65-Year-Old Man Abandoned in Forest, Walks Over 50 km in Scorching Heat With Only 14 Baht
A 65-year-old laborer walked over 50 kilometers through scorching heat after his supervisor abandoned him in a forest plantation in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, armed only with 14 baht and no phone.
A 65-year-old man was abandoned in the forest by his supervisor and coworkers, forcing him to walk over 50 kilometers through intense heat searching for his work group. With no phone and only 14 baht remaining, he was found exhausted and sweating profusely wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and shorts, carrying two old bags along Highway 304 near Sai Mitra School in Kabinburi district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Reporters found the man walking past a sticky rice and grilled pork shop near a Bang Jak gas station in Lat Krachian subdistrict, Kabinburi district. Reporters offered to buy him food, and though he was shy and initially asked for just one package of sticky rice with grilled pork, he requested two when he learned reporters would pay. The vendor also gave him a glass of red Fanta.
The man identified himself as Daeng Chuvarimit, 65 years old. He explained that he was hired to haul eucalyptus wood with a supervisor named "Dam" and five or six coworkers. On the evening of May 11, after loading wood onto a ten-wheeler truck in the Thablaan area of Nadi district, everyone dispersed to rest. He fell asleep in a shelter in the eucalyptus plantation, and when he woke up, the supervisor and all the coworkers had moved camp and left without him.
"I'm not angry at my supervisor. He was probably drunk and forgot to check if everyone got on the truck, so he left me behind," Daeng said with innocent eyes.
He decided to walk from Nadi district toward Lat Krachian subdistrict and Khlong Rang village, where the supervisor usually brought the work crew to find jobs—a distance of over 50 kilometers. He hoped that as he walked, coworkers who knew him would recognize him and pick him up to return to camp.
When asked why he didn't call his supervisor or coworkers, Daeng said he had no phone and only 14 baht in his pocket. He is alone—his wife has passed away and his children have their own families elsewhere.
Daeng asked reporters to drop him under the overpass at the entrance to Sapbua village, saying he would wait there. If he didn't find his supervisor or coworkers, he would continue walking to Khlong Rang and Rabao Phai to search for new work and other laborers.
