A desperate young man with a bachelor's degree is unemployed and takes his younger brother, a high school senior, to scavenge through trash bins at night to find food to sustain their three lives. Their mother is ill after being hit by a motorized cart that fled the scene. Their water and electricity have been cut off, forcing them to use a gas station restroom.
On 25 Sep 2026 GMT+7, reports emerged about a family of three in dire straits. The older brother, a law graduate, is unemployed and unable to find new work. He takes his 19-year-old brother, who just finished high school, to scavenge food from trash bins behind restaurants and convenience stores to sustain the three of them—mother and two sons. The family has had no income and their water and electricity have been cut off for about two months, making life very difficult.
Following this story, on 24 Sep 2026 GMT+7, a reporter visited a village in Bang Bua Thong District, Nonthaburi Province, and met Mr. Bee (a pseudonym), 19, a high school senior and the younger brother. He revealed their hardship: their household consists of three people—mother, older brother, and himself. The family's problems started when his older brother, the breadwinner, lost his job and has been unable to find new work. Their mother suffered an accident when hit by a motorized cart, leaving her unable to work. Consequently, their water and electricity have been cut off for about two months, leaving them without utilities or income to buy food. This led the older brother to take him out to scavenge food from trash bins behind restaurants and convenience stores to survive this crisis.
Mr. Bee said that despite their hardship, he believes blaming the economy alone isn't enough. It might be that bad timing coincided with their family’s difficulties, forcing him and his brother to scavenge trash for food—a practice they have only done for about a week. Before this, life wasn’t so hard. They do this just to find food to survive while waiting for job opportunities. Both he and his brother keep trying to find work; the older brother has applied for jobs but has yet to secure one and continues applying.
In scavenging for food, they walk along streets collecting leftover food from trash bins in front of restaurants and convenience stores they pass by. While many would see this as dirty, they view it as edible food they can rely on to survive until they find employment. Once employed, they won't have to scavenge anymore. They avoid seeking food from temples because they don't want to burden others; scavenging is just a temporary survival tactic while waiting to find work. They manage to find enough food for three meals a day, which they share among themselves.
Mr. Bee added that the water and electricity cutoff has been a hardship, but they have begun adapting. They charge his mobile phone outside and use free Wi-Fi. They still have some drinking water stored in a tank. Having been without utilities for two months, they use the gas station restroom regularly, having grown accustomed to walking there. While this might seem difficult to others, their family has adjusted to these hardships. The older brother has a bachelor's degree but remains unemployed. Mr. Bee finished high school and is trying to help find work. Although not currently continuing education, he hopes to study while working if the opportunity arises.
When asked about the help they need, Mr. Bee said if kind people could help pay their outstanding water and electricity bills, their family life would improve. They owe around 3,000–4,000 baht for water and 7,000–8,000 baht for electricity before disconnection. He would be very grateful for any assistance but does not want to trouble anyone or cause inconvenience. His family is trying to adjust and survive. He does not want to be in the news or attract negative criticism from those who do not understand their situation.
Police Sergeant Phukit Phetkhong, head of the investigation unit at Bang Bua Thong Police Station and owner of the Facebook page “Nightmare Bang Phlu 122,” which posted this story, said that on 23 Sep 2026 GMT+7, during his patrol at around 2:30 a.m. near Chanthong Aiem Alley, he saw the two brothers scavenging food waste. He had seen them before giving food to cats but did not recognize them personally. When he asked why, they said, “We eat it.” He was shocked because he thought the food was unhygienic.
After inquiry, he learned the brothers had been unemployed for two months and had applied for many jobs but were not hired. Their 58-year-old mother cannot work due to health issues from an accident. The older brother is the family's pillar. Their parents divorced long ago. The food they scavenge is also shared with their mother, done every other day. They have some savings but must be frugal. Most income comes from collecting and selling scrap paper, bottles, and household items. Their home is nearly empty.
Sergeant Phukit said he stayed with them until 5 a.m. at the gas station because they needed to charge their phone. After learning their address, he took them home on his motorcycle. The brothers requested privacy and did not want their personal information shared. Sergeant Phukit planned to meet them again but could not contact them as their phone was off, likely due to a dead battery. He left food and supplies at their home without disturbing them. Their mother said the brothers would go out again to find food that day.
He said he was deeply moved. In a big city, such situations should not exist. Even homeless people receive help, though sometimes that aid is misused, but he could not ignore this case because it was beyond his capacity to assist alone. The older brother had interned at local government offices and tried to take exams but faced transportation cost issues. He appeared thin and unpresentable, which led to rejection at many job applications. The younger brother used to do homework for friends while studying. Their family's collapse started when the older brother lost his job. Sergeant Phukit posted the story to seek help for them.
Those wishing to donate supplies to help this family can send them to Bang Bua Thong Municipality at 4 Moo 2, Sano Loi Subdistrict, Bang Bua Thong District, Nonthaburi Province, along Bang Kruai-Sai Noi Road. Contact Ms. Piyarath Parithanaporn, Director of Social Welfare Division, Bang Bua Thong Municipality, at 094-234-2251.