Donations of water filter units and blankets to little children displaced from their flooded homes in Rangsit
Steve Graham (4th right) MD
of Securitas Thailand is flanked by William Macy (Pattaya Sports Club) and
Andrew Emerey (St Andrews International School) who contributed 50,000 baht
and 100,000 baht respectively towards the Pattaya Relief Fund. Members of
the Pattaya Relief Group are (l-r) Tony Malhotra, Ferenc Fricsay, Gudmund
Eiksund, Rungarun Harnnarong, Carl Dysin, Peter Malhotra and John Cole.
Phasakorn Channgam
Members of the Pattaya Relief Group met at the offices of
Securitas Thailand on Monday November 7 to make reports on relief efforts
carried out by the group in the past week.
Steve Graham, MD of Securitas, reported that members of
his staff delivered 500 bags of relief supplies to flood victims in
Ayutthaya on October 31. (Pattaya Mail November 11). In addition, on
November 1, the company presented 7,500 liters of water to Sinchai
Wattanasartsathorn, vice president of the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan
Foundation to be delivered to officials in Bangkruay, Nonthaburi after
receiving a report of drinking water shortages.
The babies are now safe in
their temporary home at HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Vocational
School in Banglamung.
In attendance at the meeting were Andrew Emery
representing St Andrews International School who made a donation of 100,000
baht which had been collected on November 3, through a fund raising event
organized by the children to help flood victims.
William Macey, the charity chairman of the Pattaya Sports
Club donated a sum of 50,000 baht, whilst David Kerridge presented a
donation of 106,000 baht which was raised at a charity event organized for
this purpose at the Cafô Royale.
The water at the inundated
playground at the Rangsit Babies Home reached alarmingly high levels.
Gudmund Eiksund, president of the Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya reported that in addition to the 200,000 baht contribution
to the Pattaya Relief fund, the club had also donated another 50,000 baht to
the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard to help finance the purchase and assembly
of the Gravity Drip Water Filters.
Carl Dyson, president of the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard
spoke about the unique Gravity Drip Water Filters which he offered to make
available for immediate flood relief. He said, “The water filters with a
high quality 0.2 micron Swiss made Katadyn ceramic element, do not require
electricity and can produce 20 liters of clean drinking water per day and as
such are perfect for flood & disaster relief purposes.”
President Carl Dyson speaks
about the highly effective Gravity Drip Water Filters.
Carl explained that the components were made of dual
ceramic membrane filter element. He said, “The fineness of the dual membrane
ceramic water filter is 0.1 micron, which can remove 99.9999% of bacteria
including Escherichia coli (E-coli), staphylococcus aureus, salmonella
typhi, vibrio cholera and legionella pneumophila. These Water for Life
filters outmatch similar products - the best commercially available ceramic
filters in Thailand are 0.3 micron.”
Tony Malhotra then proposed that the PRG with the
assistance of the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard donate 20 of the Gravity Drip
Filters to the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Vocational School in
Banglamung which was now a temporary home for 248 children who had been
evacuated from the Rangsit Babies Home which was inundated by the severe
flood.
In addition, Tony said that the children were evacuated
in a hurry and therefore had no extra clothing with them and that they
needed clothes and blankets to keep warm.
Rotarians Jan Abbink and
President Carl Dyson demonstrate the simplicity of the drip filters and the
purity of the filtered water.
Carl again came to the rescue saying that the Rotary Club
Eastern Seaboard had a project called ‘Wrap up a child’ and that they had a
few hundred blankets available for immediate distribution. He explained that
this project was set up with the help of hoteliers and airlines, with Swiss
International Airlines at the fore supplying blankets which were once used
on their airplanes.
The next day Tony Malhotra and Andrew Emery delivered the
relief goods to Pinya Jumroonsan, the kind hearted caretaker of the children
temporarily seeking refuge at the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Vocational School in Banglamung.
They included 20 Gravity Drip Water Filters, 180
blankets, 100 bars of soap and 100 tubes of toothpaste.
Tony Malhotra (2nd left) and
Andrew Emerey (right) together with students from St Andrews brought
life-saving water filters and Swiss International Air Lines blankets for the
children.
While numerous companies have come to the aid of the
children from the Rangsit Babies Home who are all under age 6, Pinya said
more aid is needed. Specifically, the shelter needs 10 radio/CD players to
use in teaching, three 20-inch fans, three trolleys, a Mulinex food
processor and hygiene gloves for handling food. 160 sets of children’s
clothes are also needed for girls and boys, including long sleeved night
suits. Other needs include kitchen utensils, washing machines, OLAC baby
formula and antibiotics.
The centre welcomes organizations or private individuals
to visit the children and arrange lunches and donations. Telephone numbers
are 038-241-072, 084-3213-602.
