One summer morning in 2026, when the early sun just covered the bamboo bushes on the hills of Hat hamlet (Hanh Phuc commune), reporters were warmly welcomed by Mr. Lo Van Lien - youngest son of Mr. Lo Van Khien and Mrs. Lo Thi Uong.
Currently the principal of an inter-level boarding school in the area, Mr. Lien cannot hide his pride every time he mentions his family. He said that his parents gave birth to 18 children. Among them, some were adopted by relatives when families were infertile. However, the extended family is still attached, and children and grandchildren gather fully at gatherings.
The stilt house of the family is built according to the traditional architecture of the Thai people. Receiving guests, Mr. Khien smiled kindly and offered a cup of hot tea.
Behind the house, Mrs. Uong is sitting sunbathing. After a stroke, her health declined, and she had to move in a wheelchair.
In his old age, Mr. Khien no longer remembers all the names of his children. Thanks to the support of Mr. Lien, the list of 18 children was repeatedly mentioned. Each person a line, the list stretched almost a full page.
The recording was also interrupted when Mr. Lien occasionally had to ask his father about each person's year of birth.
According to Mr. Khien, in the past, for ethnic minorities, having many children was not uncommon. The population was sparse, and life was close, so many families had the concept of "having many children to make the house happy".
It is worth mentioning that in the context of difficulties and shortages in the highlands, Mr. Khien and Mrs. Uong gave birth continuously from a very young age to the age of 49. In those years, hunger and cold were always present, and medical conditions were limited.
In those days, it was very hard, food was scarce. People had to take advantage of the young part of papaya trees, crushed corn kernels, and even dig yam tubers in the forest to eat," Mr. Lien shared.
The story was temporarily interrupted when Mr. Khien recalled his working time. Born in 1933, from the 1950s, he became literate, participated in teaching literacy in popular education classes. After that, he worked in the locality and was admitted to the Party in 1967.
Throughout 38 years of service, he held many positions such as Commune Military Commander, Commune Police Chief, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hanh Phuc and Hat Luu communes. In 1994, he retired.
Continuing the tradition of their father, Mr. Khien's children have all grown up, mostly holding leadership positions at agencies, and are party members. Anyone who is not highly educated is also a prestigious person in the community, with successful children.
Regarding her life partner, Mr. Khien said that Mrs. Uong was born in 1934, and is also a senior party member. "When she was young, she was one of the beautiful women of the village. After getting married, most of her time was spent on childbirth and taking care of her children," he said.
In recent years, the health of the couple has declined. Mr. Khien has leg pain, difficulty walking; Mrs. Uong after the stroke no longer walks normally.
Even so, at nearly 100 years old, he and his wife still always care for and encourage each other to take care of their health, becoming a spiritual support for their children and grandchildren in the family.
The image of him kindly pouring water, adjusting his wife's shirt, or her eyes silently watching her husband has become a simple proof of a strong marital affection over the years.
Throughout the conversation, many times the couple burst into laughter and then looked at each other, making the person opposite clearly feel the sincere feelings that the couple had for each other for more than half a century.
Their life of labor, dedication and the way they preserve family traditions, raise children and grandchildren are also bright examples of responsibility, loyalty and exemplary spirit in the community.
