Wiang Boonmee was only a few years old when her skin began to grow abnormally.
Over time, the flaps covered her eyes, nose and mouth, eventually leaving her blind. In 2017, at 63, she was living in Bangkok and earning a living by selling accessories on the street, in the same area as a bank, where 22-year-old Praew Wattana saw her and became interested in her story.
Praew contacted health professionals, and Sunura Ourairat, a doctor from Rangsit University, went to visit her to offer her an operation at the hospital.
Wiang said no. She was afraid of dying in the operating room, thanked them for their help, and said she had lived with this condition all her life and was happy and healthy with her children and grandchildren. There is no reliable information about how her health changed after those reports.
