UDON THANI — A 75-year-old Australian man and his Thai wife, whose lives have fallen apart at the seams, have left the residents of Udon Thani province in mourning.
The drug-addicted wife suffered from such severe hallucinations that community officials had to take her into custody at a rehabilitation center. In the meantime, her Australian husband was left alone with only 1,520 baht ($47) and asked the government through the media for help to return to Australia.
Village Headman Appeals for Help
Bunthom Sorampha, the headman of Ban Dong Dara village, Moo 2, Omko sub-district, Ban Dung district, Udon Thani, contacted reporters to ask for help for the man who has been living with his Thai wife for decades. The man now wants to return to Australia after his wife’s severe methamphetamine addiction led to her being sent for treatment, leaving him without care.
From Millionaire to Destitute
Inside the couple’s once-grand pink home, which sits on over an acre of land, reporters found the house in disarray and full of clutter. Upstairs, they met Marcus, the Australian man who had lost his left leg in a car accident eight months earlier.
Marcus said he had been married to his 45-year-old Thai wife, Phikul, for more than a decade. They frequently traveled back and forth between Thailand and Australia, but after his accident he moved from Bangkok to Udon Thani. Having once been worth millions, he now had nothing after his wife’s drug addiction spiraled out of control.
He showed family photos and said he wanted to go back to Australia to see his son and sister. “I don’t know if there will be problems there, but I’d rather take the risk. I don’t have anyone here anymore,” he said. “My pension and over 4 million baht from the sale of my Bangkok townhouse were entrusted to my wife for monthly expenses, but it all disappeared when she became a drug addict.”
Desperate Plea to Return Home
When asked if he would wait until his wife finished rehab, Marcus shook his head. “I’m not going to wait. I want to go home. Please help me,” he said.
According to Bunthom, Phikul had suffered severe hallucinations three days earlier, caused a scene outside the house and tried to undress, as seen in a video filmed by locals. She was then taken to rehabilitation, which left Marcus alone. Villagers who feel sorry for him bring him meals and are trying to find a way to send him home.
Embassy Steps In to Help
On August 13, immigration police in Udon Thani took Marcus under their care and coordinated with the Australian embassy to organize his return. Embassy officials have already spoken with Marcus and confirmed they are ready to provide assistance. Wiraphon Raksamerwong, Mayor of Ban Dung Municipality, prepared to arrange an ambulance to transport him to the embassy in Bangkok, bringing visible relief and joy to the Australian man at the prospect of returning home.
Dramatic Confrontation as Wife Returns
However, while immigration police and villagers were discussing arrangements, Phikul suddenly returned home after completing her drug rehabilitation treatment. She burst into tears and wailed loudly when she saw the house full of people, telling her husband: “Finish now and move. If you want to go back home to Australia, file for divorce first and divide the marital assets to end it all.”
When villagers asked if she no longer loved her husband, Phikul broke down crying and confirmed she no longer loved him, repeatedly demanding that they divorce and divide their assets before he left. When reporters asked Marcus if he would reconsider staying, he firmly stated he would not stay and intended to return to Australia alone.
Community Support for Return Journey
A businesswoman from Sisaket province, Supatra Nisanoff, who operates a private business in Australia, stepped forward to help after seeing the news coverage. Moved by Marcus’s plight, she announced she would purchase his plane ticket home, estimated to cost between 20,000-30,000 baht, saying she felt compelled to help however she could.
The case highlights the tragic consequences of drug addiction on families and the challenges faced by elderly expatriates living abroad when their support systems collapse.
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