A grandmother has lodged a complaint with a children's welfare foundation about the way her American son-in-law allegedly treats his children.
The woman alleges the father, Bob Brothers, uses his six-year-old child to claim 100,000 baht in yearly child support from the US embassy and then leaves the boy in her care, along with Mr Brother's four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter.
The allowance is given to children who are five years old or older.
Sanun Chatumrum, along with her three Thai-American grandchildren, sought help Thursday from Pavena Hongsakula who heads the Pavena Hongsakula Foundation for Women and Children.
Mrs Sanun said she lives with her husband and three grandchildren in Keha Romkao community in Bangkok.
She said she is unable to work as she has to take care of the grandchildren. Her husband, who is a hired hand, is the sole breadwinner of the family. She said the three grandchildren are forced to stay at home as she cannot afford to send them to school.
Mrs Sanun claimed she has tried several times to contact Mr Brothers to ask him to help pay for their education. But there has been no reply.
It is unclear if Mr Brothers is in Thailand or the US or if he is still living with his wife, Runglawan Chatumrum.
A social welfare protection officer working with the Pavena foundation, Thunyaphat Thanuweerakarn, said the children suffer from hand, foot and mouth disease.
She visited the family at their home on Monday.
Ms Thunyaphat said the state-run social welfare protection centre initially handed over 2,000 baht to the family to ease their financial burden. Ms Pavena said her foundation will take the children to hospital for treatment of the disease. She also will seek help from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to supply milk to the children.
Ms Pavena also said she will try to contact the US embassy and ask them to try and help to trace the father of the three children.