The family has occupied the same plot for 60 years going back two or three generations. Parents, grandparents and their families have grown up here and the home had been handed down to later generations. There was also a number of houses on the site occupied by Thai families with a similar history of occupation but here is the problem. The site is situated directly opposite the new Colosseum on the left of Thepprasit Road with many tourists visiting to witness the latest Pattaya attraction.
The owner could be forgiven for being able to see the possibilities with development of the site, in the future, and has told everyone to move away. This particular family has some problems. The son has HIV. The daughter has to be taken to Fr. Ray’s Special Needs centre everyday being autistic. The father is virtually blind and is unable to work. The mother is an aged motorbike taxi driver. They have no money and nowhere to live. They were reluctant to move even when the owner demolished the houses around them, as you can see, and gave them final notice to leave or he will knock down their living area.
Mayor Mai Chaiyanit hands over the property to the family.
The area is in the Nongprue Tambon, even along Thepprasit, and a cry for help to Nongprue City Hall did not go unnoticed and, fortunately, the Fr. Ray’s Children’s Home in Nongprue have a plot of land, within 100 metres of the Home. It is occupied by an elderly man and his wife who are employed to grow organic vegetables for the children but it is becoming too much for 1 person. Fr. Ray Children’s Home has agreed to let Nongprue Municipality build a small house on the site for the family from Thepprasit which solves many problems. The husband, even with his disability, could help take care of the vegetables as could the son.
A new home has emerged for the family.
So much more can be achieved when various charity groups combine their efforts and this exercise is no exception, for many groups were so concerned that they got together to accumulate sufficient funds to build a small brick house suitable for 4 people. Those involved in this project included Pattaya Sports Club, Lions Club Pattaya, YWCA, Nongprue City Hall and the Fr. Ray Foundation. A local builder was asked to construct the home, which he did with due diligence. The family is still together, with a new home and you can see the smile on everyone’s faces to appreciate that this was a project that has gone according to plan. The mayor of Nongprue, Mai Chaiyanit, was present, as always, to hand over the house to the family.
Not much of their home is now left.
Only one home remains amongst the rubble.
The vegetables are organic and fresh for the children.
Sponsors gather for a group photo with the family.
