97 year old Thai grandmother abandoned on road by daughter, found soaking in rain

A 97 year old grandmother was abandoned in the middle of a road in the rain by her own daughter in Thailand‘s southern Ranong province. The elderly woman managed to crawl into the grassy area beside the road, where she was eventually found today by her distressed grandchildren. The road was in the middle of a residential area.

Security camera footage in the locality showed a suspicious vehicle dropping her off on the day of the incident. A woman was seen enquiring about the whereabouts of the 97 year old grandmother in the area before leaving her there.

The children of the elderly woman, who helped her when she was discovered, expressed their anger at her daughter for abandoning her. According to them, the grandmother, who had been staying with them for over a year, was taken to Phang Nga province by her younger daughter, who then returned her back, leaving her about 50 metres from her home.

Additionally, the grandmother’s body bore bruises suggesting she had been forcibly handled. When asked about them, she said she had been ill-treated by her daughter. One of the grandchildren rushed the elderly woman to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a mild fever due to the rain.

The grandmother has six children, including the father of one of the grandchildren, who has passed away. Two sons and a younger daughter, who are reportedly wealthy, reside in different provinces, but they are not involved in her care. Another son, who lives alone in rather difficult circumstances, struggles to look after the grandmother.

A recent survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) revealed that the majority of elderly people in Thailand expect to receive care from their families, specifically their daughters. The results showed that 53.1% of respondents expect care from their families.