She saved money from her meagre wages (about one baht per day) and at 15 she was able to pay for secondary education at an evening school.
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In 1992 she became a committee member of the Confederation for Democracy and one of the leaders of the opposition to the then ruling military-sponsored government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon, that led to the bloody clashes of "Black May" and the eventual resignation of Suchinda.
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In 2004 she received the The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child from Queen Silvia of Sweden.
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Queen Sirikit congratulated her upon receiving the Magsaysay Award.
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She was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1978, founded and became the Secretary General of the Duang Prateep Foundation.