Fearless Thai woman swoops in to rescue boy kidnapped by homeless man at temple

A Thai woman bravely swooped to the rescue of an eight year old boy kidnapped by a homeless man and taken to beg at Bang Phi Yai Nai temple in Bang Phi district of the central province of Samut Prakarn.

A Thai woman contacted the police and the Mirror Foundation after her grandchild, eight year old Jirayu “Bank” Mongko, went missing. The woman told officers that she had taken Bank to a charity event at a Chinese shrine in Samut Prakarn on Friday, October 20. While waiting to receive free goods at the event, her grandson disappeared.

The shrine’s caretaker, 57 year old Suthin Boonyoo, told ThaiRath that he received a complaint about the missing boy at around 2pm. Both shrine officials and visitors helped in the search for the boy. He was last seen on an overpass 500 metres from the shrine.

Suthin said he checked the shrine’s security camera and discovered that a homeless man named Kaew had taken the boy out of the shrine. Suthin said Kaew usually visited the shrine to clean in exchange for food or money.

According to Suthin, Kaew always talked to the boys who visited the shrine and had previously been arrested for kidnapping in 2016. He was released from prison two years before this latest abduction. However, Suthin could not identify the reason for the abduction, whether it was related to sexual assault or just to help him beg for money.

The Mirror Foundation yesterday, October 23, received a report that Kaew and Bank were sitting outside a convenience store in the Bang Na district of Samut Prakarn at around 9am. The two were said to have taken a public bus to Bang Na intersection.

In the evening of the same day, a Thai vendor, Patcharaporn Rormalee, contacted the foundation she set up, Bank at Bang Phi Yai Nai Temple, where she ran her shop. Patcharaporn said she had seen Kaew holding Bank’s hand and begging from temple visitors.

Patcharaporn swooped to rescue the boy and urged other vendors to prevent Kaew from escaping while she waited for Mirror Foundation officials.

Bank is now in police custody, waiting to return home, while Kaew is being questioned to determine his motive for the abduction.

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