Nakhon Phanom: 9-year-old twin girls from Nakhon Phanom have gained attention due to their distinctive bright blue eyes, a result of a rare genetic condition known as Waardenburg Syndrome. Living with their single mother, the girls face challenges including hearing impairments and societal bullying. Despite these difficulties, their mother has declined financial assistance due to past experiences with scammers.
According to Thai News Agency, a Facebook post by a user featuring “Nong Gift and Nong Kaem” sparked widespread interest on social media. The girls’ blue eyes, attributed to Waardenburg Syndrome, a condition that affects about one in a million people, have drawn numerous comments and shares. Individuals with this syndrome have a 60% likelihood of being deaf, and both twins are affected by hearing loss.
A news team visited the twins’ home in That Phanom District, where they met Mrs. Kamchan, the 41-year-old mother of the girls. Mrs. Kamchan, originally from Lao PDR, is also a twin and revealed that he
aring issues run in the family. She supports her family by selling watermelons at local markets alongside her sister, who is the twins’ grandmother.
Mrs. Kamchan recounted the early challenges with her daughters, who initially had brown eyes. The transition to blue eyes began when they were 8-9 months old, and their hearing impairments were identified at 3-4 months. Medical consultations revealed hearing loss and asthma in the twins. Nong Kaem, with two blue eyes, requires a hearing aid, while Nong Gift, with one blue eye, is completely deaf.
Despite these challenges, the twins excel academically and artistically, receiving a small government disability allowance. Their mother remains cautious about accepting donations due to previous fraudulent activities involving their photos. The twins recently celebrated their 9th birthday, continuing to inspire those around them with their resilience and talents.