After hearing about the flash flood devastation in Pai,
Mae Hong Sorn province, from K. Patcharee, Director of Thai Red Cross
Station #3, Chiang Mai, Charter President of Zonta International Chiang Mai
asked President Hope to contact Panida Pathumaradt, Zonta Area Director 6,
District 17, and other Zontians in Bangkok requesting cash donations to
purchase necessities for the villagers of Pai, Mae Hong Son, to recover from
this flood disaster. This call for help brought in donations of 30,000 baht
from Zontians from Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Zonta Thailand.
Chiang
Mai Zontians with the villagers
Director Patcharee of the Thai Red Cross Station 3,
Chiang Mai had been to Pai two days after the floods to assess the damage
and made recommendations of items for donations.
Chiang Mai Zontians and Director Patcharee plus staff of
Thai Red Cross Station 3 got up at 5 a.m. to take the 4 hour drive to Pai on
September 8 to present the items to the Nai Ampur in Ampur Pangmapar and to
the Nai Ampur in Ampur Pai.
Zontian
Celeste Tolibas-Holland is shocked by the devastation and the damage of this
force of nature.
Seeing the many places of devastation along the way where
boulders the size of cars and uprooted trees complete with roots laid
haphazardly on the river beds and rice fields, was awesome. The damage from
this force of nature cannot be underestimated. We crossed six bridges that
had been temporarily constructed by the Thai military on the way to our
three designated stops: Baan Mae La Lana, Baan Soppong and Baan Nam Rin.
At these three stops, we presented 60 pairs of black
rubber boots with very thick soles to the manager of Pangmapar Ampur. He
said the boots were very welcome by the villagers who must walk in thick
dense mud with hidden broken glass. Also, among the victims, there has been
a high incidence of bacterial foot infections.
At another village temple, Baan Soppong we presented
blankets and roofing tiles. Also, a nearby community center was given bags
of necessities.
Zonta
Ladies and the Red Cross deliver relief bags
The manager in Baan Nam Rin Ampur gathered the villagers
to receive roofing materials, cement bags and bags of necessities from the
Thai Red Cross, at this last stop to a Lisor hill tribe village whose 165
homes destroyed completely by the floods in Pai.
The trip to Pai was an experience that we will not
forget. We brought benefit to many and made new friends from the Thai Red
Cross in Mae Hong Son. These 25 women volunteers from the Thai Red Cross in
Mae Hong Son were there to receive us and to guide us along the way as we
visited these villagers to distribute necessities and care packages. I still
remember their smiling faces as they saw the convoy of Thai Red Cross vans
approaching them - knowing that some kind of rescue was on the way.
If you want to know more about Zonta and their charitable work, contact
Zonta President Hope Watcharaprecha Tel. 0 5326 2691 or Zonta Club Secretary
Margaret Bhadungzong Tel. 0 5324 7083.
