Young Thai Girl Saved From A Life Of Poverty 2001

[kaz49]

Quite a nice feel good story from

The Courier Mail, April 25; Sonia Campbell; Bittersweet Homecoming

A Cairns teenager who was saved from a life of poverty in Thailand in 2001 will see her parents today for the first time in 10 years.

Pharm Pongprom was nine when she was rescued from the streets of central Thailand by her grandparents who brought her to Australia on a tourist visa.

A frightened little girl abandoned by her drug addicted parents at the age of six, she was living in slums and selling water on trains to feed herself.

She was facing a life of destitution and likely prostitution, if not for her grandmother Sunanchk and grandfather Ken Ritchie who lobbied federal immigration officials for more than six years to secure her a permanent visa.

The case gained national attention as two successive federal immigration ministers rejected the visa application. But on May 23, 2007 after the case reached the High Court, then immigration minister Kevin Andrews approved her residency, allowing her to live with her grandparents in Cairns.

Now 17, the bubbly teenager has been studying beauty therapy part-time at the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE since February.

Despite being abandoned by her impoverished parents, she works two casual jobs so she can send money to them and her 11 year old brother. "It's kind of my parents fault for abandoning me but I don't blame them. It's life, you know, when you are there," she said.

With much of her extended family gathering in Thailand for a significant religious festival this month, Pharm made the decision to revisit her country of birth for an emotional reunion with her parents.

Flying out of Cairns airport yesterday, she was both excited and afraid.

"I'm very, very nervous. This morning my grandad came to me and said. "Pharm, do you want to go?" I said, "I don't know". "It's weird. I do want to go....but I don't. I'll cry first. I don't know what to say to them."

It was Pharm's grandmother who convinced her to make the emotional trek. "I want her to be happy. And her mum and dad can see what she look like," Mrs Ritchie said. When Pharm returns to Australia in a month she will be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.

"When I come back, that's the first thing I will do. I am very excited".

[Xangsamhua]

Thanks Kaz. That is a nice story.

[kennkate]

l

A Lovely Story What A trip for her,

She seems to have A good head on her shoulders.

[chickenslegs]

Every child should have grandparents like this.

If good things happen to good people, these two should win the Thai lottery and Australian lottery on the same day.

[Sabum]

Great story but I don't think its such a good idea to expose her to her drug addict parents that abandoned her.....

[TEFLMike]

Regardless of her past, Good Luck, to the Lady. The most important thing is, that she will be happy. Regardless of opinions.

[duceahearts]

..nice story.

[pattaya_girl]

Great story but I don't think its such a good idea to expose her to her drug addict parents that abandoned her.....

Blood is thicker than water, they are her parents, i understand that she really would like to see them again, it doesnt matter if they are rich, poor, alcoholics, murderers....

This is a lovely story and I hope the girl enjoys her re-union with her parents.........

[Sabum]

Eh? You act like parents don't BEAT, RAPE, MUrDER and all kinds of other awful stuff to their children? Blood is thicker than water? Uh, there is a limit and some kids are better off as far away from their parents as possible.

[Texpat]

Some smart-suited immi lawyer will be hopped up on this case to get the sassy lass back to the dens of baht production lickity split.

[Dakhar]

Eh? You act like parents don't BEAT, RAPE, MUrDER and all kinds of other awful stuff to their children? Blood is thicker than water? Uh, there is a limit and some kids are better off as far away from their parents as possible.

AMEN

There are kids out there have suffered a 4th of what this girl has gone through and tossed their parents out of their life as a result.

[thaiwanderer]

The Courier Mail, April 25; Sonia Campbell; Bittersweet Homecoming

credit?

[Shotime]

Every child should have grandparents like this.

If good things happen to good people, these two should win the Thai lottery and Australian lottery on the same day.

Good things don't need to happen to good people. Especially winning any lotteries. Have you ever heard some of the horror stories associated with lottery winners? Rewards for being good are the rewards. Something money can never buy.

[Shotime]

Great story but I don't think its such a good idea to expose her to her drug addict parents that abandoned her.....

That 17 year old girl has her shit together more than you'll ever have.

[dave111223]

Great story but I don't think its such a good idea to expose her to her drug addict parents that abandoned her.....

I agree, it beats me why people who have been abused and abandoned always want to go back and patch things up with their parents.

[samuibeachcomber]

great grandparents,and nice to see immigration finally has heart.

[patklang]

Great story,nice to know that there are wonderful people about,i must be reading thaivisa too much lol.

There are still some nobs posting stupid answers but reading such a story gives farangs a good name sometimes.

[bobbysan124]

Nice that this young girl was given a chance at a good life. What amazes me is that it took 6 years for the beaurocrats to do the right thing.

[geriatrickid]

A Lovely Story What A trip for her,

She seems to have A good head on her shoulders.

And 2 wise caring grandparents.

Great story but I don't think its such a good idea to expose her to her drug addict parents that abandoned her.....

I agree, it beats me why people who have been abused and abandoned always want to go back and patch things up with their parents.

Closure. No matter how bad it is, an abandoned or abused child will almost always harbour the question of why. Why me? Confronting the demon(s), lets the victim know that he or she wasn't to blame. Can't completely heal until the victim has an opportunity on her/his own terms to reject the evil or to understand why the evil occurred.

The most telling point was the grandfather asking again if she wanted to go and saying she didn't have to go, and the girl making her own decision despite the grandmother's suggestion to go. She came to the decision on her own. Those grandparents are something special, letting the girl decide on her own and offering support whatever the decision was.