On January 23, 2013, I left for Thailand with three others, including two board members of the Mercy International Zoetermeer foundation. There was thick snow in the Netherlands, but you quickly forgot that there.
The flight went well, but above Bangkok there was still no room for our plane, so we circled for 20 minutes and had a nice sightseeing over the city.
After a shower we went for a long walk because Henny (one of the traveling companions) and Adelbert (secretary of the foundation) knew a tap tap that charged no extra costs. Brrr! What impassable high bad sidewalks. You will be in a wheelchair here. Sleeping men on benches and dining carts. You don't understand that everyone gets their food sold.
We also had to do some shopping because Adelbert had promised a chocolate fondue. He also discovered his ice cream parlor Swensen's so we got a delicious ice cream. Then we were slightly wrecked and went under sail.
The next day on to Petchabun with a beautiful Toyota van in which we were transported for more than 500 km. We were joyfully welcomed in Lomsak, not only by the children, but also by the leadership who were very happy with our arrival. I was shown around by Annette (Doorn, chairman) and was told what Mercy had already built and achieved.
In Khon Kaen the real work was waiting for us
On Sunday we went to Khon Kaen where the real work was waiting for us. Many Australians were already at work. It was raining so we were first put to lug stones, because there were too many on the first floor. We made a siphon with a few planks and ropes so that we didn't have to get off the ladder with those big building blocks.
We also sanded a lot and painted the outside and inside. The men helped asphalt the paths on the site. I can still see Henny raking that muddy asphalt. They were also put to work sanding and painting large iron beams, and that in the sun. Fortunately we were under a roof and looked out so that the sun just did not shine on our work. Of course, that didn't always work.
Ice cream for the kids
In the yellow house we had breakfast and coffee at 11 o'clock, and there was always fruit. In the evening we had to go out ourselves to provide the hot snack. We usually used them on plastic tables along the road. In the city it was all much more expensive. The moped was therefore in the same room and sometimes someone was sleeping on the couch further on. But the food was fine.
We also went to Swensen's with the girls because it was Adelbert's birthday and he had asked his family for money to treat them to ice cream. That was of course a party for those children .
After two weeks we did the ISAAN tour through Northeast Thailand with a biologist. Twenty-five years ago, our tour group was not allowed to go there because of the threat of war. We also visited a war museum and saw the remains of war equipment.
All in all, the trip was a great experience. Good work is being done there and everyone was very happy with us. Maybe I'll go again next year if my condition is still so good.
Corrie Youngpier
Editor's note: We invite others who have also visited one of Mercy's homes to follow in the footsteps of Corrie and Adelbert (see House of Mercy Foundation: Kids Everywhere) and write a report about their experiences. The photo on the left shows the boys' home in Khon Kaen. The little ones live downstairs, the teenagers upstairs.
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A beautiful story…
but unfortunately also see the other side of poor Isan, in the city of Khon Kaen.
Students visit the Junkfood Company KFC Chicken in Fairy=Plaza daily during and after school.
More or less an asocial orgy, with about ten students around 1 or 2 tables eating and screaming
there for about an hour.
With the i-Phone or i-pad in one hand, and with the other hand they grab the chicken and chips with a good dollop of ketchup from the plates on the table!
Then they leave the place with a lot of junk and half uneaten chicken and chips left on the tables.
Pa knows nothing about this, of course, and is covering some kind of roof with his plastic flip flops on.
Take a look in the average bar around KKU what's going on there.
I do know some students, and in many cases it is not mom and dad who pay for it…..
Furthermore, Khon Kaen is not that poor compared to many villages around it. The average falang I know from Khon Kaen even has quite a bit less to spend than many Thais I see in Khon Kaen.
If you go out for a night in, for example, U bar behind the Pullman hotel, look what kind of cars are parked there….. There is money in Khon Kaen and that is not with the falang.
dear BA,
I don't know Khon Kaen but I do know Bangkok. Sometimes, or should I say often, looks can be deceiving. The expensive car (the BMW, the Benz) was bought on credit. Two or three installments not paid - even if you know the bank manager - the car is picked up. As soon as the payments come in again, the Benz will be at the door again. I found out because two people in my condo changed cars very often…..
Chris,
Don't think it's much different in Bangkok, although KK is a lot smaller and therefore smaller.
Of course most of it is on installment. Only I don't mean the average BMW. A little BMW 328i will cost you more than 30.000 baht in monthly payments, then there is no petrol or nothing.
But for example Porsche, Maserati, Lamborgini, a BMW M3 and cars like that, 5 million baht+. For example, you cannot even order a BMW M3 from the booklet here at the dealer. That is already a special order from Munich. Price? You know the saying, if you have to ask for it then….
Central Plaza has its own supercar parking on the ground floor, only very expensive cars are allowed in. If you then see a Rolls Royce stop, from which 3 girls jump out and go shopping, you will be a bit in disbelief the first time 🙂