The Mirror Foundation is working with relevant authorities to assist a Filipino man who was found homeless and seriously ill beneath a BTS train station in Bangkok. His identity has not been confirmed.
The case came to light after a Thai man shared the story on Facebook on July 29, saying he discovered the injured foreign national lying beneath Ploen Chit BTS Station while walking home.
According to the Facebook post, security guards at a nearby condominium said the foreign man had been staying in the area since July 27. The guards revealed that several people had previously offered help, but the man declined assistance and refused to go to the hospital.
The Thai man said he approached the man and noticed severe wounds on his legs. During their conversation, the foreign homeless man identified himself as a Filipino national.
The man said he is 58 years old and has lived in Thailand for about 20 years. He had previously been married to a Thai woman in Pathum Thani, but they had since divorced.
According to the Facebook post, he became emotional while speaking about his ex-wife, prompting the Thai man to change the subject.
The man told the Thai man he had once worked as a commercial pilot. This claim has not been independently verified.
He again became emotional when asked about his career and explained that he had gone bankrupt after investing in the stock market.
According to the Thai man, he said he had previously declined medical treatment because he had no money, health insurance or identification documents and feared he would be unable to pay for treatment.
The man asked for drinking water and herbal medicine from a nearby convenience store, saying he had diabetes. He reportedly offered the Thai man 120 baht to cover the purchase, but the offer was refused. Instead, the Thai man bought him water, bread and pain relief medication.
While at the scene, the Thai man said he met a representative from the Mirror Foundation, who informed him that an emergency medical team would transport him to hospital for treatment.
He later updated his Facebook post, saying security guards confirmed that he had agreed to receive medical care and had been taken to hospital.
According to DailyNews, the Mirror Foundation is now coordinating with the Philippine Embassy and relevant authorities to verify his identity and nationality so further assistance can be arranged. The foundation said additional support will be considered after his medical condition improves.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article, and a related Thai-language article, named the man featured as Capt. Larry Malpaya, a Philippine Airlines and Philippines AirAsia pilot, and stated he had flown special missions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Philippine Airlines has confirmed that Capt. Larry Malpaya is an active, currently employed pilot and is not the individual in this story. These references have been removed and the article updated. The man’s identity remains unconfirmed and is being verified by the Mirror Foundation and the Philippine Embassy.
The story Mirror Foundation aids homeless Filipino man found near BTS station as seen on Thaiger News.
