A 13-year-old girl who turned down an offer from Kim Kardashian West to adopt her has no regrets.
The teenager, who is known as Pink, admitted she was “so excited” when she found out the multi-millionaire reality TV star wanted to adopt her following her visit to the youngster’s children’s home in Thailand’s Phang Nga province in April, but she couldn’t leave her friends and family behind.
The youngster makes a 100-mile round journey by bus every day to get to school, waking up at 5am and getting home at 6pm, and has now set her sights on working hard in education and becoming a teacher.
Pink – whose real name is Laddawan Tong-Keaw – said: “When I found out she wanted to adopt me, I was shaking. I was so excited. It would be such a change of life for me.”
“I spoke to my mum about Kim and she said, ‘When you finish High School and you can look after yourself, I will give you permission to go and live with Kim if you want to go’.”
“But the other children here and like brothers and sisters to me and I couldn’t leave them behind. They are my family and I couldn’t just go away and leave them. I want to help my country. I want people to come and learn about Thailand and understand more about my country. That is why I am thinking of being a tour guide.”
While she lives in a children’s home, Pink has a mother, Rose, and the 44 year old admits she let the youngster make her own mind up about going to live with the 34-year-old beauty because she couldn’t deny her such an amazing opportunity.”
She told MailOnline: “I was very proud when I heard that this famous lady wanted to adopt Pink but at the same time I didn’t want her to go away with the Kardashian family. She is only young and I would miss her very much.”
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is difficult to manage because it is a good option for Pink to be adopted by a very rich family’ – but I decided it depended on her decision.”
Despite turning down Kim’s offer, Pink admits she would love to meet Kim’s husband Kanye West, 37, their 17-month-old daughter North and the rest of the Kardashian clan.
Asked if she would like see Kim again, Pink said: “I would like to see her again one day if it’s possible. But not just Kim – I’d like to meet her husband and her daughter as well. I’d like to meet the whole family.”