Views of Family and close relationships:
Ta Ler, father
He previously mentioned that he needed to work for the food because they could not rely on the rations of four children at home. He stated that he never sold the food from home and the children got some food and clothes from COERR as well. He tried to stop drinking for the sake of children since they did not like it. He took care of them, cook and clean and the two elder children were also assisting him when he was at home. The maternal grandaunt Pra also helped taking care of the children as much as she could when he was not at home.
He later said that he would go out to work to repay his debts he owed his neighbors and he requested Pra to take care of the children during his absence. He also mentioned that he felt sorry for the eldest child who had to quit his schooling to take care the younger siblings but he could not do anything about it at this time. He however mentioned that he wants to take care of the children by himself although he needs to find money to survive.
During telephone conversation in May 2013, he said that he regained contact with the mother and she told him that she would not act unfaithful to him again. She also told him that she dared not go back to the camp due to what she had done to him. He said that at that moment, the maternal grandmother Gaw went to look after the children in the camp. He later mentioned that he was working in Bangkok at a gold smith place and his wife was working at Nakhonpathom as a house maid and they had regular contact with each other. The mother also said that she had contacts with the children and she would send money to them. He also sent money to the grandmother who was with the children in the camp to renovate the roof and the toilet.
Later in July 2013 after he came back to the camp, he said that he lost contact with the mother again and she also did not send any money to the children. The grandmother Gaw also went back to Myanmar before he came back. He then started working near the camp again. He also said that the children went with him during school breaks and they had to borrow some rice from the neighbor sometimes.
In early 2014, he said that all the children already got their ration except him because he was away during registration for food so that they have food at home. When asked, he said that he is still drinking because sometimes he got stress when thinking about his wife and family. He said that although he would not be able to fulfill much of his responsibility in taking care of his children, he would like to try his best since he loves and wants to be with his children. When FOK’s protection officer met and consulted him regarding his opinion if some of the children were to be helped and looked after by the volunteer caregiver if there was chances as a temporary solution and also to reduce his burden, he said he would agree if it was a good arrangement. He initially however said that he would like to try his best to take care of the children by himself and he would not let the children go back to stay in Myanmar where his mother was staying and he also did not intend to go back as well. He was planning to go out and work again soon.
During in mid of 2014, he said that while he was away working, child 1 and 6 was fetched by the maternal aunts from outside the camp in Ban Bor and later he learned that child 1 was working with the mother. He did not know how to contact the mother as he wanted the children to come back at that time. He however said that the younger brother of the mother staying outside visited Pra once and brought the money form the mother to give the children. He also saw Pra gave the pocket money to the children time to time. He said that he did not like the children to accept the money. In late 2014, he said that the mother might have changed her number time to time and he also said that he kept his distant from Pra because he did not like about the mother sent the money to her to give the children small amount per time.
In March 2015, he said that he came back from fishing boat because he did not like working there. He is now hunting in the jungle nearby and sometimes he spent some nights there. He mentioned that child 1 was taken out by the mother without his acknowledgement but child 1 called him after he arrived to the mother. When asked whether he used to threaten the mother on the phone when the children went to stay with the mother, he said that he did not mean to say it to the mother but did because he did not like her partner. He said that if the mother would like to come and see the children, she should come alone without anyone. He however said that he does not want the children to stay away from him.
In April 2015, he stated that he sent all of his children to be with the mother on 3 April because the children said they missed their mother. He asked one of his friends from the camp to drive the children to Ban Bor where their maternal grandmother is staying. He did not get any contact from them since then and child 1 also did not contact him. He also heard that the children could not stay with the mother because the land lord did not like them staying there. He thought that the children were looked after well under the care arrangement of the mother and the maternal relatives at the moment. He said that in the camp, he was not able to take care of the children because he used to go out and hunt almost every day with some nights outside.
He later said that he is staying mostly alone now because his friend that he used to visit already went for resettlement. He however said that he is still drinking sometimes. He also informed that the staff from WPE asked him some questions and they also asked him if he wanted to play a guitar. He told them that he is not interested to play a guitar and he also does not think he wants to work in the camp because he just likes to go and hunt in the jungle especially when the children are not around. When asked about the food, he said he has no ration and he only relied on the children’s ration. When asked again, he said that he missed his children but he is not sure what to do with their future. He stated that he knows where to visit the children but he does not what to see his mother-in-law.