There are many reasons why visitors come to Thailand. Excellent year round weather, good food and hospitality. It is easy to embrace the glitz and glamour of Beach Road, Walking Street and Second Road, but there is a another side to Pattaya that is largely unknown to, not only tourists, but to those of us that have made Thailand our home.
Shut away along small, unknown sois exists a world that is foreign to most of us and we are unaware that there are hundreds of families living in abject poverty existing on just a few hundred baht per week.
Request No. 1: A low ceiling creating a humid atmosphere.
But there are some charities that go out of their way to help, whenever possible, those families that live in the slums that are around the city. Pai of Hand to Hand being but one. She makes regular visits to slums, in particular, slum No. 7 to determine how Hand to Hand can help. It goes without saying that she comes away with a shopping list on every occasion and her recent request to Pattaya Sports Club is a case in point.
The roof has been raised 65cm creating a better atmosphere.
No.1 request: A 70 year old man, unable to leave his bed for many years, living in a tin hut with only a 150 cm clearance making it unbearably hot and humid in the hot sun. The roof had to be removed and replaced, at a more reasonable height, with plaster sheeting and some vents used for a circulation of air to be achieved.
Request No. 2: The ladies room is falling apart.
No.2 request: A 65 year old lady, again unable to leave her bed, living in what is left of her home. The recent heavy rains congregated on the floor, to a depth of 60cm making it necessary to elevate the bed and put on bricks to stop her being saturated for weeks on end. The solution was to build another home for her on higher ground.
Request No. 3: This is where he lived.
No.3 request: A man was evicted from his home which was being replaced with condos by a developer but slum No.7 had no home for him to live in. A new home was to be built on site.
Pattaya Sports Club was approached for the finance and, following an inspection of their predicaments, the decision to help was an easy one for the committee to make. Here are some photos of the of the success of our mission. All three families are happy with the improvements and will sleep better at night
He is so much happier.
It is difficult to describe the appalling conditions in which these families live and donations of clothes, food or toys are always welcome. If you feel you might be able to help, please contact Pattaya Sports Club or William on 0861522754.
The new room is much safer.
