Getting Sick Of Dogooders

[TommoPhysicist]

But have those who live in villages actually seen any professional 'do-gooders'?

I can't imagine they get that far from their five star hotels and air-con.

[mike123ca]

If I was living back in Canada, most of my money would be spent on my immediate family ( wife and 2 kids) and taxes.

Here in Ubon, we also have 2 nieces ( 1 going to local university and the other just started a job at the city hospital)One niece is from wife's older brother and the other is from her older sister.

Next door to us is another young niece, who just got married, she is 21 and husband is 26 and they have a child. They don't ask for anything, but the wife does provide them much of help. Then are are more of her relatives, but they are further away, but they too need help.

Sometimes, I will say to myself why are we helping so many people and I would like it to stop.

Then I ask myself, if given a choice, would I rather be poor and hope someone shares or be wealthy, but also be willing to share.

[cooked]

I do good by buying something for my DIL when I'm in BigC that isn't 100% fat, which is all she can afford, when I borrow her car I always fill it up and got some repairs done. They come and help immediately if I ask (though on the whole, I'd prefer they didn't). I decided that my money should stay in the family years ago and don't understand how people can give money to charities they don't really know anything about.

[Scotswahay]

Hi Jim & all those who have contributed in making this forum so interesting.

I added a short comment earlier & now I’d like to emphasise my opinion regarding my personal experience. So here we go…

“Do-gooders.” A collective term for people who really do something good for our planet? Or a sarcastic term we use for people who might use a charitable institution to get brownie points, help fill their otherwise boring CV’s & boost their own egos without a true understanding of what is really needed to help the less fortunate?

I think the term relates to both parties & here are my reasons why:-

About 20yrs ago I did some really nice carpentry work for a wealthy guy in Edinburgh. He was the head of a well-known charity, whose name I won’t mention in case it offends someone. His son who also worked for the charity commissioned me to make various furnishings in his new house in Stockbridge. (A very upmarket area in Edinburgh.) One day we got talking about what they did. At the time they were helping orphans in Bosnia & Romania. They told me they really needed someone to oversee some projects & asked me if I was interested. It happens that my father came to Scotland with his mum & 2 sisters as refugees from Romania during WW2 & so because of my heritage I jumped at the chance. I volunteered to a 3 month stint without pay although food & accommodation would be provided & I paid my own flight.

I arrived in Podriga, a small town north of Bucharest to find chaos. There were 8 volunteers on site. All of whom I wouldn’t have given a job sweeping the floor of my workshop back in Scotland. Drunken bums who acted like Santa Claus every time a consignment of donated goodies arrived to be distributed whilst enjoying a drop of the local hooch everywhere they went. The charity had bought 4 cars cheap in Belgium. Toyotas. All of which were broken down with nobody local having the ability or spares to repair. Why they didn’t buy cars in Romania, the same as everyone else drives is beyond me.

In Scotland I was shown before & after pics of a group of orphans. Dirty & ragged to clean & well dressed. Great publicity photos! All I saw when I got there was the “before” picture. The minute the cameras disappeared, so did the nice cloths to adorn the doctors, nurse’s & porter’s kids or be sold at the market. Unfortunately an orphan in the eyes of a Romanian has the same status as a stray dog.

I was given a list of supplies from the team which they said were necessary to finish windows they had had made for the orphanage.

A few of their wants.

Dulux primer & gloss paint

Sand paper

Silicone sealant

Paint brushes.

All of which had previously been sent but had been stolen by the locals. The list went on & on.

My answers

No! Use old carbonised engine oil. A crude but effective timber preservative. It won’t get stolen & you educate.

No! Use coarse paper & ground glass & glue. Again crude but effective & educational. “But we can’t find glue!” “Did I say glue? I meant egg white!”

No! Mix fine sand with linseed oil or similar to make waterproof putty.

No! Teach the kids how to make paint brushes. What you don’t use, they can sell.

The best thing I saw they had done out there was to build a beautiful big house with central heating and all the mod cons for the charity hierarchy to stay when they visited. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the village. My story could go on but suffice to say this is an expurgated account of a very long 3 months.

On return to the UK I had a meeting with the big bosses to “touch base” as they put it.

My idea :

Since Romania a lot of wealth as well as poverty, why not educate them to set up their own charitable institution so they can start to help themselves? If they don’t try to get their act together…. Pull out & see what happens.

My thoughts didn’t go down too well. Surprise surprise & I was graciously ousted. An experience nevertheless. Someone on this forum said “It’s their money so let them do what they want with it!” I beg to differ! They’re squandering the money from real do-gooder’s donations!

Now here I am 20yrs later living in a wee village in Essan. Probably for much the same reasons as many of you here. I met the right girl for me & this is where she calls home. Before we met, she worked for Toshiba in Pathum thani for 12yrs. She’s well educated & worked hard to help her parents up here. I had been to Thailand many times before we met i.e. Pattaya, BK, Huay hin & Phuket but had never experienced the rural north. I must admit my 1^st trip up here was a real culture shock. There was plenty room for us at the folk’s farm but WOA! I needed my creature comforts! So a hotel, then later an apartment was our abode until I fixed up the folk’s place. Not too much but a sit down loo, a hot shower & comfy bed were a must.

We moved here permanently about 2yrs ago when I persuaded her to leave her job. It didn’t take much since she missed her family & the village so much. Apart from that I could afford to look after us. We’re now about ½ way through our own house of our dreams & I’ve become part of the village as well as the village becoming a big part of me.

There’s a big lake near the village with a restaurant & rafts built & run by the village co-op. It can get busy but not many farangs. They did however have a farang menu written by the local teacher in English. I had to chuckle when I first read it. Here are a few examples using my not perfect phonetic Thai & their English translation.

1. Planin pow bai tdai……………..Sapphire fish burns. (Foil baked tilapia with fresh veg & chilli dip)
   
2. Tom yam gai ban……..Fowl soup. (chicken soup with local herbs & spices)
   
3. Yam lepeunang……..Mix a fingernail Mrs. (Spicy Thai salad with chicken feet & mixed herbs)
   
4. Moo tod samun phai…Sunlight one pig (Pan seared pork with garlic & black pepper)
   
5. Som tam Laos…Penetrate a lao (Papaya salad from Essan with fermented fish)
   
6. Som tam Thai…Penetrate a Thai ( Spicy papaya salad with prawns, nuts & soya bean)
   

Perhaps there’s no need to wonder why they didn’t get many farangs in for a snack! You got to laugh

So…Having some spare time on my hands I put together a brochure & menu for the place & it really has made a big difference & was well appreciated. Especially when I got the wife to translate the old one back to Thai. Hee hee!

I’ve made good friends with the village chief & a policeman who also owns the local pub (for want of a better description.) Great guys! They work hard & play hard. Pretty much every night I’m in there having a couple of beers & a game of snooker with the locals. Kids are always around & it didn’t take long before every night there was a group of them around my table wanting to practice their limited English with Kun Joe, the ting tong farang who always made them laugh. The cluster soon became a crowd. Then my mates asked me if I would be interested in doing the teaching a bit more serious. Like a wee village school doing a couple of nights a week. Why not, I thought. So we embarked on what has become something truly amazing!

“The little school of life. PONGBEA”

We, the village, transformed a small disused building in the grounds of the temple into a REAL little school. I went to the big city school in Loei telling them of our plans & persuaded them to donate a load of old brocken tables & chairs which I spent a month or so restoring. Again with lots of help from the villagers.

I got the kids to make some banners & go round the village with a money jar to collect donations. The result was great, Over 1000Bt. Enough to buy lots of pencils, books & other stuff.

Now I have 32 wee rascals to entertain & educate to the best of my ability every Sat & Sun mornings & Tues & Thurs. evenings. It’s great fun & the parents are chuffed to bits with their improvement already.

I’m not a qualified teacher & don’t promise any certificates for their efforts but I know in my heart I can give them some good experience to help them in life that perhaps they might never learn in a governed curriculum.

I got them all to scour the village for plastic, glass, alloy cans etc. for us to recycle as well as helping tidy the village. It was a good laugh & a good education in counting, weighing & making money. We raised over 1600Bt.

Last week I printed 150 letters appraised by the village chief for the kids to post around the village asking for anything they could donate for a 2^nd hand market to raise our funds. We made over 7000Bt on Sunday morning!

Now our little school has a bank account with over 13000Bt.

Anybody want to tell me Thai villagers are lazy & don’t want to help themselves? You are sooooooo WRONG! Or perhaps I just happen to live in a very special village.

This weekend we’re going camping to the lake. I’ve got 32 really excited kids who can’t wait. Another new experience & education for them.

We plan in December to hire a coach & take them a trip to the seaside. Can you imagine the stories they will have to tell their parents, of whom the majority have never left Meaung Loei.

Hopefully we have lots more educational fun to enjoy in the future.

So before I rest my case I’ll tell you who I am…

I’m Joe. Just a carpenter from Scotland who knows that little things can make a big difference & all big things start with little things.

Ps. I’ve just found out we’re going to have a baby of our own! Exuberance is the understatement of the century in our case! Yippee!

That’s all folks!

[Scotswahay]

Here's a photo of my wee rascals after a long walk to the lake last week. Happy happy kids!

Kids poster.pdf

[uptheos]

The more you help the under-priveliged, the less they help themselves, proven time & time again in Africa.

Could you give some examples where helping the under privileged, particularly the starving and shelter less, has been a bad thing?

[jamescollister]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

[MYKTHEMIN]

Perhaps I should have explained something at the beginning, I am not a farang standing outside looking in on the lives of rural Issan farmers. I have no pension, shares, bank accounts, money or any thing in the west and very little in the bank in Thailand. We live off the land, every Baht we spend comes from the soil of Issan.

For many years we lived, on and off in a one room stilt house, all sleeping [wife kids and me ]on a mat, no running water, cold bucket showers. It was not that bad, we were happy as a family. Things have improved as the years went by and we have a house now, new car etc.

When I read or hear the dogooders telling the world that the place is full of downtrodden poverty stricken despair and we, yes me, need their help and guidance, it pisses me off.

I am for all intensive purposes a poor rural Issan farmer and live in a poor farming village, we, family and the village as a whole live happy stress free fun loving lives.

May not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a long way from some hell hole in Africa. Jim

So James, how do you qualify for a visa to stay here with no money and no income from outside Thailand?

[jamescollister]

Perhaps I should have explained something at the beginning, I am not a farang standing outside looking in on the lives of rural Issan farmers. I have no pension, shares, bank accounts, money or any thing in the west and very little in the bank in Thailand. We live off the land, every Baht we spend comes from the soil of Issan.

For many years we lived, on and off in a one room stilt house, all sleeping [wife kids and me ]on a mat, no running water, cold bucket showers. It was not that bad, we were happy as a family. Things have improved as the years went by and we have a house now, new car etc.

When I read or hear the dogooders telling the world that the place is full of downtrodden poverty stricken despair and we, yes me, need their help and guidance, it pisses me off.

I am for all intensive purposes a poor rural Issan farmer and live in a poor farming village, we, family and the village as a whole live happy stress free fun loving lives.

May not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a long way from some hell hole in Africa. Jim

So James, how do you qualify for a visa to stay here with no money and no income from outside Thailand?

Where did I say I have no money, we make our living farming and not a bad living at that. Sometimes better some times not so good.

As for visa, married to a Thai and have 2 kids, not a problem.

Think some people may be surprised at what some industrious Thai farmers actually earn, tax free, no mortgages, little or not food bills. To be honest we probably make more in expendable income than I did in the west working. What we make is ours, except for the car payments. Have fish, ducks and chickens, fruit, corn and a share of some rice, make our cash from rubber,

On you tube and have a blogg. Jim

[MYKTHEMIN]

Perhaps I should have explained something at the beginning, I am not a farang standing outside looking in on the lives of rural Issan farmers. I have no pension, shares, bank accounts, money or any thing in the west and very little in the bank in Thailand. We live off the land, every Baht we spend comes from the soil of Issan.

For many years we lived, on and off in a one room stilt house, all sleeping [wife kids and me ]on a mat, no running water, cold bucket showers. It was not that bad, we were happy as a family. Things have improved as the years went by and we have a house now, new car etc.

When I read or hear the dogooders telling the world that the place is full of downtrodden poverty stricken despair and we, yes me, need their help and guidance, it pisses me off.

I am for all intensive purposes a poor rural Issan farmer and live in a poor farming village, we, family and the village as a whole live happy stress free fun loving lives.

May not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a long way from some hell hole in Africa. Jim

So James, how do you qualify for a visa to stay here with no money and no income from outside Thailand?

Where did I say I have no money, we make our living farming and not a bad living at that. Sometimes better some times not so good.

As for visa, married to a Thai and have 2 kids, not a problem.

Think some people may be surprised at what some industrious Thai farmers actually earn, tax free, no mortgages, little or not food bills. To be honest we probably make more in expendable income than I did in the west working. What we make is ours, except for the car payments. Have fish, ducks and chickens, fruit, corn and a share of some rice, make our cash from rubber,

On you tube and have a blogg. Jim

Jim you stated above no income from abroad and little money in Thailand, so how do you satisfy 400000 in bank or 40000 a month income from outside Thailand and surely you cannot have a work permit for farming as this is reserved for Thais only? very interested as I have 100 rai with rubber sugar and naturally rice.

[jamescollister]

Perhaps I should have explained something at the beginning, I am not a farang standing outside looking in on the lives of rural Issan farmers. I have no pension, shares, bank accounts, money or any thing in the west and very little in the bank in Thailand. We live off the land, every Baht we spend comes from the soil of Issan.

For many years we lived, on and off in a one room stilt house, all sleeping [wife kids and me ]on a mat, no running water, cold bucket showers. It was not that bad, we were happy as a family. Things have improved as the years went by and we have a house now, new car etc.

When I read or hear the dogooders telling the world that the place is full of downtrodden poverty stricken despair and we, yes me, need their help and guidance, it pisses me off.

I am for all intensive purposes a poor rural Issan farmer and live in a poor farming village, we, family and the village as a whole live happy stress free fun loving lives.

May not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a long way from some hell hole in Africa. Jim

So James, how do you qualify for a visa to stay here with no money and no income from outside Thailand?

Where did I say I have no money, we make our living farming and not a bad living at that. Sometimes better some times not so good.

As for visa, married to a Thai and have 2 kids, not a problem.

Think some people may be surprised at what some industrious Thai farmers actually earn, tax free, no mortgages, little or not food bills. To be honest we probably make more in expendable income than I did in the west working. What we make is ours, except for the car payments. Have fish, ducks and chickens, fruit, corn and a share of some rice, make our cash from rubber,

On you tube and have a blogg. Jim

Jim you stated above no income from abroad and little money in Thailand, so how do you satisfy 400000 in bank or 40000 a month income from outside Thailand and surely you cannot have a work permit for farming as this is reserved for Thais only? very interested as I have 100 rai with rubber sugar and naturally rice.

On the visa side you need 400,000 Baht for 1 day to get a support of a child extension of stay, no seeding needed. Or shot over to Lao for a multi entry O for spouse, no need to show money, just show kids and wife.

As for WP there is a thread in the farming section on the subject, I don't have one and really don't do much in the way of work, more like a bit of gardening. It's rural Issan not Pattaya, things run at a different pace here. Jim

[swissie]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

65457 NGO's ? If all of them would perform according to their statuary goals, to combat lack of education, health and poverty in general, all of this would not be an issue in Thailand anymore.

Nevermind, I have already stated my opinion on NGO's on the bottom part of post # 19 within this thread.

Cheers.

[mike123ca]

If married to a Thai, one can get a multi-non O visa, I didn't need money in the bank.

You have to exit and re-enter the country every 90 days. If you space it out properly, you can stretch

close to 15 months. When I got mine in South Korea, I didn't need to show any money in the

bank.

The 400,000 baht in the bank is for an extension of stay based on marriage. There are many

different visas one can use to stay in the country. By marrying a Thai allows for some additional

visas that are not offered to foreigners without Thai family.

[jamescollister]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

65457 NGO's ? If all of them would perform according to their statuary goals, to combat lack of education, health and poverty in general, all of this would not be an issue in Thailand anymore.

Nevermind, I have already stated my opinion on NGO's on the bottom part of post # 19 within this thread.

Cheers.

Swissie, not only the number of NGOs, but look at the money, that number is 72,112 million, that's 72112000000, that's not a decimal point it;s a comma. Small counties have smaller GDPs, willing to bet most of the cash never made here. Jim

[harrry]

Do not expect them to read it here. Most of them only read one book.

[Scotswahay]

Do not expect them to read it here. Most of them only read one book.

I take it you're refering to my wee story mate. Thanks for the advice. Maybe I should just remain in the audience in future. Still, It's been an interesting thread & I've ejoyed alot of the comments. Shame it seems to have gone off on a tangent though.

I really hope someone does take the time to read what took me bloomin ages to write coz it's all true.

Essan is my home & I love it & all the people around me.

[harrry]

Do not expect them to read it here. Most of them only read one book.

I take it you're refering to my wee story mate. Thanks for the advice. Maybe I should just remain in the audience in future. Still, It's been an interesting thread & I've ejoyed alot of the comments. Shame it seems to have gone off on a tangent though.

I really hope someone does take the time to read what took me bloomin ages to write coz it's all true.

Essan is my home & I love it & all the people around me.

Sorry mate....I did read it and it is partly why I posted. I was refering to those NGOs who come having the certainty that it is what they are meant to do as they read it in one book and then do not even have the decency to learn to leave what is good alone and just improve things in local ways. I have a particular dislike of those religions that try to change cultures though a few of them do at least try to do good/

[manarak]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

wow, these figures show there is something massively wrong here, and it's not Thailand, Isaan or it's alleged poverty!

65000 NGOs <deleted>!!!

[jamescollister]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

wow, these figures show there is something massively wrong here, and it's not Thailand, Isaan or it's alleged poverty!

65000 NGOs <deleted>!!!

Guess if you want to set up some sort of charity, better to come here than say Pakistan. Nice beaches, friendly people, good food. The poor will always be with us, but if you want to help, better to help from a 5 star hotel than a dirt hut.

By the way I am still awaiting those that support these groups to post anything they have actually done in Issan, seems a lot of money has been donated by good people through out the world to help, but where has it gone. Jim

[manarak]

I may be totally wrong, things must be bad here, because, as the need must be massive, worse than Cambodia or Africa.

Here's a bit from the Thai NGO awards 2011

There are 65,457 NGOs in Thailand working to promote education, public health, social welfare and associations’ promotion. These NGOs provide the populace with a voice in decision-making and work in co-ordination with the government to develop the country. They have also contributed to socio-economic growth, considering the sector’s GDP that is accounted for 72,112 million Baht that created 792,517 volunteering jobs in 2008

The must be a massive need, at those numbers you would think there was a do gooder under ever tree. Jim

wow, these figures show there is something massively wrong here, and it's not Thailand, Isaan or it's alleged poverty!

65000 NGOs <deleted>!!!

Guess if you want to set up some sort of charity, better to come here than say Pakistan. Nice beaches, friendly people, good food. The poor will always be with us, but if you want to help, better to help from a 5 star hotel than a dirt hut.

By the way I am still awaiting those that support these groups to post anything they have actually done in Issan, seems a lot of money has been donated by good people through out the world to help, but where has it gone. Jim

there was a video done by an eastern european journalist on the activities of missionaries in Thailand... I can't find the link :-/

EDIT: found it:

Edited October 25, 2012 by manarak

[thunder30101]

You want to see some slick ngo's go to cambodia, they put africa to shame on living good. Being the lazy bastard I am I tried getting into that field years ago but its a closed club.

[jamescollister]

Well I am off the net for a few days, off to the Issan farang farmers meeting, but just a passing comment. Seen some good done here by individuals, brother brought the play ground for the local village kindergarten. Friends bring clothes, and school stuff when they come, I supplied a TV and video and some DVDs of sesame street to the kindergarten. Does it really make a difference, don't think so. Makes me feel good and the kids have a party. Wife money allowing feeds and buys ice cream for the primary school on her birthday, a little party. There are people through out Thailand doing little bits here and there, who are making a bigger difference combined, than an NGO with millions of dollars do. Jim

[David006]

Way to go Jim......

BTW just watched "Occupation" British TV movie......one thread of the storyline was about the funneling of billions of dollars for the "rebuild" of infrastructure in Iraq .....don't know how much of it was true in actuality...but likely methinks.

Makes ya blood boil....

[theslime]

Well I am off the net for a few days, off to the Issan farang farmers meeting, but just a passing comment. Seen some good done here by individuals, brother brought the play ground for the local village kindergarten. Friends bring clothes, and school stuff when they come, I supplied a TV and video and some DVDs of sesame street to the kindergarten. Does it really make a difference, don't think so. Makes me feel good and the kids have a party. Wife money allowing feeds and buys ice cream for the primary school on her birthday, a little party. There are people through out Thailand doing little bits here and there, who are making a bigger difference combined, than an NGO with millions of dollars do. Jim

Dear James. I was upset by your OP Header to start with, bagging good hearted people that try and help the poor. you then made a comparison that as I have no shoes I guess that makes me poor(FW). You also said no one stops them building bigger houses, what with. Poverty doen,t pay. Free Health and Milk was mentioned. As we pay for what we get I know the 30baht Scheme doesn,t help if you need Cancer Treatment and the free Milk I,m sure will benifit Kids, but they don,t give it out Willy Nilly to the Poor. Maybe the Thais you wrote of won,t work , but nearly all I know work 6days a week and still can,t make ends meet. Ever tried cutting Cane, maybe they need some rest after doing it for 5 months at a time. You said you live near/in Forest, well most of Issan isn.t Forest and one cannot go out and shoot for food.

[IsaanAussie]

Lets be sure of our facts here. The free milk and 30baht schemes are very much government, not NGO controlled. The 30 baht scheme doesnt in fact offer services to cancer patients. Bits of jungle near me and the locals all have rifles for shooting game. Farmers here work hard when the need demands, rice planting and harvesting. Many of todays youth have fallen into lazy drunkeness. But most Thais in my village will take the opportunity to rest and relax when they can.

The point here is many of the schemes funded via NGO's are designed to assist fill a perceived need rather than a real one. For example, supply the local village with a tractor and slasher to cut the grass, good idea until the diesel runs out or the tractor breaks, then it will be the way it always has been, buy a cow or a buffalo. Not everyone wants much of the "assistance" offered.

[krisb]

The only reason the village kids look poor is because theyre dirty from playing outside with their mates from around the village.

Not sitting inside by themselves playing video games.

[krisb]

I hear what your saying OP, but your not exactly right.

Issan people are poor. fact.

The farmers that I know are underpayed. fact.

If any falang want to put a bit of their cash into helping others in villages, then good on em I say...why should it bother you?...its not your money theyre spending.

You gotta relax a bit mate

Rest that ankle..

Edited October 26, 2012 by krisb

[krisb]

The people in Issan had no idea they were poor until they got televisions. Now they watch the soap operas and realize that some Thai people are incredibly wealthy. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing. Life goes on for them and a full belly is happiness.

True dat!...long as there is rice in cupboard, alls good!

[Scotswahay]

I hear what your saying OP, but your not exactly right.

Issan people are poor. fact.

The farmers that I know are underpayed. fact.

If any falang want to put a bit of their cash into helping others in villages, then good on em I say...why should it bother you?...its not your money theyre spending.

You gotta relax a bit mate

Rest that ankle..

Issan people are happy . FACT!

Thai farmers are paid the equivelent to their work, FACT!

If any farang want to spend there money helping villages in Essan. Please come & live here first before you decide where to squander your or kind people;s donations.

I live here in Essan. Can I ask you where you live if you don't mind?

I know many people in our village who have a verry good income, in particular from rubber trees in my neck of the woods. I have a good few myself as well as pineaples, herbs & many other fruits, spices, herbs & veg.

Can I also ask if you don't mind where you got the idea that Essan is such a poor place?

If you don't live here & ever take the time to come here I'd be happy to show you around & relieve you of your misconceptions

[IsaanAussie]

The only reason the village kids look poor is because theyre dirty from playing outside with their mates from around the village.

Not sitting inside by themselves playing video games.

Off topic and I apologize, but this is something that appeals to me. I look at our village and see myself growing up, 1950-60's values when kids could explore. The difference here is some just never grow up, they take on adult habits but remain children. Well for me let the NGO's feed the freeloaders I will not.