used to wish i could behead myself" says actress ann thongprasom she talking about growing up half-thai half-foreigner in an all-thai suburb of south bangkok fortunately such grim thoughts soon passed within a few years the country media were hailing her as the thai mona lisa the european nose more prominent than most thai versions the relatively thin lips fair hair and rounded eyes that once shed tears of frustration at not fitting in now represented a look that was much in demand this swedish-thai was just one of the many luk kreung (literally half child) hybrids who struggled through along period of being unacceptable in thai society before actually finding popularity and prosperity because of the very features that set them apart