Boy sleeping in Chiang Mai laundrette sparks action (video)

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

A young boy has drawn widespread attention after sleeping alone in a laundromat in the Chiang Mai province late at night. Concerned netizens expressed their desire to help the child, sparking a conversation about his welfare.

Footage shared by TikTok user @suwatchareek captured the boy entering the laundromat around 3am and staying until 5am.

“A little boy came to sleep in the shop until 5am. I don’t know what he’s been through, but I’m glad he felt safe here.”

The incident occurred around 3.42am on July 16, when a boy in a yellow shirt was seen lying on the floor of a laundromat near Wat Si Ping Mueang in Chiang Mai. The shop owner, Botan, revealed that the boy left by 5am without tampering with anything in the shop.

The next day at approximately 2am, the same boy returned with another, older child. They both slept on the floor until 5am again. Botan and her daughter, who reviewed the CCTV footage, were puzzled by the boy’s nocturnal visits and wondered why his parents were not looking for him. The shop operates 24 hours, and the boys seemed to come during the quietest times.

Botan stated that the children were welcome to sleep in the shop, however, she was concerned about possible family issues that might prevent the parents from searching for them. She felt pity and worry for the boys, who were very young and should be attending school instead of wandering late at night.

Troubled home

The first night, the boy slept for only an hour, and the second night, for three hours. Botan stayed up all night hoping the boy would return so she could offer help, but he did not come back, possibly due to the presence of other people in the shop.

“It is important for society to step in and ensure children like this are not left to fend for themselves. It’s quite dangerous at night.”

After posting the clip on TikTok, many viewers provided additional information about the boys. Some noted that the younger boy sold flowers around Kad Manee and had been seen sleeping on a slide outside a shop. Reports suggested that the boys’ home life was troubled, leading them to run away.

Botan contacted the schools where the boys were enrolled. The younger child attends a school in Tha Satoy, while the older one goes to Si Ping Mueang. Both schools have promised to look into the situation and contact the parents. Botan and her daughter planned to visit Wat Si Ping Mueang Municipal School in the afternoon to gather more details, reported KhaoSod.

“Many have asked for updates. We’ve informed the schools and requested them to help locate and follow up with the boys.”

@suwatchareek

ขออนุญาติน้องเอาคลิปมาลงน๊า…มาดูคลิปย้อนหลังแล้วเจอ…รู้สึกตกใจที่เจอแบบนี้… ถ้าพี่ตื่นเวลานั้น น้องคงได้นอนดีกว่านี้นะคะ เป็นห่วงหนูน๊า!!

♬ เธอเก่งที่สุดในโลก 😉 (Person of the Year) – imnutt

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Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.

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