Malee Duangdee is the tallest woman in Thailand. Standing at 208cm, she is not the tallest Asian or woman by far. Yao Defen from China has the honor as the world’s tallest woman.
20-year-old Malee is so tall because of a tumor in her pituitary gland, a condition which could be fatal. She endured 2 unsuccessful operations to remove the tumor but to no avail. Her only hope is a tumor-shrinking drug which her father, a poorly paid labourer, cannot afford.
Her imposing height has been a source of despair for her, especially among her peers. “When she walks down the street, many people call her a giant and laugh at her,” laments her father. “So many times I ask myself why?” admits Malle. “I sit in front of the mirror and cry. Why am I not the same as other people?”
She is anxious to hold a Guinness World Record, as the fame may bring the money her family needs for her treatment.
Thailand’s Tallest Man
Surasaku Sudoplasat is another Thai national whose height was measured to be 223.5 cm. He won the title of tallest man in Thailand in a competition held in 1989. Little is known of this man though.
King of Giants
If you are talking about heights, Bao Xishun surely cannot be left out of discussion for he is one the tallest man in the world. At 236cm, he may not be the tallest in the world, but he is certainly the most famous tallest living man. Hailing from Inner Mongolia, China, Bao is a herdsman. Perhaps somewhat rare among such “giants”, Bao found love and tied the knot at 56 years old in 2007. The couple currently has a daughter.
Can adolescents who stand head, shoulders and sometimes even waistlines above their peers have any sense of normality in their lives? It’s a tall order but not totally impossible it seems.
Source: thetallestman, ovguide, telegraph
