The boy in the bachelor’s uniform in the photo is Phisut Khiritharakul aka Min, a graduate of Chiang Rai Royal University, Thailand, the emaciated old man standing next to him is his aging father.
In fact, this photo has been around since 2013 on Thai social networking sites, but it started to become famous on April 2, 2014, after it was posted by China’s CRI Online with title “Thai University Student and Poor Old Father”. This photo was later re-posted on various media outlets and Weibo, including People’s Daily official Weibo and CCTV News official Weibo. Within hours, the number of retweets, likes, and comments on Weibo skyrocketed. Some netizens commented that this group of photos reminded me of my parents and touched my filial piety, I was very touched.
Some netizens commented, “This photo is so heartwarming and gives people hope and faith.” Another netizen said, “The photos remind me of my parents, who worked hard to provide for me with education.”
The main character in this photo is Phisut Khiritharakul aka Min, a Hmong boy in Thailand and his father. Currently, he has graduated from school and opened a small computer repair shop in Qinggan district, Nan province, Thailand.
He has five siblings, himself being the youngest. His family is very poor, living on a hill far from the city. Min’s family originally consisted of 7 members, but now there are only 3 members left, which are father, eldest brother and Min himself. “My father is now over 50 years old and a mute, I remember the day my mother passed away, I was sad and missed her a lot. Later, I lost my brothers one by one, these griefs made my father become a closed person and suffer from mental problems”.
Phisut Khiritharakul is a Hmong, living in Tuncang district, Nan province, a mountainous region in northern Thailand. There are 5 brothers in the family, all of them are farming to earn a living. Phisut was ordained from grade 1 to grade 6 at Prang temple, Pua district, Nan province. After graduating, he went to Phayao College of Agriculture and Technology for secondary education. After completing the course and obtaining a certificate, he went to take the entrance exam to study at the Faculty of Business Administration of the Royal Chiang Rai University (undergraduate level) in Thailand to continue his studies. IT. Phisut Khiritharakul once said that although he wanted to quit school many times, the teachers at the school often helped, including allowing him to temporarily owe tuition fees when he could not afford to pay. When he received his diploma, the first thing he did was put on his bachelor’s shirt and returned to his hometown to take pictures with his father.
Phisut Khiritharakul is the youngest child in the family, his mother died when he was young and his older brothers also died from illness, leaving only his father, eldest brother and Phisut in the family. The 50-year-old father cannot speak due to disability, plus the consecutive deaths of relatives have made the father increasingly withdrawn and silent, mental problems also appear. He didn’t remember anyone, and couldn’t even recognize his own son.
Min shared, “When I was in high school, it was the hardest time of my life. The province where I live does not have a university. If you want to study, you have to leave your father. I admit that I cried. I used to blame myself often. Why do I need to go to school? People with good parents, have money, they can freely go to school anywhere they like, and many people don’t even need to go to school, so why should I go to school? I got discouraged many times because I was not a good student. I used to get the best score of only 2.9, but I’m happy to study, I want to learn, and because I want to learn, I have to try.”
The day I received my diploma was the happiest day of my life. It’s like a gift to the poor. At that time, I wanted my dad and my brother to come see me at the graduation ceremony. But my father was far away, in the province of Nan. After graduating, I went back to my father. I want to bring home a graduation shirt to take a picture with my dad. But my father can’t remember anything. Since his mother’s death, his psyche has become unstable and always withdraws from everyone. I went back to my father, went to his house and said in his ear, “I am your son. I finished school, Dad”, Phisut Khiritharakul shared. “I want to say to children and poor people who intend to learn, no matter how tired or depressed you are, don’t be discouraged, it will pass on its own. For children who are lucky to have parents it’s not hard to give money to study, be willing to study. Don’t let yourself be disappointed or sad. I want nothing but for my children to be as happy as everyone else on graduation day. If you’re discouraged, keep fighting and rise.”
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