A 91-year-old woman, identified as Kimlun Jinakul, has become the oldest person to graduate from university in Thailand on Wednesday, as she received her bachelor’s degree from King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The aged woman who was accompanied by her proud family, traveled more than 700 km from the northern province of Phayao to Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, near Bangkok, to receive her bachelor’s degree in human ecology.
It was her girlhood dream to advance her studies but life got in the way.
While speaking with local station, Thai PBS, She said:
“It has always been my dream to continue my studies,”
If we don’t learn, don’t read and know nothing, how can we talk with someone else? If we always read — be it a newspaper or listen to news broadcasts — we will be kept abreast with the goings-on in the world, in our country and in the society,”
She applied to STOU in 1998, when she was just 70 years old. But, again, life got in the way and she was needed to help out in the family’s business. In 2011, she returned to STOU and has now completed what is designed to be a four-year program, but can really be done as slowly as the student wants.
Kimlun said she became inspired to continue her formal studies in 2011, once her children and grandchildren had received university educations and found decent jobs.
She said:
“When I was young, I actually received good grades.
“I have always enjoyed reading. I even bought manuals to educate myself so I could help my children with their homework.”“It’s never too late to study,”
One of her grandchildren, Bhum Juasiripakdee, said:
“She is a very determined person”
See more Photos:
Do they used to ask for degree before entering heaven?