A street cleaner and single mother of two sons has gained viral fame and been dubbed “the most well-known Thai cleaner” after being unexpectedly discovered by a Russian photographer.

The discovery led the young mother to become a model for a popular Thai cosmetics brand.

Known as Meen, the 28-year-old has two sons, aged 10 and six.

In March, while sweeping the streets, she was unexpectedly discovered by Russian photographer Semyon Rezchikov, who was exploring Bangkok’s Chinatown for inspiration and spotted her.

In Rezchikov’s photos, Meen appears in simple working attire with a broom and dustpan, her naturally tanned skin and comfortable smile capturing attention.

As Rezchikov carried a portable printer, he printed out the photo and gave it to Meen.