The public controversy surrounding the elder care facility in Kanchanaburi took an unexpected turn after Jay, the son of facility operator Pa Maew, appeared on television program Hone Krasae to present his side of the dispute, releasing audio recordings between himself and Benz, the biological son of complainant Mae Phat.
During earlier news broadcasts, host Num Kanchai discussed discrepancies surrounding the facility’s premises. While health authorities stated the center held authorization for a 1,600-square-meter area but expanded to roughly 4,300 square meters—allegedly concealing the barred enclosures—Jay insisted the entire operation, including the barred areas, fell within the original inspected 1,600-square-meter footprint. Jay indicated the facility intended to appeal the revocation of its license, while program hosts noted potential discrepancies in past supervisory inspections.
On Hone Krasae, Jay maintained that barred bed structures had been viewed by regulatory inspectors during routine assessments and said he was later contacted by individuals suggesting the facility coordinate public messaging, which he declined.
Jay stated that upon returning from his studies in New Zealand and reviewing intake records, he discovered Mae Phat had no formal psychiatric medical certificates and demonstrated sound mental clarity. He claimed the center contacted Benz twice over a two-and-a-half-year period urging him to take his mother home, but Benz demurred, arguing that releasing her would compromise family safety due to alleged emotional volatility.
To support his claims, Jay played an audio recording in which Benz is heard expressing reluctance to receive his mother, claiming she would take retaliatory action against both the family and the facility if discharged, and asking for time to find an alternative location. In the recording, Jay emphasized that the center could not legally hold an individual against their will without grounds, while Benz argued that an immediate discharge would be dangerous.
Hearing her son’s recorded remarks on air, Mae Phat wept openly in the studio. Legal observers and public commentators noted that while the facility’s regulatory violations remain under formal investigation, the recordings shed new light on the domestic motivations behind her prolonged stay.
