Help arrives for sick Bangkok couple facing eviction

Former information and communication technology minister Anudith Nakhonthap, Chainarong Putchakarn, chairman of the Mother of the Land Foundation for Sai Mai, and officials from the Social Development and Human Security Ministry and the Sai Mai district visited the couple at their house in Or Ngern subdistrict on Friday morning.
They visited the couple after Sumol Boonyuen, chairwoman of the Mother of the Land fund for Sahachum Chon village where the couple live, found out about their plight and sought help from the fund and Anudith, a former MP for Sai Mai district.
The couple were identified as Somsak Phojad, 64, and Bamrung Phojad, 50. They said they had four children but two died and two others moved away to have their own families.
Somsak could not walk because of an infected foot caused by iron shrapnel when he fixed a water pump last year.
His wife is suffering from asthma and her only income comes from selling sweets at a temple once every fortnight on Buddhist worship day.
Bamrung said Somsak's conditioned worsened and he ate less after he learned from his sister, who lives in another house, that she mortgaged their land and the new owner sent a lawyer to move them on.
Anudith gave Somsak a walking stick, money and bags of necessities as immediate relief. He said he would coordinate with Apichart Ploysangwal, director of Bhumibol Hospital, to take Somsak for treatment until his foot heals.
Officials from the district office and the ministry said they would evaluate their living conditions to provide them sustainable measures to help and register them for allowances.