10-year-old runaway found under Najomtien bridge

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Attapol Liempeng (left) found young Seksan Prabantao (right) after seeing a Facebook video about the boy.
Attapol Liempeng (left) found young Seksan Prabantao (right) after seeing a Facebook video about the boy.

Pattaya – A Najomtien man rescued a 10-year-old boy who took up living under a local bridge after running away from home.

Attapol Liempeng, 29, found young Seksan Prabantao around midnight July 24 after seeing a Facebook video about the boy living under a bridge over the Tung Ai Lew canal in Moo 3 village.

The 10-year old boy was discovered living rough under a bridge near the Tung Ai Lew canal in Najomtien.
The 10-year old boy was discovered living rough under a bridge near the Tung Ai Lew canal in Najomtien.

“Nong Ta” was sleeping on grass with a fertilizer sack filled with grass as a pillow. He put an umbrella over himself to keep animals away. It took some convincing, but Attapol eventually was able to convince the lad to come home with him.

Attapol called police, asking them to track down the boy’s parents and offered to let the boy live with him until they are, instead of going to a shelter.

Seksan told authorities he and his family were originally from Khon Kaen, but had moved to Rayong where his parents, Nong and Tuk, were construction workers. After he finished fifth grade, they moved again to Huay Yai and, last week, moved out again.

The reason for the argument was unclear, but Seksan insisted he could live on his own and his parents let him, according to the boy. He took 800 baht and set out on his own, eventually ending up under a bridge near Pattaya.

Nong Ta now says he’s willing to go back home.