Help some kids have a happier holiday

[bao-bao]

Those of you who read the forums have probably already heard a pitch my myself and other members (Dick and Lonely have both posted here in the past) in support of the Pattaya Street Kids Support Project and the various ways they're helping disadvantaged children and their families in the Pattaya area. Some of you have been to fundraisers or made donations at The Venue in Jomtien Complex or at the old "Memories" bar in Sunee.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/HauyPhongThailand-Clean-upCrewtakesabreak.jpg

Later this month PSKSP will again sponsor a special party for the children of the Hauy Phong home, about 40Km outside of Pattaya itself. This is different than the student sponsorship opportunities for kids around Pattaya itself - these are kids who have been abandoned, left to the streets and abused (in the worst ways) and now live in the safety of this home of plus or minus 400 kids, aged 4 to 17.

For around the cost of a drink (120 baht, or about $4US/2.5GBP) you can pay for a child at the home to attend this annual "gala" day-long event. For that they'll have a day of games, special meals, music, a dance and several gifts just for them.

If you want to read more of the story and see more pictures you can find it at:
http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/2011/12/helping-some-kids-have-happier-holiday.html

I know there are those who seem to get more jollies from finding fault with an organization than from helping it, but they'd be hard pressed to find fault with this group. Look their site over, and ask some folks who are involved with them. They don't waste a penny.

You can use the PayPal button on their site it at: http://pattayastreetkids.homestead.com/. Note that you want the funds to go to the Hauy Phong Party.

[cdnmatt]

I'm curious, why do you guys do a Christmas / New Years thing? I'm not trying to be a dick, but if it's for the kids, you'd think it'd be for Songkran or Loy Kratong, so it at least has some meaning to them, no? They don't care about Christmas or Jan 1st, as those dates mean nothing to them. Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.

I'm assuming that decision was made because for farangs it's the giving season? I actually want to know before I donate.

[Dick]

I'm curious, why do you guys do a Christmas / New Years thing? I'm not trying to be a dick, but if it's for the kids, you'd think it'd be for Songkran or Loy Kratong, so it at least has some meaning to them, no? They don't care about Christmas or Jan 1st, as those dates mean nothing to them. Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.

I'm assuming that decision was made because for farangs it's the giving season? I actually want to know before I donate.

I think most Thai people understand the significance of Christmas and New Year in the farang calendar as one of those happy festivals that has migrated (mostly through the commercialism of it all) across most borders. Same as us Brits have heard about 'Thanksgiving' in the USA - don't quite understand it but know its an occasion when Americans even in Pattaya get together for a happy time. Thanks to TV, cinema, and the internet you don't have to be Christian to understand that Christmas, amongst other things, means Party time as well as an occasion for giving especially to those you care about.

But you're not entirely wrong... the founder of the PSKSP tripped over a street urchin (who became the catalyst for the project) whilst in Pattaya during a Christmas holiday, and his holidays - the time available to him to organise the parties in subsequent visits, coupled with the understanding of the notion of a Christmas or New Year party by the farang from whom most of the donations are forthcoming, really dictated the occasion.

But to these kids that benefit - they wouldn't care if the party was held on any day of the calendar just so long as there was a party and they could continue as they do to help organise what is for many the highlight in their year. For the kids old enough to comprehend, it also means that 'someone' has a care to think about them and Christmas fits the bill quite nicely. Like others, I visit kids that I sponsor and I'm sure that each and every sponsor will tell you that it does matter to those kids knowing that someone cares. Same same for the kids at party time except on a larger scale.

This really is a worthwhile charity and 100% of all monies received directly benefit the kids. The parties are organised by the Trustees of the Project assisted by local volunteers.
http://www.pattayastreetkids.org/

I commend the Project to you and the Party Appeal.

[francois]

Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.
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I don't think that "free shit" as you mention has nothing to do with the spirit of what bao-bao has posted.

[Smiles]

Cndmatt has described himself (more than once) ~ since coming to Thailand ~ as a "bitter old cunt" and takes every opportunity to prove it.
Establishing a certain persona for one's self is pretty passe on this (and other boards): cdnmatt's particular self image is cultivated to denigrate-by-kneejerk anything smacking of even an ephemeral decency towards 'things Thai' on the part of other members ... no matter how critically-safe the subject may seem.
In this case, assuming (and whining) that an essentially 'farang' holiday celebration blithely and unthouhfully foisted on the totally ignorant Thai boys and girls is somehow a demonstration of blind naivete and foolishness. Naturally, a corollary to that assumption is the farangs involved have obviously given the whole idea no thought whatsoever.

Cndmatt lives vicariously through these minor and trite observations ... seemingly as if no one has ever thought about them before. No amount of mitigating protestation (e.g. " ... I'm not trying to be a dick ... ") can hide the obvious.
What a dork.

[lonelywombat]

If I understand it corectly Don and his friends who are the driving forces behind Streetkids, visit in December/ January . As they do a lot of the organizing, it is logical that the parties are held when most of the workers are in country.

[Beachlover]

I'm curious, why do you guys do a Christmas / New Years thing? I'm not trying to be a dick, but if it's for the kids, you'd think it'd be for Songkran or Loy Kratong, so it at least has some meaning to them, no? They don't care about Christmas or Jan 1st, as those dates mean nothing to them. Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.

I'm assuming that decision was made because for farangs it's the giving season? I actually want to know before I donate.
Yeah, I think you're right about Western celebrations vs Thai celebrations but what Dick explained makes sense...

In a nutshell, they probably do this because Christmas is more relevant as the "season for giving" to their target audience, which are these farang donors in Pattaya.



Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.
I don't think that "free shit" as you mention has nothing to do with the spirit of what bao-bao has posted.
He could've said "free stuff" but the meaning's the same. Cdnmatt's question was totally legitimate and there was a logical answer that has been given. It wasn't disrespectful or dickheaded as you're trying to make it out to be.

Better to be direct and straight forward than be all delicate and afraid to be honest, just because we're talking about a charity... In my experience with charities, things often start to go wrong when people lose their objectivity due to the altruistic nature of the operation.

Also, some people complain about people being restricted in what they can say about Thai politics and then get all precious about freely discussing something as simple and basic as a charity here. Double standards and a good example of not being able to look at something objectively.

[francois]

Well, now they mean when a bunch of white guys host a party for them, and give them free shit, but not much more.
I don't think that "free shit" as you mention has nothing to do with the spirit of what bao-bao has posted.
He could've said "free stuff" but the meaning's the same. Cdnmatt's question was totally legitimate and there was a logical answer that has been given. It wasn't disrespectful or dickheaded as you're trying to make it out to be.
.

English, such a versatile language that a gift for a child can be translated as "free shit".
Nonetheless it sounds like a rude expression to me but I am pleased to know that Matt wasn't disrespectful or dickheaded .

[Beachlover]

Probably just a difference in speaking style... the expression's perfectly fine for the younger and more informal generation.

there you have it francois .. the trouble is you are just not down with the cool dudes anymore ...
tho i think its true to belive that as the generations pass by the young folk tend to dumb things down ..
not only is t.v. shit these days ( in the biblical sense ) but the language has also gone to pot ..
whats a good deed to us is now shit to youngsters ... who knows what the next lot of youths will be calling it ???
im sure it was the same in your day.. when you was rocking out at a beethoven concert im sure your parents didnt have a clue what you was on about ....
i also think its quiet sad that as boa boa has said more people will be happier to slag off the guys doing good work for those less well off than ourselfs than to try to support what they are doing ... i think its not such a bad thing to donate a thousand baht to give these kids a fun day out ... its not as if most on here wouldnt think twice about giving that sort of amout away for a quick shag ... not that theres anything wrong with that .. its also helping those less well off ...
i also think this is a good time fo year to have such a party ... why shouldnt those who arrange it get to enjoy themselfs too ... if its the time they are in the country then good luck to them..
i hope you all have a great time :party

[francois]

there you have it francois .. the trouble is you are just not down with the cool dudes anymore ...
im sure it was the same in your day.. when you was rocking out at a beethoven concert im sure your parents didnt have a clue what you was on about ....


In actuality my parents favored Beethoven while I preferred Mozart.

there you have it francois .. the trouble is you are just not down with the cool dudes anymore ...
im sure it was the same in your day.. when you was rocking out at a beethoven concert im sure your parents didnt have a clue what you was on about ....


In actuality my parents favored Beethoven while I preferred Mozart.
my mistake i do apologise my dear man ...
i always prefered glam rock .. im not sure that you would know to much of that ??

[Beachlover]

i also think its quiet sad that as boa boa has said more people will be happier to slag off the guys doing good work for those less well off than ourselfs than to try to support what they are doing ...
But no one's done any slagging of the event in this thread. I don't recall any gratuitous slagging of this charity on this board either. All someone's done is ask a genuine and legitimate question and it seems some people who support this charity aren't even mature enough accept that. Are they being too delicate and precious about it? Do they think anything with the word "charity" attached to it should never be questioned or critically discussed? This attitude can lead to some terrible implications.

beachy as you mentioned about smiles post about you.. slagging off doesent have to be blatent ... what you have to realise is some of us are old enough in the tooth to know what people mean when they say what they say ...
francois may not have been clued up enough to know what matt meant by *some shit* but i think he got the general idea as it kind of fell in with the * why do farang only do this sort of thing at these times crap * its easy to see what is meant ...
i guess the best thing to do is follow the old adage if you have nothing good to say then best say nothing :dontknow:
which to be fair it seems most of the slaggers are doing .. and that makes a nice change.

[cdnmatt]

beachy as you mentioned about smiles post about you.. slagging off doesent have to be blatent ... what you have to realise is some of us are old enough in the tooth to know what people mean when they say what they say ...

I don't know, I thought it was a legitimate question. It helps tell you if they're actually doing it for the kids, or doing it for themselves, so they can have a good time at a nice party while in Thailand, and stroke their egos a little. And knowing that helps indicate what type of decision making process they use when buying SHIT (just to annoy you) for the kids with our money. Are they stringent and use the money wisely, or just shrug they're shoulders and say, "mai bpen lai, it's only an extra 2000 baht. go for it, we're all here to have a good time anyway!"

Hence why I asked, and Dick's answer was spot on. They spend all year in the UK working, take their holidays during Christmas, which is when they're in Thailand. I didn't know that little aspect before. :)

you need to try a lot harder than using the word shit to annoy me .. and you'll need to try a lot harder than that to get anyone to belive you never knew when/where these people live work or go on holiday ... im sure its been in plenty of threads over the last few years ( just before you say anything smiles ive read back a lot of the threads ) and being as you been on the board since 2008 im sure you have seen them ...
in all honesty why even bother to comment as you have no intention to support what they are doing anyhow..
have a nice xmas yourself ... tho i doubt you will as ive no doubt you are a humbug :party

[francois]

After some research I now understand the etymology of the expression "free shit" as a holiday gift.