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Pattaya Sports Club assist ATCC with some water issues
The girls urgently needed new
showers and toilets.
William Macey
Are the streets of Pattaya really paved with gold? We all know that the
answer is no, for life in a big city can be very difficult. But that does
not stop Thai families and their children, workers from neighbouring
countries coming here to seek employment and, hopefully, a better life. But
others take the less arduous route of crime and exploitation. Add to this,
thousands of tourists, some of questionable pedigree, and sadly, children
are the most vulnerable group prone to abuse in all its forms.
The boys’ showers are now
complete.
Fortunately, there are a number of people doing their
best to help these children and one in particular, Ja of the Anti-human
Trafficking and Child Abuse Centre (ATCC) in Nongprue, has for the last 15
years devoted his life to stopping child trafficking and abuse.
He now has 38 children in his care and his Child Protection and Development
Life-skill Centre helps the children to acquire skills that will enable them
to reintegrate into normal society either here in Pattaya or back home in
their local region. You only have to visit the centre to realise the
children are happy at the ATCC; they have friends and a home.
Ja looks on to supervise the
brick laying.
Pattaya Sports Club have built up a close relationship
with Ja and have helped to finance much of the development at the centre.
Recently, he has asked PSC to help with a particular problem. With 38
children, both male and female, the toilet and shower facilities had not
kept pace with the expansion of the site. The answer was easy for the
committee to make and Ja quickly had the boys improving their building
skills to erect the buildings.
In a seemingly separate issue recently, PSC replaced the hundreds of bricks
forming the car park at our offices along Third Road. Never missing the
opportunity to help those in need, we could see a solution to a problem at
ATCC. The boys area is the lowest point of the centre and becomes a quagmire
in the rainy season causing many problems for all concerned. So, replacing
the car park was perfect timing, for the bricks were transported to ATCC and
within hours the boys were hard at it creating walkways to alleviate the
water problem. The end result showed the skills the boys have acquired from
Ja, for a very professional looking job was completed without delay.
The path is nearly finished,
and a very professional job.
March is the time of year that we donate rolls of cotton
to various centres to enable them to make new brightly coloured bedding,
which was made by Liab in this case, and welcomed by the children. There is
nothing quite like new bedclothes to provide a good night’s sleep.
All charities in Pattaya are in need of help to overcome the ongoing problem
of providing food, clothes and school uniforms, so if you feel you would
like to make a donation of any kind, please contact William on 0861522754 or
leave your donation at the PSC offices.
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GIS Primary production includes
costumes, songs - and a monster
A tense moment in the play.
Mark Beales
Photos by Ritchie Guisona
Garden International School (GIS) ‘s Primary production included costumes, songs
- and a monster.
The Primary production of The Last Monster in Scotland featured some fantastic
costumes and scenery. Primary students took to their roles brilliantly and
staged a funny and action-packed show.
The Years 3 to 6 production was a huge success thanks largely to the students’
hard work, and the help of many staff.
The monster makes a dramatic
appearance.
Primary students put on a great
show.
The grand finale.
All aboard the Queen Mary 2
A small snack before the
performance.
Derek Franklin
Each year one of Cunard’s luxury liners arrives into Laem Chabang port as part
of its round the world tour. This year it was the Queen Mary 2 that arrived, and
once again the children and students from the Father Ray Foundation were invited
on board to entertain the ship’s guests.
The ship was only in port for twelve hours, and while many guests disembark and
travel into Bangkok or Pattaya, there are just as many who stay on board to
welcome the children and watch their show titled ‘A Taste of Thailand’.
Enjoying afternoon tea on board
the Queen Mary.
It is not easy getting more than one hundred children and
students on board, especially those in wheelchairs, and panic ensued when a
toddler from the Father Ray Day Care Center went missing; fortunately she was
found taking a nap under a bench.
Not only were the children about to perform to a large audience on a huge ship,
but they were also treated to afternoon tea. A large variety of sandwiches and
cakes were served, and there was so much food that several bags were filled to
be eaten on the journey home.
Traditional Thai dance routines by the girls from the Father Ray Children’s Home
and Children’s Village saw the audience giving a standing ovation. The young
boys from the Children’s Home gave an exhibition of Muay Thai and the toddlers
stood staring into the audience, but still got a round of applause for looking
cute.
Ready to give the passengers a
‘Taste of Thailand’.
The wheelchair dance troupe gave a performance which
astounded those watching and two five year olds from the School for the Blind
sang a duet that brought a tear to the eyes of many.
As in previous years there was a rush to leave the ship before it set sail for
its next port of call, and as usual there was one boy who wanted to know where
the best place would be to stowaway. Thankfully the same number of children who
climbed on board also disembarked.
More information about the Father Ray Foundation can be found at www.fr-ray.org
or email [email protected]
The wheelchair dance troupe.
The toddlers from the Day Care
Center prepare to board.
The Muay Thai boxers from the
Children’s Home enjoyed their time on the ship.
The young ladies from the Father
Ray Children’s Home.
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