Coping with flood refugees

[Vital Spark]

We, luckily, have managed to escape the floods here in Nakhon Pathom City, and our university (now closed until the 28th) kindly offered the gymnasium to refugees. Most of the people staying in the hall are apparently Burmese, possibly construction workers who have had to flee their temporary huts for another temporary dwelling place. They now have a dry and reasonably comfortable place to stay and get fed and watered. Good.

The university were asking for volunteers to help run the place, so one of our Thai colleagues offered her daughter. She was given the task of cleaning up the toilets, which she did with a smile because she’s a nice kid. Meanwhile, in the gym, the guests were sleeping, talking, watching TV or eating. There’s something not quite right here. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to give some of the guests the job of perhaps cleaning up the place a bit? Something to do while waiting for the next meal or Thai Soap episode on the TV?

A colleague of ours (a farang) offered to teach the kids the alphabet, or have some fun with English with them. An opportunity they would probably never get again. The organiser (a Thai university employee) said that the kids’ abilities weren’t up to doing that kind of thing, so, ‘No’ we don’t need you. What a wasted opportunity for these kids!

Mismanagement is not the word, as it would imply that there was some kind of management in the first place. If this is an example of 'management' in a non-flooded area, I hate to think what’s happening to the folk up to their knees/waists in the flooded bits.

VS

[usual suspect]

Good little story VS..I reckon in the next few weeks many events good & bad, happy & sad will come to
light/unfold. The thought of those kids just being happy & entertained..(never mind the educational
value) is heart-warming, & would help take away some of the misery they have just now..then the powers-that-be puts the stoppers on it all...T.I.T. eh? (ho-hum).

[crazy88]

A wasted opportunity indeed I have a house full of family and various friends who have been flooded including a bored and confused 3 year old who has now settled in and is learning to swim ( 1st unassisted length on day 1!) Thanks to Chris at Seajays for letting me use his pool Football lessons are going a bit slower as hitting me with the ball seems more fun than scoring a penalty.

You will probably find that the university employee does not want the Burmese kids abilities to include speaking English

Crazy 88

[VincentD]

We, luckily, have managed to escape the floods here in Nakhon Pathom City, and our university (now closed until the 28th)

Lucky you. I'm in Laksi and have been flooded out since 28/10. Moved some family out to Chachengsao but have to come back to work in Bangers as company is not flooded and therefore is still open. Living out of a bag for now, at least company has provided for temporary accomodation.

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to give some of the guests the job of perhaps cleaning up the place a bit? Something to do while waiting for the next meal or Thai Soap episode on the TV?

Wishful thinking. Some 'refugees' expect to be waited on hand and foot because of their 'plight'. Maybe I'm being cynical, but being similarly affected myself, I do not adopt that particular attitude, I think it stinks. It wasn't like a flash flood or anything, a lot of people had almost TWO WEEKS (sorry for shouting, but sometimes I get carried away) to prepare for it.
Note: I first put some sandbags up to about 50 cm height. My wife then decided to wall up around the house to hip height, hoping to live through some slightly higher than normal floodwaters. A nearby apartment was rented so we could store most of our moveables. No one expected 1 m++ floodwaters.

A colleague of ours (a farang) offered to teach the kids the alphabet, or have some fun with English with them. An opportunity they would probably never get again. The organiser (a Thai university employee) said that the kids’ abilities weren’t up to doing that kind of thing, so, ‘No’ we don’t need you. What a wasted opportunity for these kids!

Read some xenophobia into that.

Mismanagement is not the word, as it would imply that there was some kind of management in the first place. If this is an example of 'management' in a non-flooded area, I hate to think what’s happening to the folk up to their knees/waists in the flooded bits.
VS

Sadly have to agree. Won't be seeing the inside of my house for at least another two weeks. Even main road is inaccessible, don't want to think what the moobahn looks like.

[margaretcarnes]

The Burmese people I have met in both Thailand and on Victoria Point seem to speak much better English than Thais in similar jobs generally do. Maybe the Burmese construction workers in Thailand haven't had the same advantages in their own country. But I'm wondering if the children of these construction workers are actually allowed to attend schools while in Thailand? Or is there some descrimination there against the children of migrant workers?