Thais4Life joins with other benefactors to donate to the Blind School in Naklua.

On December 12th, 2009, three members of the committee of Thais4Life attended at the
Redemptorist Blind School in Naklua, where Father Denis Gervais was presented with a cheque for 250,000 baht,
 for an urgent building project..

50,000 baht of this total was donated by Thais4Life.

The balance was raised by fundraising events by Bondi Beach Bar, Copa Showbar, Davina Sparkle, Miss
Jason, and Pooh La May.

Recent activities at Baan Jing Jai

On July 3rd, 2009, Thais4Life made a presentation to Baan Jing Jai administrator Paeg Ta, at the Thais4Life Bookshop, of payment of 101,458 baht, being for purchases of school requisites, uniforms, school fees, and other educational requisites.

Photo of presentation outside the Thais4Life Bookshop July 3rd, 2009
L to R: David. Wally. Paeg Ta,. Kai, Vic
Thanks to Graham for taking the photo !

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During early 2009, there have been extraordinary fund raising efforts by the many supporters of Thais4Life, as detailed on the Donations Received page of this website, and there have been a number of projects initiated to improve the living conditions, and well being of the 58 children now under the care of Baan Jing Jai.

Special efforts raised funds to pay for rebuilding/refurbishment of the existing very poor food preparation area/kitchen, and purchase of some modern equipment to complement these improvements (See photos below).   The refurbishment involves demolishing of the unhygienic benches and food preparation surfaces, wall surface, rebuilding, and tiling of all surfaces with the area.  Also provision of new benches and larger washing up sinks and facilities.   The total cost of the refurbishments and new equipment totalled just on 300,000 baht.

 Also recently, to provide exercise and entertainment (and fun !!) for the children, and thanks to the generosity of supporters from Spain (as listed on the donations page) Thais4Life arranged for a safety equipped trampoline to be installed.  This is proving to be a very, very popular addition to the otherwise limited facilities at the orphanage.  (Photo of trampoline, below)

As the seasons change, and the weather in Pattaya gets relatively cooler, the kids at Baan Jing Jai orphanage wear warmer clothing, and cover up at night with blankets on their bedding.

Paeg Ta told us last week that some of the very small children had contracted bad coughs and colds, influenza, and cold related illnesses.   She felt that this with the small kids, was directly related to the fact that all have to rise early in the morning - 5.30 to 6.00 am., and take cold showers, as there were no warm water heaters in the washrooms.  She asked if Thais4Life could help with this problem.

So in the last week of November, Thais4Life arranged with an electrical contractor for the supply and installation of two water heaters under the direction of the staff of Baan Jing Jai - one for the boy's and one for the girl's washrooms. 

So now the poor little kids can at least have the "luxury" of a warm shower these cold mornings, and lessen their chances of contracting cold related illness.

The total cost of the supply and installation of the Panasonic water heaters was 7,800 baht.

Laundry Equipment Donation by Thais4Life to Baan Jing Jai Orphanage

In September 2008, the manager of Jing Jai, Ms. Paeg Ta, advised us that the orphanage had a serious problem with their laundry facilities.  With now approximately  70 children at any time in the care of the orphanage, the demand for adequate laundry facilities is very much indeed, especially in view of the inclement weather Pattaya has been experiencing in recent months.

Paeg Ta explained that the orphanage had four old small domestic washing machines, three of which had become unserviceable and irreparable.   The remaining fourth machine was laboring 24 hours a day  and could not meet the demand.   Also the sole domestic electric dryer was not only extremely expensive to run, but totally inadequate for the volume of damp washing being generated.

The committee of Thais4Life assisted with and finalized negotiations with a specialist commercial laundry equipment supplier in Bangkok, for a large commercial washing machine, and a large gas powered commercial dryer.  

Thais4Life purchased the equipment as requested by Paeg Ta, and on October 30th 2008,  two Committee members of Thais4Life attended at the orphanage at the delivery and installation of the equipment.   The efficiency of the equipment is remarkable, and the dryer particularly produced amazing results in a very short time.

The total cost of the equipment including expenses involved with the installation was 80,000 baht.

Recently,  four representatives of Thais4Life visited Jing Jai Orphanage, located  in a small Soi off Soi Neung Plab Wan (Soi Snake Farm).

Kai and David from Thais4Life, with Peag-Ta, Administrator of Jing Jai. 

We were made welcome by the administrator, Khun Peag-Ta, who has been with the orphanage for approximately five years.  The orphanage itself has been in existence for about 15 years, and was previously located in Jomtien.  It is now housed in three rented houses, one of which is the music, computer  and administration room,  a second houses the girls' accommodation, cooking and dining area,  and the third, the boys' accommodation and laundry facilities.  There are approximately fifty children cared for at the orphanage, aged between 2 1/2 years, and 17 years, and supervision is by four staff three female and one male.  All the children of school age are being educated in the local schools. 

Part of the girls' dormitory	Budding artists at work !
David helps one of the children	A heavy workout by one of the boys

The orphanage impressed us with its warm, homely atmosphere, and spotlessly clean environment.  

Jing Jai Orphanage is indeed an orphanage in need of support.   It has very, very limited, funds, from which it must pay the rent, food, schooling expenses, etc. etc. for the children.

For a start, we have arranged for  immediate help in the form of daily essentials, including blankets, rubber mattresses, foodstuffs, and daily essentials from Thais4Life.

We would like to thank Goran and Punya from Howard's Hotel/Sansuk for making a generous donation to help defray the cost of purchasing the blankets for Jing Jai

"Hello !"

Laundry

Afternoon nap on the cold tile floor

At play

Photos courtesy Printer Graham

Baan Jing Jai School Uniforms

It's back to school time for the kids at Jing Jai orphanage.

Following a request for help in fitting out the kids for a new school year, Thais4Life have been well supported by fund raising efforts to underwrite the cost of new school uniforms, and school studying requisites for the 50 kids of school age, and 5 of kindergarten age, at the orphanage.

At the beginning of the school year, three representatives from Thais4Life journeyed down to Banglamung to a nominated outfitter for the first instalment - new school wearing apparel.  We thought that the process would be simple - involving taking delivery of clothing previously selected, and paying the cash to the contracting shop.

Not so.   After a short time, the quiet of the shop was broken by an invasion of 38 kids from Jing Jai - who proceeded to select, model, examine, and try the various school uniforms on offer, from standard white shirt and blue pants to the scout uniforms for the boys.  The noise and disorganization was entertaining, although one boy accidentally pulled a large display rack over, which fell onto him causing great consternation.

The check out process was laborious, with each child having their detailed selections for purchase handwritten alongside their name on the handwritten "check bins":  Additional purchases were made for the children who were not there..

Three and a half hours later it was all completed.  The children went off very happy, and Wally and David went off to share a nervous breakdown !

\Great fun really, and just to see the expressions on the kids faces, which we have tried to capture in the photographs, make it all worth while.

Thank you everyone for supporting this venture - you know who you are !

A further report will follow on the purchase of the school requisites and school fees. 

www.thais4life.com

BONDI BEACH HOTEL/BAR AT DONGTAN/JOMTIEN
BEACH NOW OFFERS THAIS4LIFE BOOKSHOP "BRANCH"

Bondi Beach Hotel/Bar in Jomtien is now offering a selection of books from the Thais4Life Bookshop as a service to customers in their cafe/bar.

The books are for sale at 80 baht each, or any book purchased at Bondi Beach Hotel/Bar or Thais4Life Bookshop can be exchanged for 40 baht.

A number of Dutch language books have been included in the selection to accommodate guests living in the area. 

A presentation gathering was held on Monday 12th November 2007,  at "Pattaya Today" newspaper
office.  The occasion was the handing over of substantial donations by a number of Pattaya businesses and charities, for the benefit of those less fortunate members of the community who find themselves in destitute situations.

Thais4Life, represented by committee members David Kerridge, Graham Anderson, and Wally Pickering, presented two donations.

The first, for 20,000 baht,  was to the Banglamung Hospital Destitute Patients Fund.  This Fund has been set up to enable the Banglamung Hospital to accept and treat patients who, for whatever reason,
do not qualify for treatment under the 30 baht Thai Government Health scheme, have urgent medical conditions requiring immediate treatment, and have no money for payment for that treatment, or for the other basic necessities of life - such as food and clean clothing.   Further donations of varying amounts were made to this worthy cause by representatives of other organizations present. 

The second donation, for 40,000 baht, was to the YWCA, as organizers and administrators of a special Thais4Life project to provide twenty 2,000 baht basic scholarships, to Thai children whose living situations are so desperate, that their parents cannot afford the basic 1,000 baht annual school fee, nor books or school clothing.  This donation will fund schooling fee, books and clothing expenses for twenty destitute children for one year.

David Kerridge and Wally Pickering hand over the 40,000 baht to the YWCA representative.

Photo : Printer Graham

Mr. Barry Kenyon, on behalf of "Pattaya Today" thanked all donors for their contributions.

These "special project" donations by Thais4Life compliment ongoing support to individuals - for example food vouchers to destitute patients of Dr. Philippe Seur, and occasional special support.

Thais4Life Charity Bookshop
Book Exchange Policy

1. All books in the bookshop are priced at just 80 baht each.

2. You may return and exchange any ONE BOOK bought in the shop, at a 50% discount price
    of just 40 baht.

                The 50% discount is allowable against ONE BOOK IN, ONE BOOK OUT.
                              Discount is NOT CUMULATIVE for multiple returns.
    For example - if you return two books and take only one out - the discount remains 50%
    (40 baht) against the one book out, and you pay that balance of 40 baht.  The second book
    you bought in may be a) exchanged for a second book out at 50% (40 baht) or, 
                                         b) donated to Thais4Life
                                         c) retained by you for a trade-in at a later date.

3. Thais4Life only accept books for exchange under this policy, which have been purchased
     previously at this bookshop, and which will carry a Thais4Life barcode and sticker.

4. Thais4Life does not purchase books, or accept for exchange books that have not been 
    purchased in the bookshop previously.

5. Thais4Life gladly accepts books in any language, as donations.

6. If a book is returned, and nothing further purchased - NO REFUND IS ALLOWABLE.

New Title Listings

Since the bookshop was set up, we have published on this website, a listing of books recently received into stock.This listing enabled prospective customers to request we hold a particular book for their collection.  In recent months, the sheer volume of books new to our inventory being received in, and a corresponding increase in sales, of especially these new titles, has made it not feasible to continue listings on the website with effect from March 16th 2009.   New titles received into the bookshop, are displayed on two separate bookshelves inside the shop, and also in the windows, for about 2 weeks, before they are relegated to the general inventory.  Visitors to the bookshop can therefore peruse the new titles as they are on separate display.