Poor girl's story gets her family a new home

The new, elevated house ensures the six-member family much better living conditions. (Photos by Nujaree Raekrun)

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT - Donors opened their pockets after a young girl's description of her impoverished family's life in a flooded, broken-down house circulated on social media - and they have just moved into their brand-new home.

The 13-year-old girl, Piyaporn Liamtrai, is in Matthayom 1 at Thangpoon Vittayakom School in Chalerm Prakiat district.

At school, she spoke of the difficulties of living in their rundown house in a low-lying area that faced constant flooding. Some days she could not even get to school.

The girl said she had two brothers and one little sister. Her parents were poor with the father the sole breadwinner, struggling to support them on a small income from fishing. And never having quite enough.

The school's director, Anant Daengruang, asked her to write it down, and then posted her story on his Facebook page, along with photos of her ramshackle home. It was widely shared on social media, and then picked up by mainstream media. (continues below)

The old, now demolished house. (Photo by Nujaree Raekrun)

Donations poured in from well-wishers all over the country. One notably kind and wealthy man, Jimmy Chawala, gave 200,000 baht towards a new house.

The building of the new house started in early June with the demolition of the old one, and it has just been finished. The total cost was about 300,000 baht.

The house was handed over to the girl’s family on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Sakol Chantarak and her school director, Mr Anant.

On behalf of the whole family, the father Sunthorn Liamtrai profusely thanked all the kind samaritans who helped them have a new home.

The now much happier family (Photo by Nujaree Raekrun)



