He frequently dresses up in different costumes and even puts on make-up, but it's not a hobby nor fetish for Kongsak Nimitkasem, or 'Tum'.

Instead, he puts on his 'performance' for his 10-year-old son, Ikkyu, who was left brain-damaged and paralysed after a choking incident four years ago.

The family, who reside in Thailand, had gone for a meal at a steamboat restaurant when the then six-year-old Ikkyu choked on a fishball.

Ikkyu and his younger sister, before the accident.Photo: Facebook/น้องอิคคิว

His heart had stopped for four minutes, but doctors managed to resuscitate him. Ikkyu was in a coma for three days before regaining consciousness, but as his brain was starved of oxygen for that precious few minutes, Ikkyu was left with permanent brain damage and paralysis.

Having his son wake up a completely different person was a devastating blow to Tum and his wife.

Ikkyu, four years after the accident, and his sister.Photo: Facebook/น้องอิคคิว

Instead of a bubbly and active six-year-old, Ikkyu was glassy-eyed and expressionless, with limbs that were rigid and immobile.

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However, Tum, who also has a younger daughter with his wife, did not give up hope.

He said: "Ikkyu may not be able to remember anything, but I will help him remember. Even if he never knows how much I love him, but as long as he bravely lives on so that I can still look after him, that's good enough."

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Tum quit his job to look after Ikkyu full-time, and believes that his son will one day make a miracle recovery.

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In order to make Ikkyu happy and possibly elicit a response from him, Tum began cosplaying and cross-dressing - from donning sexy sailor outfits to leopard prints, nothing was out of bounds.

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Occasionally he would dress and put on make-up for Ikkyu too, hoping to trigger his sensory nerves.

Although he remains unresponsive most of the time, Ikkyu would occasionally break into a smile, giving Tum a sliver of hope and motivation to continue his unusual form of 'therapy'.

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"Even though we can't change the past, but we can alter the future," said Tum, whose dashing good looks have earned him the description 'handsome dad' in some news media.

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His positivity and unyielding dedication has also touched netizens across the region from Thailand to Hong Kong and Taiwan, who have offered donations to help the family cope with their expenses.

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candicec@sph.com.sg