NAKHON RACHASIMA – Ali Bokhari, a 33-year-old Saudi Arabian man, embarked on a journey to find his Thai nanny who took care of him in Saudi Arabia when he was a child, more than 30 years ago. He had been trying to find her for a long time, hoping to repay her kindness for raising him.
Finally, he found his nanny in the Nonsombun Subdistrict, Soeng Sang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
Mrs. Banyen Thongchaithanawayu, 77 years old, gave an interview with Khaosod reporter on May, 1. She recounted that she had taken care of Ali and his siblings since 1992. At that time, she was working as a maid in Saudi Arabia. However, after learning that her son had been in a serious accident and needed surgery, she rushed back to Thailand. At that time, Ali was 14 years old.
Ali’s father had bought a phone and provided a number for them to keep in touch. But after returning to Thailand, she never went back to work in Saudi Arabia again. Although she had kept this phone number for 30 years in case of contacting Ali, she never thought that Ali would fly to Thailand to find her.
One day, she received a phone call from a hotel in Pattaya, using the number Ali’s father had bought for her, asking for her address. After that, Ali rented a car and drove to her home in Nonsombun Subdistrict, Soeng Sang District.
The moment they saw each other, Ali ran to hug her with joy and longing. Both of them had tears in their eyes. They asked about each other’s lives. She even cooked for Ali, just like she used to do in Saudi Arabia.
The reason Ali came to see her this time was to repay her kindness for raising him since birth. Seeing that she had difficulty walking, Ali bought her a 3-wheeled electric motorcycle so that she wouldn’t have to walk and suffer from leg pain. He also arranged for a car to take her to the hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima city center and would cover the travel expenses for her doctor’s visits.
Before Ali returned to Saudi Arabia, he told her that he would come back to visit her every year.
“I never thought that after being apart for several decades, Ali would still miss me. Even though we are from different countries and ethnicities, he tried his best to find me to repay my kindness. I am very happy and deeply touched,” she said.
Ali stated that he visited Thailand for the first time to find “my mom,” who has raised him since day 1 of being on earth in Saudi Arabia. It was an emotional moment when he met her again.
“It was a really big day; I cried so much, and I was also happy that I found you, so…” li paused and said it with a kiss on her forehead, making her laugh.
He also thanked the taxi driver who helped him find his nanny’s house. He promised to come back to Thailand.
