Biography
Porntip Nakhirunkanok was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her nickname was “Bui,” which is now one of her legal names. It means “to sleep like a baby” in Thai. In the early 70's, she was brought to the United States by her family. She is the first daughter of Sornglin Nakhirunkanok. She had a younger sister who had died in 2005. In August 1988, Nakhirunkanok was presented the Thai Royal Medal of Honour by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for her service in helping needy children.
In 1988, at the age of 19, she was named United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Thailand by Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila ~ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree Psychology from Pepperdine University, United States.
In 2002, she married Herbert Simon, an American businessman who is the owner of the Indiana Pacers basketball team and Simon Property Group. The couple was married by Queen Sirkit of Thailand in the Royal Summer Palace. They have a son and a daughter. Plus, she also has been taking care of her deceased sister's three children along with her own children.
She is also well known in Thailand for her charity work, especially her effort to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami where she built 100 new homes, a fleet of boats and new schools. Her Charity is known as Angel Wings Foundation In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, as founder of Angel Wings Foundation, Bui Simon donated funds to support the Thammasat Alumni Associations’s Thai/American scholarship program that enables American students of Thai descent to study abroad. For many it was their first chance to see their mother country.
In December 2008, the Bui Simon Thai Endowed Scholarship Fund was established to help Thai students who wish to come to the United States and study as undergraduate students at Pepperdine University. In July 1, 2010, she was elected to Pepperdine University Regents and was quoted saying “I am really honored by the opportunity to serve the faculty and students of my alma mater. My foundation believes that every child is an angel and deserves wings to fly to their fullest ability. I look forward to extending this principle to the student body at Pepperdine as I work with the regents to further the educational goals of the university.”
In 2011, Bui Simon accepted a seat on the Board of Governors for the Dream Foundation, a profoundly compassionate organization that grants wishes to terminally ill patients.
Read more about this topic: Bui Simon
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