PATTAYA, Thailand – On Wednesday, 4 December, Panadda (Karen) Taraponkiree, owner of Karen Visa Services, spoke to the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) about her remarkable journey and tireless efforts to help people in Thailand reclaim their land and her work to support their communities.
Karen told of the plight of people in the villages of Khao Koh Thailand. Karen, who grew up in Northeastern Thailand, witnessed firsthand the impact of the Communist invasion and the subsequent intervention by the Thai government. This experience fueled her determination to assist those affected by these events.
The government and the Army ordered villagers to leave their homes and farmland, promising to return them after they addressed the issue of communism in Thailand. The displaced people have now been waiting for 42 years without any resolution or return of the land titles to them. During her talk, Karen highlighted her work in navigating complex government processes to help people reclaim land that was taken.
In addition to her land reclamation efforts, Karen has been actively involved in various community support activities. She has collected and distributed clothes and school supplies and provided free English classes for children. Despite facing challenges such as a lack of land to build houses for displaced people and the need for her to have better resources like a laptop, Karen remains committed to her mission. Her dedication has led her to present the case in the parliament and meet with government officials and senators to find solutions for the displaced people.
Karen’s talk was a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on a community. Her unwavering commitment to helping others and her ability to navigate complex challenges serve as an inspiration to all who heard her speak.
Following the presentations, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where questions are asked and comments made about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.To view videos of speaker presentations, visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@pcecclub6255/videos. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club.
