A popular Facebook group for Bangkok ex-pats has received information that an 83-year-old British expat was being held hostage in the city whilst Thais stole his weekly pension.
“Declan James Theodore” says that he drove to Samut Sakhon near Bangkok after a concerned British family made claims about their elderly relative, and found the desperate pensioner being held in a small, grubby room.
The man, only named as Ron, is an ex-soldier from Brighton. He said he was only being given a small amount of food to survive on as Thais emptied his bank account via an ATM.
An appeal fund has been set up to raise £2,000 to get Ron home and £1000 was quickly donated.
Declan made the claims via a vlog he made whilst driving back to help Ron, who has been in Thailand ‘for a long time.’
Curiously, Declan makes no mention of reporting the ‘kidnapping’ to the Bangkok police.
He does say that he has now rescued the old man and that he is cleaned up, safe and 200km away from Bangkok.
6 am this morning I set off in the car to find a total stranger! Following a post I noticed on social media in Bangkok a few days ago.The post came from a family back in the UK . Who where extremely worried about the health and well being of there elderly father who is unable to return back to the UK .To make things more worrying for the family. They could not fly into the country to help take the man home The worrying thing about this elderly man's situation. Was Not being stuck here in Thailand due to the covid 19 situation that i could understandThe real underlying FACT the reason the gentleman is stuck here.Was due to what I soon discovered was a large number of Thai people who where keeping this man in a small room 8 x 6 sleeping on a make shift bed….on the top of a 3 story building. Unable to navigate himself down the stairs to actually leave. These people where helping themselves to the guys pension week after week month after month often as he pointed out with threat of violence towards himThere was other related situations that this poor man found himself in. But I prefer not to go into thatAnyhow we tracked down this old soldier (ex para) and when I made my way into the room these parasites had him. I Was greated with a smile. And a questionQ. You can take me home?A. Absolulty sir let's GoQ. Where you fromA. Liverpool my mate(He broke into ferry across the mersy. Lol cracking rendition even with no teeth) As I type now old guy is safe and cleaned up and few hundred miles away from the world he woke up in this morning with a hot shower a garden to walk around in when he wakes upAnd now sleeping on a real bed for the first time in a long time !! he told me was not sure if he would see a bed again..Reason for the post. Is I have seen a Side to this amazing country that has no place in modern times.. the ex pat population over here in Thailand, we all know of these horror stories that band about from time to time.. I would urge anyone who has a gut feeling about maybe an friend who has gone quite. Or not responded to messages. To just check up on them Try to make sure Old John. Or Frank or Tommy is actually okelderly vunerable ex pats in Thailand may often be to proud to ask for helpRemember if somethink does not seem or sound right. (then it probably isn't)On a bright note " old Ron pointed out to me a few months of rice. Water and the odd sausage roll has done wonders for his diet even if it has been expensive (Can't keep the old school pensioners moral down.) Next step. Get the gentleman checked up in hospital Tommorow and see what we can do to get him back home to his familyIf any body is in a position to help. Possibly make a donation towards getting Ron back home to the UK with his family that would be amazing. Every little helps Link is attached below https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/d-theodore
Posted by Declan Jamrs Theodore on Sunday, May 17, 2020
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