Thailand - For four years, a woman lived in a Thai paradise at the expense of the British taxpayer - until the Thai authorities cracked down. A police raid is said to have put her behind bars because she had apparently not renewed her visa.

Brit Ellis Matthews (32) has been living her dream life in Thailand for four years - financed by social benefits. She reveals exactly how she manages this on TikTok. But now the Thai authorities have thrown a spanner in the works, as she told TikTok.

Matthews, who is said to have previously worked for a charity organization, not only left England behind when she left, but also her older children. The mother lives in a small bungalow with just her three-year-old son Cairo.

She was arrested there during a police raid because she had overstayed her visa, as the Daily Mail suspects. As proof of her arrest and that of her son, the 32-year-old shared a photo with an appeal to pray for him. In a short video, she shows a room with a cell - but in the comments, users cast doubt on its authenticity.

A GoFundMe account was also created for the 32-year-old and Cairo, with a donation target of 1,300 euros.

Before her supposed arrest, the self-proclaimed "mother on the run" shared tips and tricks on how she financed her life in the tourist paradise.

According to her, she received around 2740 euros a month in social benefits - due to six diagnosed mental disorders.

In one of her videos, she explained that these illnesses have a poor prognosis, which is why the ongoing treatment costs continue to be covered by the British health system (NHS).

But that's not all: Matthews not only gave tips on how to apply for benefits, but also explained how to avoid turning up to compulsory appointments in the UK.

According to the UK government's website, citizens living abroad can "still claim some benefits", but eligibility depends on where they go and how long they stay. In addition, Thailand is not on the list of countries that have such a benefit scheme.