Phuket Thailand

Simbo · #1 27-06-2007, 09:22

Not sure if this is the right place for the thread, sure it will be moved if required. This report will be a bit bitty (?) due to the lack of internet access up here so bear with me.

Week 1

Interesting 15 hour drive up from Phuket to Phitsinalok to drop off a friend who was off to the temple for a week to repent for her sins all the rest of the year. Bonus was that going round Bangkok she could read a map the right way up (and correctly) which made things easier. Hotel in Phitsinalok of the same standard found in Phuket was only B350 for the night. Woke up next day, still knackered and unloaded the fish she had brought up for the temple ( nice smell for the rest of the ride) said good byeand headed off for another 4 hrr drive to Chom Thong, near Chiang mai, taking some of the back roads.

Got in, got sorted and slept again, the long drive was catching up on me. Got up next day, went through Med kits to check for what was needed ( Many thanks again FT for the airways- hopefully they WON'T come in useful). Then next day up to the village with 2 trucks of stores and a final recce. We will be living in a small very poor village in the Teak Forest near Sop Moei on the Burmese border. General standard of the villagers is grotty but healthy as they have virtually nothing. By putting in the 15000 litre water supply and storage facilitythey will be able to attract others to the village and it will prosper.

Next few days as follows- Gordonston students arrive tomorrow afternoon, acclimitasation 16k walk to previous project in Doi Inthanon on Friday then up to the village Sat, with work starting Sunday. Work 6 days then 2 days out at Mae Hon Son for them to hit 7-11 before returning to the village.

Update and photos to follow.

K2 · #2 27-06-2007, 10:11

All the best to you Si up there ... good to hear about the project and how things are going. Those students in for a shock with a 16km hike!

nelsonone · #3 27-06-2007, 10:21

good luck with the project Simbo....hope it all goes well.....great thing you are doing man...lovely part of the world up there too....please mention my name in the big Mae Hon Son wat if you drop in...I love that place and I'm in need of a bit of merit about now mate.....

LivinLOS · #4 27-06-2007, 10:43

Please do the best to update.. Threads like this are such a good break from the usual..

Dodger · #5 27-06-2007, 10:47

Cheers for the update Si and reiterating what Lil said, make sure you keep us up to date on this as I agree, so much more intetresting than the usual stuff.

Iltis · #6 27-06-2007, 21:02

Nice and interesting report Simon. All the best with the project and keep us updated.

lunglek · #7 28-06-2007, 00:47

Staying in a village with only the basics will be a bit of a culture shock for the students, hope the weather isn´t too wet. how long is the project for?

whuakito · #8 28-06-2007, 03:29

great thing this one simbo,keep us informed

IRISH JONNY · #9 28-06-2007, 03:32

best of luck on the project simon.keep us informed.ij

Thai Kwan Do · #10 28-06-2007, 04:01

good luck with the water project SIMBO

, looking forward to some pic`s!

ATMwalking · #11 28-06-2007, 12:11

Is this a private doing or part of a larger project? What exactly is the Water Project?

Crustasian · #12 29-06-2007, 01:36

See if you can post some phots of day by day progress diary sort of thing when all is done and dusted.That will help more BMs understand.

Students from Gordonstown - high profile people.That is where Prince Charles went to study.

Stay safe.

Simbo · #13 07-07-2007, 14:07

Just in to get dry for a day or so- photos to follow at end of next week with a bit of luck.

Very interesting up here at the moment- tons of rain means loads of landslides. First week was a success, we now have clean drinking water running into a very poor village (my house doesn't have a door yet) that has never before had running water, needless to say the headman was almost in tears he was so happy. The other upside of this is that another village will move down to join this one when the project is complete. This will please both the villagers , who will be able to improve their living standards, and the forestry department. Despite the weather a 2km pipe has been laid, and the base and first 2 rings of the tank constructed.

Most of the Gordonstoun Kids have grasped the concept of what they are doing, but as with any group of people some of them will never 'get it'. Despite the lack of water some of them are quite happy to squander what little there is. I reckon I used less water in a week than some of them use in a day.

No major dramas so far, although the village is poor the kids are happy and every one is in reasonably good health. Dr Death ( me) has only had to remove one toenail so far and sort out a few villagers with various problems.

In Mae Hon Son at the moment for 2 days R and R, I can recommend the Palm Guest house, just behind the temple as a good place to stay- B400 per night aircon.

Back to reality tomorrow, 4 hr drive back to the village to finish the tanks and run a little clinic for the village kids. Life in the village is simple and it suits a simple soul like me. It makes me appreciate how much we have but is also very humbling to stay with these genuine, friendly people who haven't got an avaricious bone in their bodies.

easyrider_au · #14 07-07-2007, 14:23

Simbo, it's good to hear that things are going along nicely.

Enjoy your Beer Lao's tonight...........Sounds like you've earned em.

K2 · #15 07-07-2007, 15:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simbo

No major dramas so far, although the village is poor the kids are happy and every one is in reasonably good health. Dr Death ( me) has only had to remove one toenail so far and sort out a few villagers with various problems.

Life in the village is simple and it suits a simple soul like me. It makes me appreciate how much we have but is also very humbling to stay with these genuine, friendly people who haven't got an avaricious bone in their bodies.

Humbling to read your update Si - such a huge contrast being back in (y)UK and the generally miserable greedy ungrateful uncaring bunch that live here. Hope all goes well up there - doubt you will get beer Lao up there but some of the local 'moonshine' is pretty good

.

pablo · #16 07-07-2007, 15:11

Nice report Si'....thanks for posting.

I admire your efforts and spirit.

Pablo

IRISH JONNY · #17 07-07-2007, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by pablo

Nice report Si'....thanks for posting.

I admire your efforts and spirit.

Pablo

same same for me mate........
well done........
ij

nelsonone · #18 09-07-2007, 07:04

well done Si....must be a great feeling to have achieved this much so far....

are there many Burmese refugees upm in the area? .....

pablo · #19 17-07-2007, 09:24

Hi Simon...are you back in Phuket????

Waiting to hear the rest of your water project, report.

Pablo

Simbo · #20 17-07-2007, 17:40

Hi all am on a 11mps connection at the moment. Back up into the hills Thu to do a recce for next two projects, will post final updateand photos next week from Pattaya.

LivinLOS · #21 17-07-2007, 22:28

Sounds like the fastest connection in Thailand..

K2 · #22 17-07-2007, 23:09

Not been very impressed with net speed here in UK ... considering BT Braodband but its about as fast as I get in Phuket.

Take care Si - see you soon.

eric-the-viking · #23 18-07-2007, 03:31

Hey Si
I never knew you was into this kind of thing,only wish to pass on what every one has been saying.
Good on ya and i am looking forward to hearing more about it.
what type of main have they laid and when you layed the mains did you use electro fusion or butt fusion?
How did you get a bunch of students to learn how to drive a mini digger or even hand dig?
sorry waffling

bonknori · #24 18-07-2007, 04:03

Great to hear of some good work going on, as we all tend to indulge in our own little fantasies about Thailand i think your posting brings home some of the realaties of life in a country you think is reasonably industrialised. Keep up the good work! look forward to further reports!

Simbo · #25 18-07-2007, 11:01

Hi, photos will have to wait until I get to Pattaya next week guys. The upload speed here is absolute crap and i've tried 5 times to do the pics before I got pst off. The 1 I have posted is of granny seeing water in her village for the first time in her life.

Week 2 went well. After 36 hours in Mae Hon Son, following the road of 5oo bends, we returned to the village, all the kids fortified with a trip to 7/11. In and amongst putting up the 3rd and fourth layers of the water tqanks the villagers quickly discovered there was a 'Doctor' with the group and the fun started for me! Far more fulfilling for me than telling kids with the shits from drinking rice whiskey to drink more water and suffer (!) was sorting out a 2 year old with horribly infected insect bites. Within 24hrs he had stopped bawling and was wandering around quite hapily with mama. The monsoon kicked in with a vengance and all the kids were wet for the week but it did not curb their enthusiam for the task. Seeing villages carrying 3 time their weight at 3 times their age was quite humbling for some of them although others were focussing on their 4 days in Phuket.

The last day saw water in the tanks and water in the eyes of all the villagers and kids. What fresh drinking water means for these people (at a cost of approx 4ksterling or 8kUS, 260k Baht)in materials and transport per project) is freedom from the runs, no more kids with supporating sores, and the ability to improve the quality of their lives immensely. It sort of puts the post about the guy giving his BG over 2000000 Baht for her to blow( forgive the pun) into perspective.

Whislt in the village we were approached by the head of 5 villages further up the valley with no prospect of getting fresh water unless we can raise money for the materials. I'm off back to recce 2 villages tomorrow for projects in Dec and Jul, down to Patts and the promise of photos to back this up to be posted at the earliest opportunity.

PS anyone wanting to donate one night out's worth of fun in Patts or Patong to go towards the cost of future projects is welcome to visit The Karen Hilltribe Foundation - Home Unlike other 'charities' every penny goes towards the projects and not on Landcruisers!