The Thai ethnic girl tells stories of her village with all her heart.
Nestled amidst the verdant hillsides and cultivated fields, the villages of the ethnic minorities in Tri Le commune, Nghe An province, appear peaceful and rich in cultural identity. There, every day, Thai Ngan Thi Hong Quyen, a young woman from Tan Thai village, persistently transforms everyday life into pristine images, driven by a simple yet profound dream: to bring her homeland's agricultural products closer to consumers.
Thanh Phuc - Khanh LyTechnique:Hong Toai• September 2, 2025
As autumn arrives, the sun is still scorching, but in the highland commune of Tri Le, a touch of cool morning mist soothes the deep green mountain slopes, creating a landscape like a watercolor painting drawn from the green of the ancient forest, the rice paddies in their prime, and the babbling streams flowing through the rocky crevices.
The road leading to Tan Thai village is winding, curving through steep slopes, lined with newly sprouted bamboo forests, occasionally interspersed with lush purple rhododendron bushes and vibrant red azaleas.
Deep within the village, glimpses of simple stilt houses peek out from beneath the trees, the sound of children laughing and playing in the vegetable gardens, the melodious sounds of elderly women's mouth harps accompanying traditional songs... All of this creates a serene, intimate picture, yet brimming with human warmth and genuine affection that touches the heart.
That village is where Ngan Thi Hong Quyen, a girl with a rich and passionate soul, was born and raised. But the memories of this girl born in 1997 are not only of the beautiful colors of nature, but also of a series of hard days, full of storms and hardships...
As the eldest of four sisters, Quyen had to shoulder responsibility early on after her mother's early death. Her father remarried, leaving Quyen to live with her elderly grandmother, while her younger sisters were divided, some living with their father, others with their uncle and aunt.
Those seemingly peaceful years were once again thrown into turmoil when Quyen's father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. From then on, the four sisters could only rely on each other, on the frail embrace of their grandmother and relatives...
The winding dirt roads leading to the fields, the slippery conditions during the rainy season, the late nights carrying corn home… all of these experiences forged in Quyen a resilient spirit. She told herself she had to study hard, so that one day she could step beyond the village's bamboo fence, leave the slopes leading to the fields, and reach for new horizons. After graduating from junior high school, Quyen passed the entrance exam to the Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School.
Three years studying far from home were a time of balancing studying with longing for her hometown, her grandmother, and her orphaned siblings. With extraordinary effort and perseverance, Quyen was admitted to the Department of Primary Education at the Teacher Training College, Vinh University – a dream come true for the young woman. During her university years, Quyen worked as a tutor, helped out at restaurants, served food, and washed dishes to make ends meet.
After graduating, the young woman stayed in the old city of Vinh for two years as a contract teacher. Then love brought her back to her hometown, where she became a teacher in a remote border village. But after a while, Quyen resigned. "It's not that I've stopped loving the profession, but I want to find a different path, one that allows me to be close to my family while doing something meaningful for my village..." Quyen confided.
Having quit teaching to stay home and take care of her children, Quyen began experimenting with video making. Initially, it was just short clips, capturing everyday moments of the villagers: going to the fields in the morning, going to the stream in the afternoon, and gathering around the fireplace for meals.
The videos are simple, without props or elaborate scripts, just captured on an old phone that she jokingly calls a "crappy phone," which she asks her cousin to hold for her. In those videos, Quyen is both the narrator and the main character.
Grandmothers, villagers, barefoot children… became the most unpretentious “actors.” Without makeup or acting, they appeared with complete authenticity and naturalness.
And every day, with perseverance and a constant effort to push her limits, Quyen independently researched, learned, and produced 7-8 pieces of content, posting 2 videos regularly per day. "Through learning, I've learned how to make videos in a more systematic way, with more consistent content, how to find highlights, and how to choose more dynamic angles…," Quyen shared.
The natural scenery in Quyen's videos is realistically and vividly recreated. The small, crystal-clear stream, gurgling and winding through moss-covered rocks, provides a valuable source of shrimp and fish for the local people.
The children in the village laughed heartily, happily searching for crabs and scooping up fish among the cool rocks, and then at the end of the day, they giggled together, showing off their catch.
The lush green forests surrounding the village are not only a habitat for birds and animals but also a "treasure trove" of forest products such as bitter bamboo shoots, sweet bamboo shoots, fern shoots, and wild spinach.
Images of Quyen and her fellow villagers cutting tender bamboo shoots and picking fresh wild vegetables have become a highlight in the videos, allowing viewers to feel the refreshing coolness of the mountains and forests, and the skill and meticulousness of the Thai people in every step of their work.
The cornfields stretching across the hillsides, the ripe melon patches, and the fragrant sticky rice paddies interspersed create a vibrant and lively agricultural landscape. Quyen goes to the fields with the villagers to care for the crops, from sowing seeds to harvesting, filming each step so that viewers can see the hard work but also the abundant joy of labor.
Another highlight in Quyen's videos is the close-up shots of authentic and appealing traditional Thai dishes.
Viewers can see images of fragrant grilled stream fish, each tender piece of fish infused with the smoky flavor of the forest, making them feel as if they can smell the distinctive aroma. Or the bamboo-cooked rice dish, closely associated with the mountains and forests, is filmed step by step, from selecting the bamboo tubes, washing the rice, grilling it over charcoal, to peeling off the hot bamboo shell, revealing the pristine white, sticky, fragrant rice grains, evoking a feeling of closeness and familiarity with the highlands.
Whether it's dishes like "thịt giàng" (a type of wild meat), "canh bon" (a soup made from forest leaves), or "ột" (a type of wild vegetable)... these dishes, imbued with the flavors of the mountains and forests, prepared using traditional methods, appear attractive and precious in every frame. In addition, there are also natural specialties such as roasted bee larvae with salt and stir-fried moss with garlic, which are rarely found elsewhere and are cherished by the Thai people. Now, Quyen is bringing them to the screen so that more people can learn about and appreciate them.
Quyen not only documented scenes of labor and cuisine, but also meticulously introduced viewers to the unique festivals and customs of the Thai ethnic group. The vibrant ceremonies celebrating the new rice harvest, with the resonant sounds of flutes and gongs, and images of women in traditional brocade costumes, holding bauhinia flowers, their gestures solemn yet full of joy.
The custom of "making the soul," a sacred ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest and good health for the villagers, is also vividly portrayed in the film. Elderly people teach the younger generation traditional dances and songs, allowing viewers to feel the deep connection between people and the mountains and forests, between the past and the present.
“I just want to record what’s happening every day, so that anyone far away can feel the scent of new rice, the clear laughter of the village children, or the radiant eyes of the villagers as they carry their produce home,” Quyen shared. The videos Quyen makes are not simply clips, but vivid snapshots of the working and daily lives of the villagers. We can clearly see images of the Thai people perched on mountain slopes, barefoot, clinging to tree roots, their hands nimbly cutting handfuls of wild vegetables, tilling rows of corn, and tending to melons…
There are scenes that are simple yet full of human warmth, such as the image of a mother carrying wild vegetables back to her village, a child following her to catch fish in the stream, and the sound of water lapping against the rocks like a mountain melody. Quyen doesn't hesitate to wade through streams, pick bamboo shoots, catch fish, and then cook typical dishes of the Thai people such as grilled fish, sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, and stir-fried wild vegetables with garlic... these dishes are seasoned with her heart and childhood memories.
These simple, unpretentious videos unexpectedly touched the hearts of many. Loving and encouraging comments appeared under each clip. Many said watching them reminded them of their childhood villages, while those from the villages far from home were moved to tears as they saw glimpses of their parents and relatives.
Step by step, patiently and surely, Quyen's videos win over and attract viewers with their sincerity, simplicity, and unpretentiousness, yet imbued with love for her village. Currently, Quyen's TikTok channel has 10,000 followers, and her Fanpage "Cô gái Trường Sơn" (The Girl from Truong Son) has reached 50,000 followers.
The simple storytelling style, along with the vivid imagery of the Thai ethnic girl, takes viewers on a truly intimate journey of discovery through the mountains. The scenery is not just beautiful; it's also Quyen's way of telling a story about diligence, resilience, cultural identity, and the deep, inseparable bond between people and the mountains.
What's special about Quyen is that she doesn't just make videos for entertainment or to preserve memories, but also to spread love for her homeland, promote the beauty and tranquility of her Thai village, and inspire those around her... Through her widely shared videos, Quyen has become a bridge connecting her village and the outside world.
The young woman's aspiration is to connect with and expand the market for her hometown's agricultural products—products made with the sweat, dedication, and skillful hands of the ethnic people: upland corn, upland melons, fragrant sticky rice, local pigs, stream fish… all bearing the flavor of the mountains and forests, but not yet widely known.
Quyen pondered: “How can we ensure that clean, high-quality products are not limited to our village but reach further afield? How can we ensure that our people can produce with peace of mind, and that every grain of corn and every fish is paid for at its true value? I cherish the dream of a day when the products of the Thai people of Tri Le have their own brand, a place in the market, and bring sustainable livelihoods to our people.”
In the video, images of baskets of golden corn, baskets of fresh green melons, bundles of dew-covered vegetables, and stream fish splashing in the water are not only beautiful but also convey a message: These are the quintessential products of the mountains and forests. Thanks to Quyen's videos, upland corn, sticky rice, local pigs, and stream fish have spread throughout the country, from the South to the North, and even across borders.
Ms. Lo Thi Tien, a local resident who appeared in the clip, smiled brightly: "This is the first time in my life I've seen myself online, and so many people have asked about me. I'm very happy and excited. Thanks to Quyen, more people know about my village."
Amidst her busy work schedule, Quyen still cherishes a deep love for the paths, slopes, and streams of her homeland. Each video is a snapshot of life: the bustling weekend market filled with laughter, the vibrant colors of the Xang Khan festival, the golden harvest season on the hillside, or a simple meal by the glowing wood-fired stove. This petite girl tells stories of her village not only with words, but also with her heart, with the love she has for every grain of corn, bunch of vegetables, and fish…
“Behind each video I upload is the hope of spreading awareness about my hometown's agricultural products and connecting consumers with local produce. Everything is just beginning; it's all a case of 'the beginning is always the hardest.' On this journey, I really need helping hands, from the local people and the government to those who love the mountainous region.”
"I also hope that my story, about how I overcame a difficult childhood, learned, and sought opportunities for myself, will inspire those around me, especially the young people in this remote village, to be more confident, to encourage more people to build canals, and to tell more beautiful, profound, and heartwarming stories..."
In the remote border region, there is a heart always yearning for the village, a voice that tells stories as clear and enduring as a stream flowing through countless seasons of rain and sunshine…
The story of Ngan Thi Hong Quyen is like a small flame, flickering in the mountain night, igniting hope and fueling dreams for her remote highland village. As long as her old phone screen still lights up every morning and evening, Quyen's journey remains long. And the villages in the border region of Tri Le in particular, and the highlands of Nghe An in general, will be remembered not only for their customs and landscapes, but also for the clean, mountain-scented products that reach the market through honest means.
