thaiguest
March 30th, 2010, 13:47
Wisdom comes with age (a poor compensation) but my wisdom is lately becoming more of the cynical type.
After visitng Cambodia a number of times and staying in Thailand for about 5 years I've come to the conclusion that the MAJORITY of western charities operating in this region are SCAMS.
These charities for all their pretentious policies are vehicles whereby foreigners can operate UNINVITED and with little supervision in poor countries and at the expense of good people in the west.
For example there's a primary school support group operating in Cambodia. When you look into it you find that it's family run but funded by non-family donations from the USA. Yes, this group gives certain help to some Cambodian schools; text books, renovation etc. (They would have to, wouldn't they; otherwise they couldn't be there.) But sons, daughters and cousins of the founders are at the same time forever doing American master degree courses etc. based on their 'charity' work. They enjoy free lodging, have legal visa status and can meddle at will in the lives and culture of the objects of a charity not of their own funding. There's also a strong 'christian' slant to their effort ie. it's also an old fashioned proslytising campaigh by stealth.
There are numerous examples of the same in Thailand.
If I were the Thai government or the head Buddhist monk of Thailand and if being such gave me the power I'd kick the vast majority of them out of the country.
Am I getting contrary in my autumn years?
After visitng Cambodia a number of times and staying in Thailand for about 5 years I've come to the conclusion that the MAJORITY of western charities operating in this region are SCAMS.
These charities for all their pretentious policies are vehicles whereby foreigners can operate UNINVITED and with little supervision in poor countries and at the expense of good people in the west.
For example there's a primary school support group operating in Cambodia. When you look into it you find that it's family run but funded by non-family donations from the USA. Yes, this group gives certain help to some Cambodian schools; text books, renovation etc. (They would have to, wouldn't they; otherwise they couldn't be there.) But sons, daughters and cousins of the founders are at the same time forever doing American master degree courses etc. based on their 'charity' work. They enjoy free lodging, have legal visa status and can meddle at will in the lives and culture of the objects of a charity not of their own funding. There's also a strong 'christian' slant to their effort ie. it's also an old fashioned proslytising campaigh by stealth.
There are numerous examples of the same in Thailand.
If I were the Thai government or the head Buddhist monk of Thailand and if being such gave me the power I'd kick the vast majority of them out of the country.
Am I getting contrary in my autumn years?