A Thai Mother Who Went To Visit Her Son Nearby Ended Up Walking 600KM To China
The woman, who has Alzheimer's, was found nearly eight months later.
By Alyssa J. Oon — 21 Feb 2019, 05:44 PM
A 59-year-old Thai woman who left to visit her son one afternoon in June 2018 ended up walking over 600km to China
Kaewmanee Arjor (centre, in black) and her daughter Suchada Arjor (in green), together with Chiang Rai immigration officials.
Image via Thai Immigration Police/AFP-Jiji/The Japan NewsABS-CBN News reported that the woman, Kaewmanee Arjor of the ethnic Akha hill-tribe, left her home in Chiang Rai to visit her son who lived nearby.
"I went to see my son... I met him, then I kept walking," she said, and ended up walking more than 600km which landed her in China.
She was first reported missing by her 35-year-old daughter Suchada Arjor on June 12.
Eight months after she went missing, Kaewmanee was found by police officers in Kunming, China in late January
Kaewmanee was found wandering along a highway in the city that connects the southwestern Yunnan province to the Chiang Khong district, reported Bangkok Post.
The police found her Thai ID card on her and noticed symptoms of Alzheimer's, so they took her to a mental hospital and informed the Thai consulate.
Unfortunately, her daughter could not afford the travelling expenses to China - so Chiang Rai immigration officers chipped in
Suchada earned a mere THB300 (RM39.30) a day at the golf course she worked at, reported Bangkok Post.
The Chiang Rai immigration officers offered to chip in on the basis of "humanitarian grounds".
Suchada was also accompanied by two immigration officers during the trip to bring her mother home.
The mother and daughter were finally reunited last Friday, 15 February
A screengrab from the video of their reunion.
Image via Thai Immigration Police via AFP/ABS-CBN News"Before my mother went missing, she weighed almost 60kg. Now, she weighs only 40kg," said Suchada, as reported by Bangkok Post.
"When I asked her questions, she could answer some, but no details as to how she became lost and where she went."
Additionally, Kaewmanee told Suchada that she survived by buying food along the way, as she had some money with her.