Blogs from Phang-Nga, South-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 4

Our Christmas this year will consist of a New Years Party for 53 Thai Buddhist children 41 Burmese children, 18 Indian children, 34 Thai Muslim children, 16 Nepali children and Marrin and Miles, the only two Caucasian children. This party is the second one the people in this region have held for children here, some Tsunami survivors, some Burmese illegals, some children of vendors from India and Nepal and residents along the coast. Marrin and Miles and I are donating our last personal funds to support it, about $483.00 CDN. The project is usually funded by a friend in Khao Lak, but a personal tragedy ate up the funds halfway through the planning of this party (it takes a lot to coordinate that many kids and adults, none of whom speak the same language!!!) So the ... read more

Bantchi Credit is the idea that our actions build us credit as we go on, and we can draw down on that for a time. It needs refilling but who’s to say what actions earn credit and what deplete it. The Burmese turn to this idea to explain many of their circumstances but use other sources as well. Min Min’s mother wasn’t home when Minoo and Eve and I stopped at Kit 12 to visit the family. His father explained that she had gone out of the Ngan Tawee farm to seek a foirtne teller to explain why Min Min had fallen the day before. The bravery and risk his mother was taking was enormous. Only two days later, when I knew she had returned safely, albeit after losing two days of pay, did I feel ... read more

For 62 children between the ages of 2 and 5, I am hoping that things will get a little bit better soon. The 22 “Kits” or permanent settlements in the Khok Kloi Rubber Plantation (Ngan Tawee) are home to about 300 Burmese. There is no fresh water, no sanitation and no permanent houses unless you consider the abandoned crumbling shell of buildings “permanent”. In conjunction with a developing project to introduce water and sanitation to two of the 22 Kits, our goal is to develop two nursery care centers to house the children who are abandoned during the day while their parents work to bring home 35 baht a day in wages. That’s one dollar Canadian. The “we” refers to the organization called Child-trac. This NGO is founded and operated by a woman named Chantalle who ... read more

Years ago when I was studying in the North East of Thailand, I came across a magical place in a temple garden that I nicknamed the “singing forest”. I wrote a story about it and used the story numerous times in the past to illustrate my travels to Thailand. The singing forest (of which there are many I have discovered in subsequent travels…though none as powerful as in Essan) is a naturally forested setting inhabited by millions of cicadas. These particularly large insects (anywhere from one centimeter to four inches long) inhabit forested areas and in the early morning and especially the early evening they let loose a vibrating cry that sounds like a locomotive screaming through your brain. With millions of these creatures “singing” together, the air is visually disturbed…much like a comic book sound ... read more

See & Sprout wrap up This last week has been unbelievably gratifying…I noticed Staci hasn’t uploaded an updated blog yet…I can’t wait to read of her thoughts and feelings. The kids’ enthusiasm hasn’t let up. Already I have had two kids request to take the cameras out for the day again. Yesterday was the King’s birthday, a perfect opportunity to take pictures…and they are amazing! I’ll keep you all posted on the plans for the gallery showing as Staci updates me. I’ve included a sneak peak of tiny pieces of the kid’s work…. ... read more