THE RISE OF RENTAL COMPANIONS

A recent post on Facebook read: “Buddy Home Care is starting a new service called Children for Rent. It is for seniors in need of companions. Maybe they want to go to the doctor, shop, run errands, or want someone to accompany them. Maybe they just want someone to be there. We charge only 350 baht per hour. Please book a time slot in advance. Currently, the service is available in Chiang Mai. PS: Proceeds will go to seniors charity.”

- STORY: THANA BOONLERT

With this post, the child rental service has gone viral. Since its launch in June, the number of followers has grown from 1,000 to 4,000, with the team behind the operation getting over 50 inquiries.

“Nowadays, most people don’t want to have kids and will have to take care of themselves in old age. I think occasional support is still needed, hence the idea of children for rent. You can seek help without having to raise a child,” said Tossawat Boonmar, general manager of Buddy Home Care, a social enterprise that provides in-home senior care in Chiang Mai.

It came down to Tossawat’s strong attachment to his grandmother who raised him from an early age because, like other families, his parents had to leave their hometown for better paying jobs.

After graduation, Tossawat continued to take care of his grandmother. He accompanied her to hospital, helped her run errands and even went to temple in her stead. However, she passed away three years ago due to cancer.

“I spent so much of my childhood with her that I knew what she felt. It forms the basis of this job,” Tossawat said.

During university, Tossawat volunteered for a community project at Buddy Home Care, which exposed him to a harsh reality. Under the glamorous veneer of urbanisation sit old adults who live in poverty. Some have no kids or relatives. Others are left to themselves because families are working outside the home. While barriers hinder access to support from state agencies, private care centres are expensive.

“We visited each household and talked to them for hours. In turn, they made us feel as if we were their children. Many of them don’t want me to go anywhere. One blind senior could even recognise my voice,” he said.