Mother finds lost son, after 33 years apart

Mother and son reunite at Hat Yai bus terminal after 33 years apart. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

SONGKHLA – An excited Wiphawadee Thisorn waited at Hat Yai bus terminal on Wednesday night, overjoyed at the thought of again seeing her long-lost son - reunited after 33 years by the magic of social media.

Prinya Thisorn, 36, had travelled 1,700 kilometres by bus from Chiang Rai to see her - about two days and two nights on the road.

He arrived in company with his aunt, who is his father's elder sister, and a friend.

Ms Wiphawadee immediately embraced the auntie, Chadee Chaiyakup, when she got off the bus. Prinya knelt down, and held them both in a warm hug.

Ms Wiphawadee, who is now 54, said she had broken off with Prinya’s father when her son was just 3-years-old. At first, she had met him from time to time, as she worked in Bangkok and the boy was with her former husband’s family in Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai.

But life had been tough on her and she had to move from place to place in Bangkok and then Phuket, and they lost contact.

Now, her life is more stable. She lives in Hat Yai but sometimes travels to Singapore where she and a friend have invested in a restaurant.

She began wondering what had become of Prinya, and decided to track him down.

Four days ago, she searched for him in Facebook, and a name popped up straight away. She contacted the person and they started chatting - and happily discovered they actually were mother and son.

Prinya decided at once to travel South to see her.

He said he was overjoyed to see his mother again. He had thought she was dead. From now on, he would take really good care of her, he said.

The joyful mother and son. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)



