Jaeyaena Beuraheng

Jaeyaena Beuraheng (born 1931) is an ethnic Malay woman of Thai nationality who made international headlines in early 2007 following her rediscovery by her children and friends after having disappeared for 25 years.

In 1982, Jaeyaena went on a shopping trip in neighbouring Malaysia by crossing over from her home province of Narathiwat. Her disappearance started when Jaeyaena boarded the wrong bus which took her to Bangkok instead of her intended destination. From Bangkok, she took another bus to Chiang Mai in the far north, an error which was attributed to her inability to speak and read Thai. Meanwhile, her family members were notified by the local authorities that she had been run over by an incoming train.

Jaeyaena led a life as a beggar for five years before being taken into a shelter for homeless people at Phitsanulok province. At the shelter, she was identified as "Auntie Mon" at the shelter due in part to phenotical similarities between Mon and Patani Malay. Her rediscovery was attributed to a freak coincidence when three students from her home province visited the shelter whereby she sang a song by chance and recounted her entire tale to the students, who were instrumental in helping her to relocate her family members.

Jaeyaena now lives with her family in Dusongyo, a village in Narathiwat Province.

References

* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=434844&in_page_id=1811 Missing for 25 years after getting on wrong bus]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/travel/song-reunites-thai-bus-woman-with-family/2007/02/08/1170524221053.html Song reunites Thai bus woman with family]
* [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/06/national/national_30026065.php Lost mum found after 25 years]
* [http://www.bangkokrecorder.com/news/news/mother-lost-in-thailand-for-25-years-744.html Mother lost in Thailand for 25 years]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E3DA103FF934A35751C0A9619C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fB%2fBuses World Briefing | Asia: Thailand: Missing 25 Years After Taking Wrong Bus]