Giving Foreigners a Voice - Pattaya People

The First тАЬForeign Community ProjectтАЭ Starts In The Pong District. Started as a pilot project with a plan to be expanded to all sub-districts in and around Pattaya,

The тАЬForeign Community ProjectтАЭ was started with a general тАЬtown hall styleтАЭ meeting at the Pong District Building on the shore of the Mabprachan reservoir on Saturday 26th May in the afternoon.

This unique project was organized by the тАЬNai AmphurтАЭ or Chief District Officer of the Banglamung District, Khun Prathip Chongsuebtham, on the orders of Chonburi Provincial Governor, Khun Pracha Terat. The objective of the project is to organize representing committees of all foreigners living in the various sub-districts in and around Pattaya to give these people тАШa voiceтАЩ. In other words, to give them a chance to become involved in the community by providing ideas and suggestions and by making the Thai public administration know more about the foreign citizens living in our province. What are their concerns and desires? How do they live together? Do they live in perfect harmony or are there problems within their community that requires help and assistance from the Thai authorities to solve.

At the first information meeting in the meeting room of the Pong Sub-District administrative building on that Saturday afternoon the Banglamung District Chief Officer, Khun Prathip explained the objectives of the тАЬForeign Community ProjectтАЭ and suggested questions from the participants of the meeting. 40 foreigners had shown up, some with their Thai spouses and children, but many more foreigners live in that district so future meetings would encourage more to come. A great result was achieved during the first meeting, that was about the bad condition of the roads and streets in the district and the public officers promised this problem would be solved within two weeks.

Many of the foreign participants did not fully understand the purpose of the project and voiced their quiet comments among themselves. As CEO of the Pattaya People Media Group, Niels Colov heard this he took the opportunity to stand up and clarify the objectives of the тАЬForeign Community ProjectтАЭ and also reminded all foreign participants that this was maybe a once in a life time opportunity for the foreigners in Pattaya to get a тАЬVOICEтАЭ; to get the opportunity to be directly involved in the administrative and developing process of our city. In fact, this pilot project is so important, as the success or the contrary will determine whether the project will be continued elsewhere. Mr. Colov urged the participants to catch this great opportunity, to look at the bigger picture and not be selfish or let egocentricism take over when it comes to electing a chairman and committee members. He said, тАЬThe Thai authorities are now watching all of you - please be good representatives for all of us foreigners in Pattaya, show the best side of the foreign communityтАЭ.

Khun Anna, owner of Pattaya Bay Radio, did the translation from Thai to English during the meeting and Mr. Colin Young who lives in the district had been helpful to the Banglamung Chief District Officer by distributing hundreds of invitation flyers for the meeting. French national Mr. Gerard Porcon was asked to be the temporary Chairman of the first тАЬForeign Community CommitteeтАЭ for Tamboon Pong, until an election can take place for the first committee.

If anyone would like to obtain further information about the project then please contact Mr. Niels Colov at the Pattaya People Media Group on info@pattayapeople.com or call 0-3842-7585.

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