Anirut ‘Saming’ Thongdech, 11, smiles after returning to school. Kruwandum Facebook
Anirut Thongdech has a broad smile when he learns that he will have a chance to return to school this term after having dropped out for two years.
The 11-year-old boy, also known as Saming, was forced to leave school due to his parents’ inability to afford his education, a problem in Thai society that has worsened since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Saming was born to a family living a hand-to-mouth existance. His parents earn money by collecting recyclables and selling them to junkyards. He has two siblings, a 14-year-old brother, who dropped out of Grade 4 three years ago for the same reason as Saming, and a two-year-old sister.
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