FTB49: Thailand Helping Hand

ISSUE 49 SPRING 2016

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The nursery at Baan Tharn Namchai under construction

A Helping Hand for

Thailand It’s a perfectly natural reaction when visiting a developing country like Thailand.

You see families and children trying to make do with very little and you want to help.

You want to reach out and make a difference.

WORDS: RODERICK EIME

28 SPRING 2016

Cruise Region Focus | FROM THE BRIDGE Cruiseco is helping to bring back the smiles

The charity assists children most in need

F

or many in the Western world, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami is a distant memory, but for the people living in the affected areas, it still affects daily life. This is especially true for the hundreds of children who were orphaned by the tragedy, or left with parents unable or unwilling to care for them.

Indeed, as in many developing countries, life in Thailand has significant challenges, and many children, for one reason or another, just don’t have family to care for them. Thankfully, there are many charities around the world, and in Thailand, that assist children, young people and even disadvantaged adults in these situations.

One of these charities is Hands Across the Water, which was founded in 2005 by Peter Baines, a police forensic specialist who was working in Thailand as part of the victims identification unit.

While it started as a means to assist tsunami survivors, these days not all the children are ‘orphans’ in the true sense. Some were abused or come from single-parent homes. The charity provides them with food, shelter, education, accommodation and opportunities so that the children, and their communities, can reach their full potential.

As well as sheltering underprivileged and vulnerable children, the organisation provides support for local communities through a range of sustainable projects. Some are designed to generate income for the community, while others provide the children with satisfaction from their work. There’s farming fish and mushrooms, which the children can sell; a sewing room that provides income for women in the community; and a craft shop whose

Divers flock to Phuket for the scuba diving

proceeds go towards operating one of the orphanages, Baan Tharn Namchai in Khao Lak, 80 kilometres north of Phuket. Education is a key part of care and currently about 60 children attend a funded pre-school at Baan Nam Khem.

Peter was a keynote speaker at the 2015 Cruiseco annual conference. His story about the children affected by the tragedy touched Cruiseco staff and travel agent partners.

As a direct result, Cruiseco, its partners and guests (who often enquire about how they can help the people in destinations they visit) decided to set up a special fundraising project to build a nursery at Baan Tharn Namchai.

Specifically, the nursery will house zero- to five-year-old children at the orphanage, which was built especially for this age group. There will be areas for the children to sleep, an area for their carers and, of course, plenty of room for the infants to play and learn. It will be bright, colourful and stimulating— perfect for this age bracket. Cruiseco’s hope is that after the build has finished, it can continue to raise money to fund the running of the nursery.

Now, the goal is to raise AU$250,000, which guests can assist by donating $5 with their cruise booking. It is a responsible and safe contribution to a meaningful project, as every dollar donated by Cruiseco guests goes 100 per cent toward the nursery.

Cruiseco includes Thailand as part of its many cruise itineraries with port visits at Phuket and Krabi among those cited as most popular.

Phuket has a surprising and enlightening cultural and architectural heritage that’s revealed on a walking tour around the old town district. The Phuket Thai Hua Museum and the Phuket Art Gallery are two such locations.

Enjoy some local fare in Krabi

On the other side of Phang Nga Bay is the city of Krabi, a bustling transport hub and a fascinating visit for cruise passengers. The famous Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea) is a stand-out feature, as is the wildlife at Nopparat Thara National Park. Around town you’ll find colourful markets to stock up on souvenirs and crafts, and you can see hundreds of marine species at the local aquarium.

Thailand remains one of the most enchanting of cruise itinerary destinations.

By donating funds towards the building of a nursery for children in need with every cruise booking, guests have a direct hand in helping improve the lives of children in this beautiful country. n SPRING 2016 29