Father ties epileptic son to tree

In Thailand, a father has tied his son to a tree. The 13-year-old boy suffered from epileptic seizures. The father thought that he would not be able to injure himself if he was tied up. “I believe this is the best way to keep him safe and he never complained about it. I love him.”

Residents had alerted the police after they had seen the boy. He was chained to a tree with his ankle, within walking distance of the hut where his parents were staying. Kitisak Faiboonchan (37), the boy’s father, said: “My son has epilepsy and it causes him to move and run around constantly. I have to keep him quiet, so I chained him to the tree. However, I only chain him when there is no one to take care of him, such as when I have to go to work or when I have to rest.”

Scratches

The parents were taken to the local police station. Bizarrely enough, doctors seemed to confirm that this was the safest way to keep the boy under control. After examination, it appeared that the boy had scratches on his body, but that they had been accidentally caused. He was also hungry and swallowed several bottles of water quickly. Officers then handed over the case to social workers, and the father and the boy were both released without any legal action.

Advice

Social worker Umar Hayeemaket from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of the country said: “The father and the boy had returned home. He insisted that this was the best way to take care of his son.”