Runaway love: Thai woman’s 20-kilometre vow at shrine unlocks divorce after five-year marathon

A Thai woman honoured a vow at the Kampaeng Phet City Pillar Shrine in the northern province of Kampaeng Phet after she successfully divorced her ex-husband after five years of trying by running 20 kilometres.

Suphaporn Ninlabordee’s story became the talk of Kampaeng Phet province when yesterday, November 26, she ran 20 kilometres from the Kampaeng Phet City Pillar Shrine to Baan Sahakorn Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital where the 31 year old works as a dental assistant.

Suphaporn ran with her friends and family members, who walked and drove behind her in case of an emergency. She ran for three hours and reached her destination safely.

What made the story go viral was the reason behind her run. Suphaporn revealed to ThaiRath that she ran to fulfil her vow after successfully divorcing her ex-husband.

Suphaporn explained that she married her ex-husband 15 years ago and they had two children together. She asked her husband for a divorce five years ago because they were always fighting and she could no longer bear his negative behaviour.

The ex-husband refused Suphaporn’s request, prompting her to leave the family home to distance herself from him. Despite her efforts to break away, the ex-husband persistently visited her new residence, causing ongoing chaos. He agreed to a divorce but demanded a payment ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 baht as a condition.

Suphaporn, struggling with financial constraints as she earned only 7,000 to 8,000 baht monthly, found it impossible to meet the demanded sum. Additionally, she had to single-handedly support their two children, as her husband provided no financial assistance and even requested money from her.

Faced with this challenging situation, Suphaporn turned to the Kampaeng Phet City Pillar Shrine for assistance. She made a vow to run 20 kilometres in return for help.

Seeking legal advice, she managed to secure a divorce from her ex-husband swiftly after making a wish at the shrine. Grateful for the resolution, she fulfilled her promise and expressed appreciation to the shrine by completing a run.