Last minute escape for Doncaster family stranded in Thailand

Callum Wainwright was due to touch down with his Thai wife, Kae, and their 13 month old daughter, Freyja, after securing cancelled seats on a flight that had originally been full, just hours before the country was due to go into lockdown.

Callum, aged 25, from Moorends, was due to land at Heathrow Airport at 6am, with his sister Natasha, also from Moorends, due to pick the family up and bring them back to Doncaster.

The family had been desperate to leave Thailand after being threatened with arrest after making corruption allegations against police officers in the country who they claimed had asked them for money.

But they could not leave together until they were able to secure a visa from the Home Office for 27-year-old Kae.

Thailand was being put into lockdown at midnight last night as a measure to stop the spread of coronavirus.

But the last minute places on a flight yesterday meant they were able to make a dramatic late hour escape.

Speaking after her brother and his family had touched down for a stop-off in Oman yesterday, Natasha said the family were finally contacted to say the visa would be available on Tuesday.

But they had then struggled to get places on flights.

She said: “There were cancellations available, so they managed to fly out 15 hours before the lockdown. Apparently there were road blocks being put up as they travelled to the airport.

“The feeling is just one of relief, after having tried to deal with this.

“I think it is a massive weight off our shoulders. It has been a constant worry all the time. We had barely even been thinking about the coronavirus issue because were were worried about him getting arrested.

“Mum is so relieved. She said she wouldn’t believe he touched down. She has spent the last two days re-arrange bedrooms for them.”

Callum and his family had been living for the last few years in Thailand running a shop.