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.
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.
The girls urgently needed new showers and toilets.
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.
The boys’ showers are now complete.
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.
Ja looks on to supervise the brick laying.
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.
