Local charities benefit from SOS Rice 2000 and 2001

Veerachai Somchart

Surat Mekawarakul, chairman of the SOS Rice 2000 and 2001 fund raising project, and Father Pichan Chaiseri, the project public relations coordinator, presided over a ceremony to present over 800,000 baht to local schools and charities. The funds were raised during this year’s SOS Rice campaign. The presentation ceremony, which took place on May 9, was held at the Pattaya Green Park Resort Hotel.

Banglamung district chief Vichien Chawalit (right) presented some of the proceeds from the SOS Rice campaign to Lt. Colonel Jirat Phichitpai of the Ban Phoonsri Drug Rehab Center as Father Pichan announced the proceedings.

Portions of the donated funds will support all 10 of Pattaya’s city schools, as well as 12 other schools around Pattaya.

Other organizations that also received supported included the Ban Phoonsri Uppathum Drug Treatment Center, the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind, the Redemptorist Vocational School, Bang Lamung Children’s Home, Sirinthorn Professional Training Center, and the Pattaya Redemptorist Home for Street Children.

Surat Mekawarakul, chairman of the SOS Rice 2000 and 2001 campaign presents a donation to a representative from one of Pattaya’s city schools.

Belgian businessman Didier Frere first organized the SOS Rice program in 1986. That first year, the campaign raised 30,000 baht, which was presented to Father Ray at the Pattaya City Orphanage. The program has continued each year since, with the help of local businesses. The fund-raiser still supports the orphanage, but also helps a long list of other charitable programs in the surrounding communities.

Local TAT director Manit Bunchim presents an SOS check to the Redemptorist School for Blind.

This year, the program was organized into two segments, the first starting in November and continuing into January 2001, when nearly 600,000 baht in cash donations and 7,125 kilograms of rice worth 142,500 baht was collected from shopping outlets around Pattaya and Chonburi.

Over 366,000 baht in cash, and rice donations totaling almost 11,000 kilograms worth 218,500 baht, were collected during the second segment of the campaign, bringing the grand total to 1,208,406 baht.