Thai teen caring for his grandmother receives public support

Generous individuals rallied to support a devoted Thai teen who put his education on hold to care for his ailing grandmother.

The 15 year old Ae’s daily struggle involves walking barefoot for over 14 kilometres to collect and sell recyclable materials to support his grandmother and younger siblings. The family lives in a modest house in a rural area, lacking both electricity and running water.

Kind-hearted residents from various provinces sent a substantial amount of essential items to Ae and his family. Donations included clothes, shoes, school supplies, rice, dried food, and other everyday necessities. Ae expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the benefactors.

“I am overjoyed and deeply thankful to everyone who has helped us. Your kindness has allowed me to return to school.”

Ae’s aunt-in-law and grandmother, visibly emotional, addressed the numerous accusations that had been directed at them. They were accused of selling donated items and receiving hundreds of thousands of baht in aid, as well as being accused of not working.

“None of these accusations are true. All the donated items are still with us. Anyone is welcome to come and see for themselves. You can also check our bank book to see how much money has been deposited. We have never solicited donations.”

Ae’s grandmother further explained that any past mistakes were solely the actions of one family member and should not taint the entire household, reported KhaoSod.

“If we had sold the donated items, what would the children eat? We work whenever we can find jobs, and if there is no work, we collect recyclables, pick vegetables, gather honeycombs, or fish to sell. Just because one person made a mistake, does that mean everyone in the house is guilty?”

In related news, a temple abbot used his funds to redeem a motorcycle that a woman had pawned to pay for three months of overdue electricity bills. The act was a gesture of gratitude for the family’s daily almsgiving.