supansa: daughter,mother, survivor

The exkaraokebar singer does that every single day for the two peo¬ple she loves most, despite having lost an arm.

Three men attacked her last year after she refused to share a table with them.

"It was too much for me," Supansa says, admitting that she had contemplated suicide more than once.

Fortunately, her mother, 57yearold Sanam Ngokphon, who is fighting breast cancer, came to her aid with dharmabased advice.

"It made me realise that there were people worse off than I was, and it made me think what would happen to my son without me," Supansa says.

She has not yet received any compensation from her attackers, found guilty on July 31 and ordered to pay her Bt1.6 million and serve 13 years and four months in jail.

The injury badly hurt her livelihood too. Singing brought her in Bt1,000 a night, and now she bare¬ly earns Bt200 a day.

"I have to foot my sick mother's medical bills," Supansa explains, "and I give my son Bt20 daily pocket money, not to mention other expenses."

She first tried selling fruit around restaurants in Suphan Buri, but the income was meagre.

"It's impossible to make ends meet. My mother sees her doctor every week," she says.

She turned to selling garlands, then lottery tickets, at intersections.

"It's better but still not enough."

Now she sells lottery tickets during the day and works as a waitress at night at a small restaurant run by a man who remembered her as the victim of the highprofile, vicious crime.

"I get Bt100 a night plus tips."

With all the work, Supansa admits she hardly has time to visit her mother and son now. Sanam and 10yearold Joke understand and come to see her.

"I want to be a junior boxer," says Joke. "That way I'll soon get the money to help Mum."

Sanam hopes to see her grandson get a good education and a good job so that he can take care of Supansa.

"I don't expect to live long. I just want to know they'll be all right," Sanam says, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of Supansa's arm.