Building A Children's Playground in Thailand

Delia Javanasundara
December 28, 2006
Project Director Thailand

UPF-Thailand together with the Foundation for Development and Peace and the International Cultural Educational Foundation were the main organizers of the Thailand-Cambodia Religious Youth Service Project 2006 which was held on December 14-28, 2006 under the theme "Building a Culture of Heart and Character through Service."

One of the objectives of this RYS was to encourage inter-religious youth to develop a deeper understanding about their own religions and to encourage, promote and contribute to meaningful dialogue between young people who represent the religions of the world. On December 16, at the Roundtable Discussion on "The Meaning of Volunteerism in my Own Faith", we invited 5 speakers from different faiths: Bahai Community, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

The RYS project in Thailand was co-hosted by the Office of the Governor of Samut Prakarn. There were 17 government and private agencies involved for the preparation for the project and to welcome our participants. Another project which is part of the RYS project in Thailand was the Clean-up Campaign co-hosted by the Regional Office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Asia and the Pacific which was held on the morning of December 17. It was attended by 300 youth including RYS participants and local officials of Samut Prakarn. The Deputy Governor, Hon. Wannida Bonprakong came to welcome the RYS participants and the volunteers for cleaning up the Bangphu Seashore and also to treat the polluted water.

The construction work of the children’s playground and painting the old school building of Krong Bang Phu School were the centerpiece for everyone to come together. The local people, 15 students from Samut Prakarn Technical School, more than 20 high school students and 5 five students from Suan Kulab came as interpreters joined in to work together with the participants. Some local persons came with bread and juice to feed the participants and the local volunteers. The Department of Health and the Police Patrol were there everyday at the worksite to look after the safety of the volunteers and RYS participants. We were not worried about the safety of the participants in the evening since we stayed at the army barracks.

It was really very effective to ask the local government and the community to be involved in the project. We were able to get free medical treatment for two Australian participants: one had a food poisoning in Malaysia before coming to Thailand and the other had colds. Every time we leave the barracks, the police patrol always there to guide the bus. We were able to get half price for our accommodation, free entrance for our tour at the Crocodile farm and the Ancient City.

At the Closing Ceremony for the Thailand project in Samut Prakarn, the Mayor came to give his Congratulatory speech to thank the participants for giving their time, effort and money in the small school of Bangphu. The head teacher and head of the village were very grateful that because of the RYS, the local government built a bus stop station in front of the school, which they never had before RYS came. Dr. Suthin Nophaket, Commissioner of Human Rights in Thailand and UPF Committee member and Peace Ambassador gave the Closing Remarks on behalf of UPF-Thailand. On that evening, it was like a festival for the entire village. We sing, dance together even an 80 year old grandmother came up the stage and dance together with our participants. Grandmothers and mothers shed tears when our participants said goodbye to them.

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