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A teenager from a children’s home in a poverty-stricken region of Thailand made an astonishing decision to turn down an offer from reality TV star Kim
Kardashian to adopt her into a life of wealth and glamour overseas.The level-headed 13-year-old called Pink said she shook with excitement when she heard the multi-millionaire wanted to adopt her, but insisted she wanted to study in Thailand instead then help her impoverished homeland and the orphans she has grown up with.
The girl with a sunny smile stole Kim’s heart when she visited the ramshackle children’s home in Thailand’s Phang Nga province, a region where more than 4,000 people perished in the 2004 tsunami.
Pink, whose real name is Laddawan Tong-Keawan is outstanding scholar whose mother sent her to the home because she was too poor to care for her and fund her education. She immediately bonded with Kim and gave her a bracelet in a visit in April filmed for her hit show Keeping Up with The Kardashians.
After the visit, Kim declared on camera:
‘When you meet someone that you really connect to like this, you can’t help but think like how you
Pink, whose real name is Laddawan Tong-Keawan is outstanding scholar whose mother sent her to the home because she was too poor to care for her and fund her education. She immediately bonded with Kim and gave her a bracelet in a visit in April filmed for her hit show Keeping Up with The Kardashians.
After the visit, Kim declared on camera:
‘When you meet someone that you really connect to like this, you can’t help but think like how you
could change their life. And I think that looking into adoption would be amazing.
I literally cannot stop thinking about her. I told (husband) Kanye, I was like, honestly, this girl is so sweet and so cute, like, I would honestly adopt her.’
She then appeared to abandon the idea after being chided by her mother for treating adoption like a shopping trip and then told by her resort manager that adopting children from Thailand is ‘very, very difficult’.
I literally cannot stop thinking about her. I told (husband) Kanye, I was like, honestly, this girl is so sweet and so cute, like, I would honestly adopt her.’
She then appeared to abandon the idea after being chided by her mother for treating adoption like a shopping trip and then told by her resort manager that adopting children from Thailand is ‘very, very difficult’.
But Mail Online found that Pink was taken aside and told by the home’s supervisors about Kim’s adoption wish in the show which went out in August and, although delighted at the offer, immediately said a polite but firm ‘no’.
Recalling her meeting with Kim Kardashian – who was so smitten with the teenager she visited the home twice – Pink admitted she and the other children had no idea who Kim was when she first arrived. Pink who shares a basic dormitory room with mattresses on the floor with five other girls at the Home and Life Foundation in Phang Nga, said:
‘When I found out she wanted to adopt me, I was shaking. I was so excited. It would be such a
Recalling her meeting with Kim Kardashian – who was so smitten with the teenager she visited the home twice – Pink admitted she and the other children had no idea who Kim was when she first arrived. Pink who shares a basic dormitory room with mattresses on the floor with five other girls at the Home and Life Foundation in Phang Nga, said:
‘When I found out she wanted to adopt me, I was shaking. I was so excited. It would be such a
change of life for me.
Everyone wants to have a different or a better life, I suppose. But when I thought about it I realised it wouldn’t be good for me, because I would have to leave so much behind. I wasn’t ready for that.
I thought she was lovely and I really enjoyed meeting her – and I loved being on TV too.
When she came here, it seemed as if I was the first one she looked at and smiled at. We had a connection straight away. I think she is really pretty and she has a very nice personality.’
Do you think if the plan had pulled through it would have been wise for Pink to turn Kim down?
Everyone wants to have a different or a better life, I suppose. But when I thought about it I realised it wouldn’t be good for me, because I would have to leave so much behind. I wasn’t ready for that.
I thought she was lovely and I really enjoyed meeting her – and I loved being on TV too.
When she came here, it seemed as if I was the first one she looked at and smiled at. We had a connection straight away. I think she is really pretty and she has a very nice personality.’
Do you think if the plan had pulled through it would have been wise for Pink to turn Kim down?