|
Rotary Club Chiang Mai South provides clean Water for children of Baan Mae Sawan Luang
Story and pictures by Annelie Hendriks
On Children’s Day, January 11, the Rotary Club Chiang
Mai South went to a small hilltribe (Karen) village called Baan Mae Sawan
Luang in the hills, 20 km from Mae Sariang. The road to the village is in
very bad condition and in the rainy season the village is completely
isolated from the main road and the bigger villages nearby.
Very
happy with the sweater.
Rotarians visited the village with at least 25 people.
Among them were doctors and hairdressers. The police from a police station
at the foot of the hill played live music for the children, and the children
performed traditional dances and songs.
Meanwhile, the doctors treated the villagers that evening
and the next morning. In all, they cared for 300 patients, mainly children.
The hairdressers were also very busy performing one haircut after another,
all free of charge of course.
The next morning the Rotary Club Chiang Mai South, in
cooperation with donations from the Samsara Foundation based in the
Netherlands, donated boxes with medicines for the schools in that region and
clothes for the children. They also distributed many toys and blankets for
the children (36) who stay in dormitories during the weekdays.
Hairdressers
were kept busy giving one haircut after another out in the open.
Karen
villagers visit the doctors
Rotarians,
doctors and friends donated medicine kits to the headmaster of the village
school.
Rotary also took the opportunity to survey a water purification project
for the school in Baan Mae Sawan Luang. In the dry season the school has no
safe drinking water for the 144 children. Rotary Chiang Mai South and the
Samsara Foundation will finance the building of a large tank in which the
water can be collected during the rainy season and distributed to the school
in the dry season. This project will be executed in the next few months.
Light and sound show to promote Wiang Kum Kam, the underground empire
Supatatt Dangkrueng
Chiang Mai Governor Pisit Khetphasook has said he was
proud to announce the light and sound performance, titled “Muang Kaew,
Khwan Klao, Wiang Kum Kam”, will be held January 18-19. More than 300
local people are participating in the show, with favorite movie stars
Saranyoo Wongkrajang, Chamaiporn Jaturaput, Teerapat Satjakul, Kanchai
Kamnerdploy and Sawit Petchwisetsiri attending. The script was written by
Yuttana Mukdasanit, and the show is being directed by Tisana Deundao.
Tisana Deundao, the director of the performance, said
that JSL has for years researched all information specific to Wiang Kum Kam,
and the performance is re-telling the 700 year history since King Meng Rai,
and how the city was lost by flooding and changed the direction of the Ping
River.
This light and sound performance is the first activity of
many to promote Wiang Kum Kam as a historical attraction in Saraphi
District, Chiang Mai. The second period commences on February 2, continuing
on to April 6 with bicycle, tricycle, horse and carriage tours, Kad Kum Kam
(the market in Kum Kam style), and tours given by the local people.
Interested people can reserve a seat for the light and
sound performance by telephoning 053 890 528. Admission ticket prices are
300 baht, 500 baht and 800 baht.
One lump or two in your Wa Wee tea?
Supatatt Dangkrueng
Chiang Rai is promoting the Wa Wee tea taste until
January 19 at Doi Wa Wee in Mae Suay districts, Chang Rai Province. Wa Wee
tea is part of the One Tambon - One Product of Wa Wee sub-district
administration.
In conjunction with the sub-district administration,
district officers, government officials, village headmen, local folk are
cooperating to hold this tea tasting festival. In addition, the fair will
have many interesting activities and showcase the hilltribes themselves,
souvenirs and coffee from Doi Chang.
The president of Wa Wee sub-district administration,
Taweesak Wasanhirankit also said that they will provide you a home stay
residence and an area for pitching a tent in beautiful natural atmosphere in
the cool weather 1,700 meters above sea levels. Tourists can also enjoy the
beautiful local flowers that will be blooming at this time.
‘Jim’ and Steffano invited, and everybody came
La Gondola celebrated its first anniversary
The unusual rain could not stop the
well-wishers from coming to see Steffano and his lovely wife Jim, and to
celebrate one year of excellent Italian cuisine at “La Gondola”. One
could, regrettably, not make much use of the beautiful gardens, which are
part of this very homely restaurant, but a lovely crowd gathered inside,
sharing chairs and tables, and commended the familiar atmosphere as much as
the selected food and wines. Very thoughtful was the fact that not only
food, but also entertainment for the youngsters was provided; whilst the
kids and crawlers watched a hand-puppet show, Mom and Dad indulged in
pastas, sausages, spaghetti and cheeses. A true sign of a restaurant for the
whole family, and Chiangmai Mail joins all in wishing them a “happy
birthday”.
“It’s
not for me alone, it’s for the whole table.” Jerry, you couldn’t
convince me.
And that
was only the desserts!
Steffano
and Jim, the proud proprietors of La Gondola and “da Steffano”.
The
puppeteers came with a cute play for the kids.
“What’s
all that fuzz about? I want pizza!”
La
Gondola at full capacity.
|
