Burmese woman finds husband’s mistress after building collapse
A heartbroken Burmese woman walked for four days from Myanmar to Bangkok in a desperate search for her missing husband and son, following the collapse of a government building, only to discover her husband’s secret relationship with a Thai mistress.
Locals said the woman was left “stunned and speechless” after discovering her husband had secretly started a new life behind her back — complete with a new lover.
A Channel 8 news team interviewed the Burmese woman, identified only as May, who arrived in Bangkok yesterday, April 8, to follow up on the search for bodies and survivors at the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand, which collapsed due to the effects of Myanmar’s earthquake on March 28.
According to May, her 46 year old husband Ji Tan, her son Kyaw Tat and her daughter had all worked in the building. The daughter managed to escape but her husband and son remained trapped inside.
Thai rescuers have not yet found them, but May admitted that both are likely to have died. She came to Thailand to retrieve their bodies for a funeral ceremony.
May revealed that she left her elderly mother and young daughter at home and began her journey to Thailand on foot on March 30. She travelled with another person familiar with the route from Myanmar into Thailand.
May said she walked through forests and over multiple mountains until reaching the Thai-Myanmar border in Kanchanaburi province. She paid 12,500 baht to enter the Kingdom of Thailand.
She immediately contacted Thai officials to claim the bodies of her husband and son, should they be found. Officials requested that she undergo a DNA test at a hospital to confirm her relationship to the victims.
However, as May was about to take the test, medical staff informed her that another woman claiming to be Ji Tan’s wife had already brought his daughter for DNA testing. This revelation devastated May, who only then learned about her husband’s Thai wife.
Through tears, the Burmese woman said her children had never mentioned the Thai wife. Ji Tan had sent her money every month, and she had never suspected infidelity. She expressed concern that her family’s remains and the associated compensation might instead go to the second wife.
Channel 8 also interviewed the Thai woman, identified as Whee, who confirmed her long-term relationship with Ji Tan. She said she had lived with Ji Tan and his children for over 10 years, cared for them, and did not know of May.
Whee stated that she felt hurt when Ji Tan’s daughter ignored her once her biological mother arrived. She had asked the girl to explain the situation to May but she refused to do so. May also avoided speaking to Whee, leading the situation to become public.
Whee claimed she had evidence of her relationship with Ji Tan and said she had even secured jobs for him and his children at the construction site through a friend who was a manager.
Whee added that she had supported Ji Tan and his children financially for years, yet now felt like she was just a nobody.
Despite the emotional turmoil, Whee said she would give the right to the bodies of Ji Tan and Kyaw Tat to May. However, she did not comment on the matter of compensation.
According to officials, compensation for Ji Tan will be given to his daughter, while compensation for Kyaw Tat will be awarded to May.
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