Phuket - Bring toys with you for tsunami survivors kids/orphans

landofsmiles · #1 25-10-2005, 21:32

If you're heading out here in the next few weeks on a tour you'll be coming with virtually an empty suitcase...won't you!!!...because you'll be buying your new wardrobe out here!!

So raid your kids/nieces/nephews toy cupboard and bring a load of toys for the kids who survived the tsunami.

If you can't be bothered to go seek out kids to give them to you can take them to the Wat and the monks will distribute them.

At worst, if you don't donate them to tsunami survivors you can score a few points with your little brown lady conquest each night by giving her some for her kids back in her village. She'll think you have a big heart, mak mak.

I've been sending back reports and pics to BBC radio. You can see some of it here....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/featur...mi/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/conten..._feature.shtml

steve@thaib · #2 25-10-2005, 22:40

Great post, top idea

eric-the-viking · #3 25-10-2005, 23:51

may be a silly question but what sort of toys?
not having kids and being the wrong side of 21im at a loss some what.
do you mean like colouring books etc?

steve@thaib · #4 26-10-2005, 02:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric-the-viking

may be a silly question but what sort of toys?
not having kids and being the wrong side of 21im at a loss some what.
do you mean like colouring books etc?

That sort of thing I reckon, freebies from McDonalds too, do you still get freebies with fuel? I thinks it's a top idea of there is a means of getting stuff to where it would be appreciated.

landofsmiles · #5 26-10-2005, 13:42

To Steve.

I just decided to do it because I've been coming here for 10 years and virtually live here now. I'm not paid anything by the BBC for those reports. It's just my own personal crusade to help some of the people here who suffered. It's a fantastic feeling to help them. I couldn't sit around and do nothing. I did appeals back in Guernsey on local radio and in the newspaper before I came out in february....got absolutely buried under toys and sweets and clothes people donated. I still have a room back there with about 30 sacks of stuff.

It's 10 months since the tsunami and there have been many wolrd disasters since so it's not in the news any longer and people have pretty much forgotten about it yet if you look at my reports and pics you'll see there are still many people here who need help.

Soft and plastic toys are best to bring because they are light. Pens/pencils/crayons stationery is good too. You are allowed 2 cases on most flights so as you only need one for yourself, bring another old battered one full of toys. The kids in the UK and elsewhere are spoilt and have far too many. If you tell your little nephew/niece that some of their toys are going to help children who have hardly any and maybe no mummy or daddy they will be willing to hand some over.

My picture galleries are here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/conten..._gallery.shtml

and here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/conten..._gallery.shtml

This is how I travelled out one one trip with 2 bags. The only clothes I brought for me were what I wore for the flights.

landofsmiles · #6 26-10-2005, 14:04

We all like our fun but this is a serious post.

Please don't wreck it by discussing other issues here.

stevem · #7 26-10-2005, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by landofsmiles

This is how I travelled out one one trip with 2 bags. The only clothes I brought for me were what I wore for the flights.

Will see what I can do next month. That luggage would make for an interesting customs inspection.

dawsey · #8 27-10-2005, 01:57

Great idea

I know I'll have room in the case,so I will bring toys for the kids.
Where in Patong would be the best place to give them? I know there are a lot of monks in a compound just behind the Andaman Beach Suites, but I can't speak Thai, and I don't know if I could make anyone understand who I wanted the toys to be given to.

landofsmiles · #9 27-10-2005, 13:23

Wait till you have a "tilac" with you then. Explain to her what the toys are for and take her with you to the temple. It'll boost your good heart rating with her!

Or take them to the north end of Patong to the school at Kalim. It's a building site at the moment but might be finished by the time you get here.

Or go a bit further round to Kamala which is still quite a mess and just stop whenever you see some kids and give them toys.

rufus123 · #10 27-10-2005, 13:55

Are you talking particularly of Christmas time, or of anytime in general?
Btw great post!

stevem · #11 27-10-2005, 14:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by landofsmiles

Wait till you have a "tilac" with you then. Explain to her what the toys are for and take her with you to the temple. It'll boost your good heart rating with her!

Not a very likely scerario for dawsey.

landofsmiles · #12 27-10-2005, 22:01

Not talking about Christmas time, no. Bhuddists don't celebrate Christmas!

I'm talking anytime.

dawsey · #13 28-10-2005, 01:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevem

Not a very likely scerario for dawsey.

55555 So true Steve.
No landofsmiles I will be going with my wife and daughter so there will be no tilak

. I think a trip in a tuk tuk up to Kamala might be the answer.

butterflyblonde · #14 28-10-2005, 03:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsey

55555 So true Steve.
No landofsmiles I will be going with my wife and daughter so there will be no tilak

. I think a trip in a tuk tuk up to Kamala might be the answer.

Why not arrange for a couple of MTB ladies to accompany you and the family on this trip? they can translate for you, someone like Kwan would be a good idea.

pakhay · #15 28-10-2005, 10:35

Hi guys,

That's a good idea. I don't know where I can donate some toys in Phuket but I could get a fully loaded suitcase of new toys from my friend's factory (nothing much but some samples) when I return to Patong in 2 weeks time. Any where in Patong that I can handly leave the toys? My only requirement is that I don't want those toys to end up in stalls selling for profit.

landofsmiles · #16 28-10-2005, 18:29

If you PM me I'll give you my mobile number. If you want to give the toys to me I guarantee I'll either take them up to Baan Nam Khem or to the school in Krabi.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/conten..._feature.shtml

I'm here all November and will definitely go to Baan Nam Khem again at some point. There'll probably be room if you want to come along for a day out!

dawsey · #17 29-10-2005, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by butterflyblonde

Why not arrange for a couple of MTB ladies to accompany you and the family on this trip? they can translate for you, someone like Kwan would be a good idea.

Good idea Chris. I reckon I will ask and I'm sure Kwan would not mind.Maybe Noy might come along as well.

landofsmiles · #18 16-11-2005, 20:24

Kamala Bay still messy..pic taken in October :-(

cooperspooky · #19 17-11-2005, 11:58

I leave in a week and everyday I come home from work I find myself buying some kind of toy to the point that now I am definetly going to be leaving with two full suitcases. But here's my question. They must sell toys in Phuket so why am I not buying them there? The toys I'm buying like coloring books, hot wheel cars, stuffed animals, puzzles, etc.. are fine for american kids and I've read that those are some of the toys we should bring but don't they sell those type of toys there? If not, what toys do they sell and wouldn't the kids like some of those toys?

landofsmiles · #20 17-11-2005, 19:22

Errrrrrrrrrr....yes, why aren't you!! You shouldn't buy toys in your home country to bring here. If you've got money to do that you should bring the money and buy toys here. Of course there are heaps of them here and you'll get 2, 3, 4 times as many for the same money here.

The toys you should bring are ones raided from your kids/nieces/nephews toy cupboards. They are all spoilt in the West and have far too many!

I've only brought out toys that have been donated to me by people back in UK that want to help Thai children here. Last time I travelled out, brought 2 bags stuffed full of them...no clothes for me.

This is how my 2 bags were packed before coming out in September!

gavgray · #21 19-11-2005, 17:03

g'day rex

hope everything is going okay. was glad to catch up with you finally and hand the toys over as the cleaning lady had her eyes on them. hope the kids get some enjoyment out of them and was sorry i was not around to make trip with you. have made it to udon thani and getting ready to go to laos tomorrow.

BattleCat · #22 21-11-2005, 09:45

Have talked about it with my boyfriend and we are going to pick up the toys over there. Approx how many should we buy for? How much B would get you say, a standard teddy bear?

landofsmiles · #23 21-11-2005, 21:53

Gav, your toys safely delivered to Baan Nam Khem yesterday.

Enjoy Laos

battlecat...not really looked at buying soft toys here as I have sackfulls still at home donated by people...enough for about another 5 trips out here.

When here I buy things for the kids like games; badminton sets; skittles; stationery; building blocks; footballs and loads of sweets. Tesco Lotus; SuperCheap and BigC are good places to shop.

dickie · #24 24-11-2005, 20:43

great thread. will take some toys..
i have just put my first thread in the newbies area, i will be going back to patong for 4 months. i was out there last christmas and had a lucky escape from the tsunami , it went right through my hotel.
i was wondereing where else i can visit that need help??? i have a few places in mind but want some more. would like to visit any camps that are set up for children or day centres/schools that need help. i work with kids in the uk so i would love to do it over in LOS. i will be there in december till april. so lots of time to help out as well as enjoy myself.