Only in the rainy season did he stay at the home of a relative 20 kilometres away.

Every day he felt strong enough, he went fishing. He only needed one small fish to keep him going for several days, but a daily catch might earn him Bt20 as well.

Life would have continued on like this had Yen not met Suthipong Dhammawoot, the celebrated producer of human-interest television features.

Suthipong learned that Yen wanted to catch enough fish to earn Bt3,000, which, added to his life's savings of Bt7,000, would be enough to keep him happy until he died.

So one evening in 2004, the producer had him on TV, and things have never been the same. Donations of goods and money keep pouring in, and people from all walks of life come to visit him.

In March last year, Yen even received a fibreglass boat from Her Majesty the Queen to replace his dilapidated wooden one.

The contented and loveable Muslim elder never takes a free meal or anything else for granted, and refuses to complain about all the hardships he's endured in his life - or blame anyone.

It's a remarkable, inspiring story, and well worth revisiting, so Suthipong put it all together in a book that saw four editions in less than two years.

Now a national celebrity in his own right, Grandpa Yen's name has become almost synonymous with the self-sufficiency and fiscal sustainability that Thais are increasingly being urged to adopt.

Author Panida Wasuthapitak has combined the facts of the story with her personal views. Where she stays focused on Yen's experiences, it is compelling; elsewhere it's digressive and distracted.

There are some revealing insights as Panida wonders whether Yen has been changed by renown and riches, but again, she offers too much opinion and speculation.

The old man's decisions to buy an electric bicycle, a pickup truck and a motor for his boat are worth further exploring, but little information is offered.

Nevertheless, the book offers Yen's testimony, in all its crude immediacy, as a rich source of insight as to how many in our ageing population struggle to cope without a proper welfare system.

Even when provisions are made, such as recognising senior citizens' "right" to hearing aids, public-health authorities often fail to act if the Interior and Human Resources ministries don't provide documentation.

Yen's fame enabled him to jump such barriers. Soon after he appeared on TV, officials delivered hearing aids and many other necessities to his boat.

When Yen hurt his legs on river rocks, the governor of Phetchaburi arranged for a mobile medical health unit. Garbage around the bridge where he usually docks was cleared away.

No doubt the story of Grandpa Yen has raised awareness about the country's unequal economic growth and the break-up of households that leave the elderly behind. The book deserves credit for helping in this regard.

But Yen's happy ending may result in more questions than answers.

His tale is excellent material for storytelling, yes, but how can it and similar stories be channelled to evoke not just donations on the spot but a broader national and individual commitment to charity - and even an end to poverty itself in Thailand?

By Sukanya Hantrakul