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

OZZ CAFE/BAR OFFERS THAIS4LIFE BOOKSHOP "BRANCH"

Ozz Cafe 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 Ozz Cafe/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. 

(OZZ CAFE/BAR is located in the soi directly behind the Mignon restaurant, 
and is accessible either by proceeding straight past Hanuman Statue 
and taking first turn right, or by turning right at Hanuman Statue proceeding towards
 Jomtien Beach, and turning left, then left again,
off the main road, after passing the shops and restaurants  of  which Mignon is one.)

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.