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FERC helps Burmese Child Care Center
On behalf of FERC, Pongsak Rodpothong (left)
helps Khun Harme (right) to cradle the new baby at the Burmese Child Care
Center.
Jan Verwers
The Burmese Child Care Center in Mae Sai cares for about 20 to 30 young
children while their mothers are working at some of the local factories. The
infants are aged between 1 and 4 years and therefore too young to attend
school.
Khun Harme, a Burmese language teacher, set up this facility over 5 years
ago and the only funds they receive come from the mothers who hand over a
small part of their daily wages to pay for food and other expenses.
After a request for help, FERC, the Foundation for the Education of Rural
Children, decided to supply the center with some needed educational
materials like coloring books, paper, pencils, pens and toys. The concrete
floor of the Center was covered with a wall-to-wall plastic cover, and for
each child there is now a pillow, a blanket and a towel.
Recently Khun Harme was asked to take full-time care of an abandoned baby.
FERC was able to provide the newest member of the community with a rocking
cradle.
Soroptimists launch chapter in Chiang Mai
Soroptimist International of the South West Pacific held their
inauguration of the new Soroptimist International of Chiang Mai chapter
this past May 26 at the Amari Rincome Hotel.
 Dr.
Carolina San Miguel-Thompson (center) congratulated as new chapter
President of the Soroptimists.
The meeting was headed by founding member and advisor Cory Croymans and
President Dr. Carolina San-Miguel Thompson both residents of Chiang Mai.
Dr. Thompson has been in Chiang Mai since 1999 and obtained her Doctor
of Philosophy, major in Commerce in 1981 from the University of Santo
Tomas, (UST) in Manila, Philippines.
The local chapter has 18 charter members and is made up of Thais,
Filipino, Americans, Belgian, Australians, Swiss, Canadian, Irish,
Singaporean and Japanese nationalities.
The Soroptimist organization is a worldwide organization for women in
management and many different professions. They are committed to
advancing the status of women and human rights for all peoples and have
been organized for more than 80 years. Soroptimist International is
divided into four Federations of more than 3,000 clubs in 125 countries
and territories around the world. Membership is by invitation and
nominations as per their International by-laws.
The new members of Soroptimist International Chiang Mai pledged to
promote, uphold and defend the following ideals: The sincerity of
friendship, the joy of achievement, the dignity of service, the
integrity of profession and the love of country.
The charter members at their first
Soroptimist meeting in Chiang Mai.
UK expertise builds support for insect conservation
Thailand’s biodiversity is at risk because of human
population pressures and there is an urgent need to assess and monitor
endangered insects such as fireflies, butterflies and beetles.
 Collecting,
identifying insects in Thailand’s forests is key to further studies on
biodiversity.
A major constraint to developing Thai expertise on insects has been the
absence of standard reference collections essential for their
identification. The Darwin project was designed to fill this gap by
building the capacity of key institutions needed to conserve insect
biodiversity. It has satisfied the aims of the Global Taxonomy
Initiatives (GTI) and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) by
strengthening relevant Thai institutions, providing a link between these
institutions and the NHM, and has made effective use of taxonomic
information, as laid out in the Thai National Report on the
Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2002).
The project is based at the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden with field work
centred in both Doi Inthanon National Park and the QSBG. The project
will be the cornerstone for Thai biodiversity and conservation research
on insects by providing a state-of-the-art entomological depository and
identification facility for insects in the QSBG, a prerequisite for
generating the biological information needed for effective biodiversity
conservation in Thailand.
UK expertise was used to establish a focus to help build and maintain
the human resources, systems and infrastructure needed to obtain,
collate and curate the biological specimens that are the basis for
taxonomic knowledge.
The three year project on insect conservation began 1 June 2004 and
ended on the 31st of May was a product of close collaboration between
the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Chiangmai (QSBG) and The Natural
History Museum, London (NHM).
For more information on this project, contact Ralph Harbach at the
Natural History Museum, London. Email:
reh@nhm.ac.uk
Researchers, students and
assistants gather for the closing of the three year project at the Queen
Sirikit Botanic Garden.
Scholarships awarded at Expats Club
The Pornsook Phutisatayakul-Johnson College Fund
awarded 10,000 baht each to the well deserving high school graduates in
Chiang Mai.
 (back
row l/r) Porramin Narata, Alan Hall, president expat club, Monthakan
Intharasri, Phillip Johnson, seated l/r Witchuda Kumbaisee, Sutthiporn
Ngammuangsakul, Rak Charoenmuang proud recipients of the Pornsook
Phutisatayakul-Johnson College scholarships.
This grant is awarded to these students for their successful completion
of their high school curriculum requirements and for their strong desire
to continue their academic education at chosen colleges, universities or
other post-high school institutes of higher learning.
These scholarships are administered through the Chiangmai Expats Club, a
local community organization which has chosen to work in partnership
with the citizens of Chiangmai and its surrounding communities.
Two scholarships, approximately ten thousand (10,000) baht each, will be
given to the two most deserving graduating high school senior selected
each year - one boy and one girl.
The scholarships will be funded by Mr. Phillip L. Johnson (Pornsook
Johnson’s surviving husband), and also by donations contributed by
Chiangmai expatriates (expats).
An eligible beneficiary must:
Be a student in his or her last semester of high school. Participating
schools must be located either within the city of Chiangmai or within a
15 kilometer radius of the city. (Note: Students attending international
schools are not eligible for this scholarship).
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher.
Be able prove in writing that he or she has passed all academic
requirements for promotion to a post-secondary educational institution,
and must also show in writing his or her acceptance to any college or
university either in the city of Chiangmai or elsewhere.
Prove in writing that he or she has demonstrated good behavioral
standards during his or her final academic year at his or her current
high school. (A letter of support from a teacher, instructor or school
headmaster will suffice.)
Be a member of a family whose average monthly income does not exceed
eighteen thousand (18,000) Thai baht.
Present a photo showing his or her house or other abode with family
members being included in the photo.
Attend the announced expats club meeting with his or her parent(s) or
guardian(s) to be presented the scholarship funds.
Use the funds toward the purchase of tuition, books, supplies, etc.,
required at the post-secondary educational institution where he or she
will be in attendance.
Other eligibility criteria may be established by the Chiangmai Expats
Club board of directors.
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