Thailand after the tsunami
CRAIG DAVIES: I recently sent my mother on a holiday for a well-earned rest and a change of scenery. My mother has traveled extensively but has not spent much time in Asia. Knowing my love for Asia she decided to trust me and go to Thailand. The following is part of a column she wrote for a paper in New Zealand.
LYNETTE DAVIES: After a full-on year I was long overdue for a break and my wonderful son shouted me a holiday in Thailand as a birthday present. To be more precise I stayed on the island of Koh Samui which had fortunately been unaffected by the tsunami and is still relatively unspoilt. Thai people are beautiful, gentle and generous and the whole Thailand experience will forever remain precious in my memory.
Two things that stand out in my mind from this trip relate back to my experience here. The first was a group of people I met between flights in a transfer lounge. They were returning to NZ after attending a memorial service for relatives who were lost in the tsunami disaster. Talking to people with first-hand experience of such an event was very emotional and I was honoured that they shared their stories with me. I was able to tell them how people were truly touched by what we saw and heard through the media and how much money was raised within this small community.
The second thing that made an impact on me was the Thai people I met and their amazing extended family structure. On day two I befriended a woman who supports her husband, unmarried daughter and grandson through her roadside eatery. La also has a yoghurt business and works from daylight to dark. I had been observing that, as opposed to tourists, there were no overt displays of affection or the type of sexual innuendo we are constantly exposed to. Further discussions disclosed that this is due to their strong faith and commitment to developing careers before marriage or, in the case of villagers, early marriage.
My perception is that financially things need to be kept in perspective. They earn very little, live simply and everything costs a pittance compared to what we pay here. No one goes hungry and their focus is on needs rather than wants so there is no envy or greed. They make us look like novices at networking – no matter what your requirement – everyone knows someone or is connected in some way.
My point? We need to concentrate on our own doorstep. To look after our own family and community before we put our hand in our pockets for other countries. If we took a leaf out of their book we would be concerned about the welfare of everyone in our relatively small community and doing everything in our power to ensure their needs are met. Our charity dollars should be distributed where government and local council do not provide.
CRAIG DAVIES: I think my mother has captured the Thai people beautifully and I get the feeling she will be hitting me up for another trip back soon! Another short piece came across my desk this week from the Gazette which also highlights the love we have for Thailand and the generous nature of Australians.
Wat Kamala ‘beautifully blitzed'
KAMALA: True to their promise, the folks from the popular Australian TV gardening design program Backyard Blitz, have completed their 48-hour makeover of the gardens at Wat Kamala, which were washed away by the tsunami.
The program, which airs on Australian TV Channel 9, specialises in renovating people's gardens along themed lines, and doing it in record time. This is the first time an episode has been recorded overseas.
Seventeen crew from Backyard Blitz, aided by 60 Thais, started working at 6am on a Tuesday and finished the makeover at 2am the following day.
Jacq Brophy, Head of Production, told the Gazette, “We were lucky that there was not much rain here, so we could keep working and finish in the time we expected.
“The hardest part was placing the stone Buddhist symbols in the meditation garden. They were so heavy,” she added.
Niyom Nanudorn, who spent time in Wat Kamala as a monk and is now the abbot's chauffeur, said he greatly appreciated the nice garden provided by foreigners, especially since they were from a different religion and yet still thought about the wat.
Kamala-born Jiraporn Apichart said she was astonished by the “beautiful garden” when she went to the wat to make merit this morning.
“A few days ago, I rode past there and saw many people working there with some foreigners. I did not know what they were doing, though I realised it was probably some kind of improvement after the tsunami. It looks very different,” she said.
A local contractor has been hired by Backyard Blitz to look after the gardens for the coming three months
The program was aired in Australia at 6:30pm on September 11.