Pregnant Cambodian wife left homeless by Thai ex-husband

A pregnant Cambodian woman sought help from the Foundation Campaigning to Reclaim Social Justice after her Thai ex-husband abandoned her and disappeared with 1 million baht in cash they had earned together.

The 30 year old woman, Pum, shared her story during a press conference at the foundation’s office in Nonthaburi province yesterday, September 10. She explained that the ordeal caused her to suffer from depression and even contemplate suicide several times.

Pum said she met her Thai ex-husband, 29 year old James through a dating app in 2019. After being in a relationship for a year, they planned their future together and rented a market stall to sell vegetables. They also bought a 5 million baht home.

As Pum is a foreigner, her name was not included on any of the ownership documents. The house was bought in James’ name, and the market stall was also rented under his name. Although they lived together like a married couple, they never officially registered their marriage.

The couple were happy for about four to five years, and Pum became pregnant at the beginning of this year. However, according to Pum, things began to deteriorate as they argued more frequently due to her mood swings during pregnancy.

James eventually asked to break up, but Pum tried to salvage the relationship. In June, when she was six months pregnant, James left their home. He later called to tell her to move out, saying the house belonged to him.

Absent father

Pum revealed that despite paying the 17,800-baht monthly mortgage, she had no legal rights to the property. She agreed to leave, but only after giving birth.

James also cancelled the rental agreement for their market stall, leaving Pum without an income. She had to cover all the expenses for the birth of their child on her own.

A month after their breakup, Pum saw James with another woman. He posted a picture of them dining together on social media. Pum contacted the woman, who apologised upon learning about Pum’s situation, as she was unaware of her existence.

Pum later received a legal notice from James stating that she was his employee and that her contract was terminated, forcing her to vacate the house. At the end of August, the electricity and water supply were cut off, and Pum had no choice but to move out and rent a room with her child.

Pum emphasised that she was not seeking any money or possessions from James. She simply wanted him to acknowledge their child and ensure the child could obtain Thai citizenship.

The foundation’s president and lawyer, Ronnarong Kaewphet, stated that the foundation would arrange a meeting between the two to resolve the matter, as he believed it was a family issue that did not require court intervention.

Ronnarong also told Channel 3 that the foundation reached out to James, but he declined to speak at the time, promising to get in touch later.