NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Help has finally come for a totally blind 80-year-old woman who lives in desperate circumstances with a disabled daughter and 13-year-old granddaughter struggling with being their sole provider.
Provincial officials went to the ramshackle home, built of rusting roofing iron, of Iang Saesanthia, 80, in Ban Khok Tabaek of tambon Samrong in Non Thai district on Thursday. They handed 3,000 baht in cash, food and other assistance to the ailing woman.
The visitors included Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantharanothai, who said he has asked local government officials and Red Cross staff to allocate 20,000 baht for improvements to Mrs Iang's house. The Red Cross will also provide a new wheelchair for her daughter, Sasithorn Plangklang, 43, and local health officials will provide her with therapy.
Media started to report the life of blind Mrs Iang, her daughter who cannot walk, and her granddaughter on Sunday.
Grandmother Iang's husband died three decades ago. She had five children, all daughters. Three of them left to work in other provinces over 20 years ago and never returned. A fourth lives with her own family elsewhere in the district.
The fifth daughter, Ms Sasithorn, had three daughters. She had surgery to remove a brain tumour eight years ago and became totally dependent. Her husband died in a traffic accident five years ago.
The daughter who lives nearby took two granddaughters into her home to help Mrs Iang. The third, young Thidarat Plangklang, only 13 years of age, is a secondary school student and must work on weekends to earn money to support the household.
Mrs Iang and her disabled daughter receive 1,600 baht a month in government welfare for the elderly and the disabled.
Their house has two rooms. The grandmother lives in one of them with only a blanket, a mat and a pillow for comfort.
Mrs Iang said she felt sorry for her youngest granddaughter, who should have been spending her spare time studying and playing with other children. Instead, she had to work, keep house, cook and clean for the two adults. She wished Thidarat could get a high education and a good future.
The family had depended on food from neighbours. A Government Savings Bank account No. 52-7306-3529-0 by Mrs Iang's granddaughter has been opened to receive donations to help them and about 45,000 baht had already paid into it as of Thursday.