It is estimated that almost nine thousand people from Nepal and the neighbouring countries of China, India and Bangladesh lost their lives in the two earthquakes that hit the Himalayan country in April and May.
Foreign nationals from as far afield as the UK and New Zealand also succumbed to the disaster. Tens of thousands have been injured and the number of those left homeless is likely to be in the hundreds of thousands; whole villages have been wiped off the map. Children have become orphans and others have been left with injuries and disabilities that may never heal.
Bringing a bit of tradition to Walking Street.
Countries around the world have sent food, medical supplies, tents, blankets, and relief workers, as well as search & rescue experts.
Thailand has donated more than half a million US dollars to the aid effort. It has also sent medical and rescue workers and now the people of Pattaya have come to the support of the people of Nepal.
A suggestion from one young resident at the Father Ray Children’s Home to help the children of Nepal grew into an event which took place one recent Saturday evening on Walking Street.
The t-shirts were very popular.
From that one idea grew ‘Pattaya Cares for Nepal’, an evening of musical entertainment. Teenagers from the Children’s Home, blind students and young adults with disabilities performed a selection of pop and rock songs which had many people dancing in the street. The evening started with a rendition of ‘We Are the World’, the 1985 charity single originally performed by the likes of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Diana Ross. Traditional Thai dancers, Muay Thai fighters, and the choir from the School for the Blind drew large crowds which caused Walking Street to come almost to a standstill.
Visitors from around the world made a donation.
Earlier in the day the young adults studying at the Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities, many of whom are living on a pension of 500 baht per month, all made a donation and the residents of the Children’s Home gave a donation from their pocket money.
Local Thais, expats and holidaymakers all dipped deep into their pockets to make a donation, and all money raised will go to help support the Nepalese children and people with disabilities affected by the recent disaster.
The locals can always be relied on to make a donation.
The Muay Thai exhibition was staged, but the fighters were cheered by the crowd.
Every donation helps.
Many students live on a pension of 500 baht per month, and they all dropped money into the box.
When the blind students sang Amazing Grace, Walking Street came to a standstill.
