'Granny Mai' abandoned, but an inspiration in Buri Ram

Granny Mai with her old pushcart, a regular sight for residents of Buri Ram municipality for over 30 years. (Photos by Surachai Piraksa)

BURI RAM -- For over 30 years "Granny Mai" has been a regular sight, pushing a cart around the streets of the municipality, inviting people to buy steamed cassava and traditional Thai desserts she makes herself.

The 83-year-old discarded mother makes a living selling food from the cart she pushes for about 10 kilometres everyday - and is seen as an inspiration, a role model for her independence and untiring efforts to overcome life's hardships.

People young and old, in shops and government offices, are keen, regular and loyal patrons of her homemade products. They support her by buying her goods, in the hope the elderly woman's cart will be sold out by the time she gets home.

Granny Mai: "I don't want to be anyone's burden."

Samai Bawornrum, affectionately called “Granny Mai”, has been living alone in a rented room at Ban Sanoh community in tambon Ban Yang of Muang district since her children left her when she was in her 50s.

Granny Mai said after her husband died her children, a son and a daughter, sold the family house and all the land she owned and left her to live alone, and have never visited her since.

So she began to make and sell desserts in the municipal area, determined to make a living and support herself.

“I will make desserts and take them for sale on a pushcart until my last day, because I don’t want to be a burden on anyone,” the hunched over 83-year-old said.

“After my children left me, I had nowhere to live and had to rent a room for 1,000 baht a month.”

Granny Mai says she takes in 400-500 baht a day, and dreams of owning a little house in her final years.

Food vendor, Plernpit Jianrum, 30, said many people in the area regarded Granny Mai as a role model, someone who worked hard to overcome life’s difficulties and never gave up, regardless of age.

"Her struggle and refusal to sit idly and be anyone’s burden has inspired many of us to work harder and continue to fight any challenge our life may bring,” Ms Plernpit said.

“We all are impressed by her, given that she is still physically and spiritually strong and pushes her food cart everyday for about 10 kilometres.

“Some regular customers have even hired a motorcycle taxi driver to find Granny Mai and buy food from her for them if they are caught up with work and missed seeing her that day.”



