Kindhearted Woman Volunteers to Drive Neighbor Facing Blindness to Hospital, Living on Elderly Mother's Pension

A kindhearted woman volunteered to drive her neighbor, a seriously ill man with severe vision loss, to Gobinburi Hospital after learning he had no money or transportation. The patient, 51-year-old Sommai Chanpromma from Yan Ri District in Prachuap Khiri Khan, lives in a ramshackle wooden shelter next to his 80-year-old mother's home. Medical tests revealed he suffers from diabetes affecting both eyes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and an enlarged heart. Doctors urgently warned that without immediate treatment at Gobinburi Hospital, he risked complete blindness and life-threatening complications. However, his extreme poverty has forced him to rely on sharing his mother's elderly pension for daily survival. Though his family managed to scrape together 200 baht for transportation costs, he had no vehicle to reach the hospital. "My left eye is completely blind now, and my right eye is so blurry I can barely see," Sommai said, his voice trembling. "If this kind person hadn't brought me, I wouldn't have come to see the doctor because no one at home has a vehicle. I'm so grateful she took pity on me and brought me to use my gold card benefits today." His neighbor, Lakkhana Sinayakong, revealed she had watched this family struggle for years—a household plagued by illness and severe poverty. She noted that at the beginning of 2025, Sommai could still ride a motorcycle to see a doctor, but once his vision failed, he stopped seeking treatment. Moved by his situation and fearing his condition would worsen, she decided to volunteer to drive him for his medical appointment. Gobinburi Hospital has since issued a referral for Sommai to receive specialized treatment at Chaophraya Aphaiphubhet Hospital for urgent care of his diabetic eye condition and heart disease.