oh dear...scorecard of on his red utopia trip again.

[Mudcrab]

Where is their DSS money? I will tell you its been stolen by their elite while they are forced to crawl on their feet in front of them. Hey Thais, GET UP OFF YOUR FEET FROM POVERTY!! but you wont will you instead "Get money from Farang" is the prevailing attitude - Think for yourself and stop following!!

You really must seek the professional help that you so desparately need.

Elite stole their money? Get money from Farang?

Good luck with the therapy.

[tajtom]

I donate to many on the street but only the ones that I see are in need

I see many that do not