Our Ban Pong friend Yupadee has become very close over the past 5+ years.  Not only is she a fun friendly person, she is a serious professional.  Having been a teacher for many years, teaching the quite young to college level, she has excelled in her profession as a teacher of the English language.  Just a few years ago she reached the pinacle of her profession, being granted the highest "T-9" level.  She has also written and had published Thai-English language books.  Most of the time we have know her, she has lived quite modestly.  However she comes from a very interesting and prominent family of this town.  With Chinese origins a few genrations back, she has for many years lived in the double shop house where she was raised.  She now lives most of the time in her youngest brothers luxurious large home, while she still conducts private English classes evenings and weekends in the downstairs classroom in the shop house.

With hopes that we do not infringe upon family privacy, we present this album to tell the interesting story of this prominent Ban Pong family.  Both of her brothers have been quite successful in road construction businesses.  The family business has grown and diversified.  Both brothers now live in quite elegant homes in Ban Pong.  We had become familiar with a couple of her younger brother's businesses 5 years ago when we held a weekly English class for some Zola employees at the modern office outside of Ban Pong (see: "Photo Gallery & Impressions 24").  Zola made paving asphalt and highway stripping paint.  During this stay we would learn more about other business interests, the brother's homes and the historic older Ban Pong mansion recently purchased by the younger brother.  This younger brother, by the way, has also ventured into local politics and is now the elected head of the Ban Pong municipality, a position similar to our "major."  We will also meet and learn more of this family in the "Dedication of temple funeral building" album.

Click a picture to see a larger view.

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