Sister receives body of chef denied treatment at Cambodian hospital

The case of Methacharn Yorsang, a 24-year-old chef from Nakhon Si Thammarat, who tragically died in Poipet, Cambodia, has garnered significant attention. 

Methacharn, who had been suffering and living on the streets near a commercial building, was denied medical care at Poipet Hospital due to his lack of funds and identification documents. His case has sparked heavy criticism regarding Cambodia’s humanitarian response.

The Coordination Centre for Assistance to Thai Nationals Abroad coordinated with Methacharn’s family, and his sister Supawadee Yorsang, who, along with her husband, travelled from Nakhon Si Thammarat, accompanied by officials from the Pracharuamjai Foundation, to retrieve his body at the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo Province, on Wednesday ( October 8)

The Thai Border Coordination Office collaborated with Cambodian authorities and the Thai Consulate to confirm his identity and facilitate the process of bringing his body back to Thailand.

Methacharn’s relatives revealed that he worked as a chef on a cruise ship, traveling worldwide. He had a high-paying contract but lost contact with his family for over a year. It is suspected that after finishing his contract on the ship, he was lured to Cambodia for further work, where he may have been assaulted, had his personal documents seized, and was forced to flee, eventually becoming homeless. 

He was later found in critical condition, suffering from stomach pain, without money or identification.

The Thai community in Poipet and the Coordination Centre attempted to help by sending him to a hospital in Cambodia, but Poipet Hospital refused to provide treatment, citing that Methacharn was a foreigner without financial proof or identification.

Methacharn’s sister and Thai Border Coordination officers crossed the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge to sign the release of his body. The remains were then transferred from the border checkpoint to the Aranyaprathet Rescue Foundation for transport back to Nakhon Si Thammarat, where a religious ceremony will be held on October 9.

Methacharn’s sister stated that the cause of his death remains unclear. Before he left to work as a chef on the cruise ship, he underwent health checks, and no underlying illness was reported. 

Previously, the family received a warrant for the deceased's name related to a "mule account" sent to their home. The family was shocked, but also wanted to ask him what he had been doing in Cambodia.

The family has expressed doubt about the cause of death, with some suspecting heart disease, as concluded by Cambodian authorities.
 
Colonel Methee Khamtem, Commander of the Ranger Regiment Control Unit 12, said that in cases of Thai nationals facing difficulties in Cambodia, coordination efforts are made to assist. He emphasised that border closures complicate the process, and urged people with relatives working in Poipet to inform them and bring them back to Thailand. He added that delays in coordination led to Methacharn's death before he could receive medical treatment in Thailand.