"Nong Name," an 11-year-old girl from Kanchanaburi Province. She lives with her mother and 6-year-old sister. Her mother suffers from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The father separated from the mother when Nong Name was born after impregnating an ex-girlfriend. The mother decided to part ways to avoid misunderstandings about being a mistress but asked that he send money to support their child. At first, the father regularly sent money, but later stopped, leaving the three struggling to survive. They often went hungry due to lack of money for food—even on the day this program was filmed, they had not eaten.
Although they try to make a living selling sai ua to buy food, it is insufficient because their stall is in front of their house where few pass by, so sales are poor. Nong Name helps by cycling to sell sai ua door-to-door. When at the stall, she assists her mother with everything from grilling sai ua, cutting side vegetables, to selling at the front. Once, someone criticized them, saying the mother should be the one working, not the child. Hearing this caused the mother stress and worry, but Nong Name defended her mother, saying, “Mom doesn’t force me; I want to help her.”
Beyond financial hardship, a few months ago the mother had a motorcycle accident when a car reversed and hit her, breaking and deforming her wrist. She cannot do much on her own now, but Nong Name helps care for her. During that time, they couldn’t sell and had to borrow money to cover expenses due to zero income. The mother’s wrist still has limited movement. These challenges caused her great stress, but Nong Name stayed by her side, offering encouragement and daily hugs, even though the mother sometimes refused, feeling tired and sweaty. Nong Name never felt discouraged because she understands and loves her mother. Today, Nong Name is determined to work hard to buy a new sai ua grill for her mother and take on new challenges to support the family’s livelihood.
"Small but Strong, Fighting Spirit" highlights Nong Name’s goodness and talent. Though small in size, she has a brave heart determined to achieve her dreams and give her family a new life. Watch this story on Sunday, 4 Jan 2026 GMT+7, and every Sunday at 18:00 on Thairath TV Channel 32. Don’t miss it!
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