March 2008 Update

On 4^th March, I eventually managed a trip to Baan Koknoi Wittaya School in Chiang Rai province.  The flight from Bangkok was uneventful, and we were met at the airport by Khun Ekachai Pabchaiya, the Deputy Director of Chiangrai Regional Office, Zone 1 with responsibility for 135 schools. The journey to ‘our school’ took us via Baan Pa Kwang Pattana School, about an hour and a half drive from Chiang Rai. This was the original school where we were raising funds until the project was taken over by the Education Department. The ride was, for the first 15 minutes, on regular road but then, as we hit the hills, it changed to a single track. It was easy to see why the trip would be difficult in the rainy season as the road was very uneven, to say the least.

We arrived at Baan Pa Kwang Pattana and were met by Khun Surachaett Pali who proudly showed us around the school. The new accommodation blocks had been completed and looked splendid, a vast improvement from the old building, as you can see from the photos...

Unfortunately, the budget did not run to beds and we were presented by Khun Surachaett with drawings of suitable bunk beds. I made no promises but said we would put it on the list...

After some lunch we then walked to the river to take the boat for the next leg of the trip. The boat ride took about 15 minutes and we were met at the landing for the last section of the journey, about 20 minutes along even worse roads...

The terrain was very hilly and in the rainy season very lush but at this time of the year quite dry and dusty. Again, in the rainy season the scenery would be quite stunning but without 4 wheel drive almost impossible to reach. In fact we were later told that the school we were going to was often cut off for 2-3 months.

A pick-up loaded with things we had brought from Bangkok, and lots of noodles and biscuits we had bought in Chiang Rai, took us the last 20 minutes and we eventually reached Baan Koknoi Wittaya School, set very regally on a cleared hilltop surrounded by stunning views where the head Jatuphoom Jaem Mor greeted us. Two of the villages where the children come from could be seen in the distance, a walk of about 3-4 kilometers.

The school consists of one main L shaped block, one side being the principals room, the teachers room and library and the other side a large open sided room used for school meetings, etc. The classrooms were set lower down the hillside. These were all very basic concrete floor, concrete block walls types of structures and very open to the elements. While we were there it was very cool and windy, making it very pleasant but I can imagine that in the winter it would be quite cold and in the rainy season extremely wet...

The funds have already been received for the generator and we were shown the generator 'room'. As it is very expensive to get cement to the school, the generator had been sited at the end of the main block and a temporary wooden shelter had been constructed.  The generator was duly started and we were very proudly shown the 20 or so lights that have been installed. As mentioned before, everything has to be trucked in, including the diesel for the generator. As this is a new expense for the school, the generator runs for about one hour each evening so the staff can do their work. In the opinion of the head, it was definitely needed and they were very proud to have probably the only generator for miles around. I should point out that electricity stopped at the last school, as did any mobile phone contact...

One of the three teachers houses has been completed. The construction was wood, again due to the high cost of getting other materials to the location, and the room was about 4m square. Being set into the hillside it had commanding views over the surrounding countryside.

The site for the other two rooms has already been cleared and the funds have already been transferred so that the construction can start.

We met all the children and sat in on a couple of lessons.  As many of the children are from hill tribes speaking various dialects, one of the first tasks of the teachers is to teach the children the Thai language.

There were 7 teachers and the school has about 140 pupils. We saw about 100 kids and the teachers explained that education was not a high priority. If there was work to be done in the village, whether working in the fields, gathering firewood or whatever, that was survival and took priority.

As the children were about the leave for the day, we gave them all noodles and biscuits, much to their great amusement. We were then treated to some traditional Thai dancing and presented with embroidered bags, which incidentally all the children carried.

We then left, this time on motorbikes, back to the boat and eventually to Chiang Rai.

What next... well, we have collected enough for another set of uniforms and shoes for the kids but extra clothes and shoes need to be a priority. There is an obvious need for more books, and pencils, which will hopefully come out of the balance of the funds.

And shoes... lots of the kids didn't have shoes so we are setting up a 'shoe drive' at our school in Bangkok, but more on that later...

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