Immediate
Relieve Activity in Khao Lak |
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9th January 2005
In the days following the disaster our Club
members together with many relieve agencies
were involved in the distribution of basic
life sustaining supplies to those who lost
almost everything.
We were deeply impressed with the caring
attitude of the Thai Army who were of great
support to the survivors.
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9th January 2005
Head of relief and rescue operations in
Thailand, Dr. Khunying Pornthip, received
well needed medical supplies. Our club
together with the Lions Club of Bordeaux
handed over Hydroclonazone, a drug that
can purify water within one hour and make
it consumable. The quantities of medicine
with a value of 5.000 Euro will purify about
50.000 liters of water.
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Survey of effected Areas from Tsunami |
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20th January 2005
Members of our club together with members of
the other two Lions Clubs of Phuket as well
as Lions of the Multiple District 310 from
Bangkok and a delegate from LCIF from the
USA meet with Khun Sutham Saengpratum, the
Vice-Interior Minister of Thailand to go on
a helicopter cruise around the region. The
cause of this trip was to inspect the damage
of remote areas, to find out about the needs
of the victims and to inspect already
existing relieve effort projects.
The first destination was Takua Pa, the
regional capitol of the area around Khao
Lak, the worst hit areas in Thailand. There
we meet with the Lions Club of Takua Pa who
brought us to the local relieve center,
where we received a detailed report about
the relieve efforts and projects in this
area.
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20th January 2005
Second stop was at Koh Lanta, an island
within the Krabi region. There we meet local
residence of a fishing village that have
lost most of their boats and are unable to
provide any kind of income or food for their
families. Minister Sutham Saengpratum
promised direct help from the government in
order to improve the current situation.
Third and last destination of our trip was
the island of Phi Phi, also among the worst
hit region in Thailand. The devastation
there was absolutely unbelievable. The
process of rebuilding this tropical paradise
will take years and hundreds of families
will be without jobs and income for a long
time. Most of the local survivors had to be
brought to other regions, to live there, as
there is no more infrastructure left in Phi
Phi.
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Smile & Care
Activity in Phuket
& Khao Lak
Click here to see the
Photo Gallery of this activity |
05.02.05 till 09.02.05:
Together with two French association, our
Club organized a week of “ Smile and Care
“activity for the children in Phuket and Kao
Lak from 05.02.05 till 09.02.05. Our team
was made of 3 members of the GSCF, 3 members
of the ANIMA association, and Lions Club
member lead by our very own French member
and fundraising chairman, Lion Frank
(opposite in the briefing with the tree
clowns: Thierry, Rodrigue & Stephane).
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Here
Olivier unloading a truck,
full of toys!
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GSCF stands for Groupe de Secours
Catastrophe Francais. They are specialized
in Rescue operations worldwide, and have
been present on some of the world biggest
catastrophes: (9/11 at the World Trade
Center, Beslar school massacre by Chechen
rebels, Typhoons in the Philippines & Hawaii
and earthquake in Turkey). GSCF was one of
the first international team to arrive in
Phuket on 29.12.05, and mainly concentrate
their rescue efforts on the site of the
Sofitel Hotel in Kao Lak, were many lost
their lives.
After a week
of work in Thailand, they went on to Banda
Aceh for another 10 days of operations. More
about GSCF on:
www.gscf.com
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ANIMA is an amateur clown troop from
Northern France. The 3 clowns (Thierry,
Rodrigue & Stephane)
are teachers in public schools, and
volunteer during their spare time to visit
children in hospitals and orphanages in
France. Their mission in Phuket was their
first international experience.
Clown
Thierry |
Clown
Stephane |
Clown Rodrigue |
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The Tour:
Arriving on Saturday the 5 th of February at
Phuket airport with over 1 tone of toys and
medicine, the team went straight to visit
Children at Patong Hospital and Vachira
Hospital in Phuket Town.
On Sunday the team started an exhausting but
fantastic joy-bringing tour of Kao Lak
refugee camps and schools. Over the next 3
days over 2000 children in 10 different
locations, laughed, smiled and received toys
and medical care from our multi –task crew.
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Cheering up sick children in the hospital
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Lion Ravin handing over needy goods |
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Other Activities:
Besides the clown shows, our team also
brought much needed goods to both adults and
children, such as shelves, computer desks,
stationeries, and pencils for the schools
and T.V ‘s , emergency lamps, mosquito
repellents for the camps .
As part of our activity, we also organized a
day trip for Kids from the Phuket Montessori
school to Ban Nam Kem school in Kao Lak.
Kids from both schools spend time together,
exchanging addresses and laughs, and an
exchange program is now being set up between
both schools. |
On Wednesday morning, few hours before
departing back to France, our team visited
two other child centers in Phuket.
Those places were the ‘Child Watch’ Day Care
Center '
Oncle Pitak
s Home'
next to the Phuket prison. In this center,
the ‘Child Watch’ association accommodates
about 60 children of inmates, 5 day a week..
We then went on to Phuket Special School in
Baan Pakhlok, were handicapped children are
being taken care for. The school is the only
place for all kind of handicapped children
to go, from deaf or blind children to
autistic and dawn syndrome kids.
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At 'Oncle
Pitak s Home'
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Special Thanks
All this would not have been possible
without the help and the support of the
following people:
GSCF: Thierry, Olivier, Alexandre
Anima: Thierry, Rodrigue, Stephane
The Thai Embassy in France
The French Embassy in Thailand
France Info: Delphine
Central Karon Village : Jean Marc and
Alexandre
The American Connection: Ben, Frida and
Jonny
The Dutch /Belgium Connection: Edwin and
Paul
Tsunami Volunteers in Kao Lak
The Thai Connection: Khun Arunne & Khun
Maria
Childwatch: Dr. Supalack
Poseidon CruisAiders: Simone and Klaus
Evason Resort: Alasdair
Hilton Phuket Arcadia ( Catherine and Chris)
Bumble Bee Tuna : Brett Williams
Montessori School Phuket: Khun Shane
Baan Nam Kem School : Khun Tawit
Jitpaisan
Wat Ban Bangsak: Ajarn Ladda
Baan Bang Niang School: Ajarn Sompoj
Baan Bakweep: Ajarn Wattana
Oncle Pitak s Home: Khun Jit
Singapore Airlines
Vachira Hospital and Patong Hospital
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Meeting with teachers and students from the
Montessori School at Baan Nam Kem School
Brett singing the "Bumblebee Tuna' song |
Click here to see the
Photo Gallery of the 'Smile & Care' activity
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Photo Exhibition
of Smile & Care Activity |
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5th &
6th of March 2005
We organized a
photo exhibition of the best shoots from our
'Smile and Care Activity' in the Central
Festival - Super Center in Phuket Town. |
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Main goal of
this exhibition was to create
awareness of Lions activities, to display
this beautiful collection of photos and
raise some funds. Click
here the view
the photos from the exhibition. |
Field Trip with
children from Uncle Pitak's Home |
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On the 29th of
March 2005 we picked up about 60 children
from the Child Care Center 'Uncle Pitak's
Home' next to Phuket Prison. Along with 10
students from South Africa we took them to
Tonsai Waterfall Park to enjoy a lovely day
out. |
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The day started
with singing in the coach, after that
dancing in the park and lots of games for
the children. After a lovely lunch we
organized more games and fun for the
children. The day out was a complete success
with lots of happy faces. |
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Donation of Food
and Toys at the Sea Gypsy Village in Koh
Sireh
12th and 26th of April 2005 |
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Beach Visit with children from "Uncle
Pitak's Home" |
30th May 2005
Our Lions Club members took 50 Children from
'Uncle Pitak's Home' Child Care Center to
Laem Ga Noi Beach for activities with a
group of students from South Korean
International School. Many of the children
have never been to the beach and had the
greatest time - a truly unforgettable
experience for the most of them and great
fun for us to see how easy it is to make
these poor children happy!
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Donation of a
Therapy Pool at Special School |
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16th
July 2005
Lion President Lupo shaking hands with Paul
Desjoyaux at the official opening of the
sponsored therapy-pool by Desjoyaux Pools.
It was installed at Bann Pakhlok Special
school in Phuket on the 16th of July 2005.
The donated pool has a value of around
240.000 THB. We would like to thank our
I.P.P. Peter for his great connection to
Desjoyaux Pools, the world's largest pool
manufacturer, and their generous donation.
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Donation
to Royal Foundation |
27th July
2005
The Lions Club of Phuket Andaman Sea,
together with the Lions Club of Phuket Pearl
and the Lions Club of Phuket
donated 15 000
Baht in support to the King Foundation for
dentures of elderly people through Dr. Wiwat,
Director of Thalang Hospital. Opposite: Lion
President Olinto "Lupo" Barletta and Lion
Helmut handing over the donation to Dr.
Wiwat.
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