Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saving the hilltribe kids
The situation for many needy children is dire, particularly those belonging to hill tribes who live in the highlands and are non-Thai citizens.Marginalised and with little or no formal access to state assistance, many of the hilltribe families and children are left to fend for themselves in often harsh living environments.
Help comes from outside the country and the United Nations Children's Fund is one of the major providers.
Unicef gets across the plight of the children via the TV screen by appointing celebrities to carry its message.
Entertainment celebrities often find it hard to take time out of their busy schedules to visit poverty-stricken people living in remote rural areas.
But that is not the case with Aaron Kwok, 43, a popular Hong Kong singer and movie star, who was appointed as Hong Kong's Unicef goodwill ambassador on Aug 18 last year.
This gave him the opportunity to travel to Thailand and visit the northern province of Mae Hong Son on Aug 31.
He and a filming crew were in Mae Hong Son to shoot a documentary on the lives and education of hilltribe children to draw public attention to the youngsters' welfare and rights and to raise money to help them.Mr Kwok said he was no stranger to Thailand, particularly Bangkok, as he had often been here for the filming and launching of his movies.
However, it was the first time in his life he had travelled in the rugged terrain of the upper North.
He said 10 years ago he went to a remote southern part of China to donate to a children's charity. But that was only a brief visit, he said.
''This time, I spent three full days with children from various tribes,'' Mr Kwok said. He said being a Unicef envoy gave him the opportunity to work with international organisations and allowed him to find out about the plight of needy and underprivileged hilltribe kids.
The documentary, filmed between Aug 31-Sept 4 last year, dealt with the lives of children at schools and villages from various ethnic minority groups of hilltribe people living in Khun Yuam, Pang Ma Pha and Muang districts of Mae Hong Son, which borders Burma.The hilltribe ethnic groups include the Lisu, Lahu, Hmong, Karen and Shan.
The documentary also takes a look at the problems of children of refugees or of displaced families from Burma, who have no access to education.
Many are stateless children and orphans lacking Thai citizenship and they have no right to a state education.
They have no access to public health services and some of the girls became pregnant at very young ages.
Certain gender concepts among some hill tribes also prevent girls from furthering their education. Their families often do not recognise the importance of educating girls.
The documentary also showed the devotion and commitment of teachers who want to make sure their students receive a proper education.''What impressed me the most is the kindness and generosity the children showed to each other. This is a quality that grown-up people should learn from them, the children,'' Mr Kwok said.
He recalled a visit to a school in Pang Ma Pha. Since it was a long way from their hill-top houses to the school, the hilltribe children had to live and study at the school.
About 30 students at the school would be given different tasks to do, such as cleaning and preparing lunches.
When he visited the school, Mr Kwok said he saw students queueing up for their lunch.
Each student got a meal except the one waiting at the end of the line as there was no food left for him.
When the other students realised this, each gave some of their food to him and they acted entirely of their own accord, Mr Kwok said.
''It was an act of selflessness which is rare in an urban society,'' he said.
He said he was also impressed with the sex education given to the children with the emphasis on measures to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids.
Mr Kwok said he would raise HK$1 million (4.2 million baht) from an annual car-racing event organised by his charity fund and give the money to the Friends of Unicef donation programme to help needy children around the world.
He hopes to return to the schools he visited last year to follow up on their progress.Rangsun Wiboonuppatum, Unicef Thailand Chief of Education, initiated a project to build schools for the hilltribe children in the North in 2005 with financial support from Unicef.
So far, 23 schools have been built in four districts _ Pai, Khun Yuam, Pang Ma Pha and Muang.
The hilltribe school project is aimed at ensuring children from the region's hill tribes receive a proper, basic education.
Schools will be built near villages and focus on a child-centred learning approach to develop the skills children need to fulfil their potential. Mr Rangsun said he wanted to increase the number of schools to 120 for hilltribe villages in the North.
He said funding of about US$300,000 (9.9 million baht) will be required to finance construction of schools and pay for learning materials, stationery and teachers' salaries.
Mr Rangsun said many hilltribe teachers have no knowledge of the Thai language and a budget is needed to teach them to speak Thai and the dialects of other ethnic groups.
Prachuap Kaewsiri, 50, director of the Pang Ma Pha school, said the project has improved hilltribe children's access to education.
He said the school sent teachers to set up a primary school for small children near their villages in the mountains. When they grow up, they can continue their education in lowland areas.
Apart from illiteracy, problems involving cultural differences among the ethnic groups also needed to be addressed, Mr Prachuap said.
''A cultural classroom should be introduced to accommodate children of different ethnic backgrounds,'' he said.
He said early marriages among hilltribe teenage girls are a hindrance to their educational progress.
''When they get married, most of them drop out of school. The school has to explain to their parents
[the importance of education],'' Mr Prachuap said, adding that a shortage of teachers, particularly hilltribe teachers, was also a major headache.
Without financial support from Unicef, hilltribe teachers would have to quit while teachers from the Education Ministry would usually leave to go and work in cities if they got the chance, Mr Prachuap said.
The glamorous accidental restaurateur
"Care to explain?" I said.
She laughed and said: "I like to chat with strangers, and that sometimes embarrasses my two sons, [15-year-old Gabby and 12-year-old Leo]. For instance, a friend called the other night, so I told Gabby, Leo and Pat [Pat Phornprapha, Rika's boyfriend who is several years her junior] that we needed to meet him that night at Blue Velvet.
"They all asked who was this friend was. I told them it was someone I met on the plane coming back from a family vacation from Japan."
I then asked, if it was a family vacation, how come her kids didn't know that particular friend?
Rika said: "Until they learn to make their own money, they will sit in the economy section and only I will sit in the business class section."
Both Rika and I burst out laughing again, before she continued: "Yesterday we went to a Japanese restaurant. I chatted with the owner until Pat and my sons were like, 'here we go again!' That night Pat went to Blue Velvet with me and we all had a good time."
Rika is half Japanese and half Filipino. "My parents came here for job purposes. I was born here so I consider myself Thai, even though there's not a single drop of Thai blood in me. I love my country. I love my King and Queen."
Rika worked for the luxurious jewellery company Bulgari in Thailand for almost eight years before she married and then became pregnant with her first child. "I quit a week before I gave birth," she said. The marriage ended in a divorce.
I asked her about an area of her expertise, which is beauty. For almost two years she was a columnist for Lips magazine.
"Have you seen a mouse run in circles? Beauty is exactly like that," she said. "You can't exercise for two months and take six months off. I exercise Monday to Friday, starting at 9am. I run for 10 minutes and then do Power Plate for 30 minutes."
Rika usually gets home the same time as her boyfriend, around 5pm, and typically they just hang out. "In the evenings we usually don't go out, just have a quiet dinner. Now all my restaurants are over three months old. It's mandatory to go check on them only for the first three months," she said.
The conversation turned to skin care, and Rika didn't forget to remind us: "The sun is your worst enemy. Always use sunscreen. As for moisturiser, everyone has a different skin type. You can't be lazy when it comes to beauty. You have to be bold and ask the BA [beauty assistant] for samples. If they don't give them to you, ask for their name and go to their manager. That was how I got the right one for me. If it's the right one, your skin will feel it."
Then we talked more about Rika's talent for developing culinary venues. She's a shareholder in a number of successful restaurants, and future expansions are planned. "It was kind of accidental. The first one started because we found a good space."
The concept at Cafe Chilli at Siam Paragon is bringing good street food - with the same taste that you find on the sidewalks, but with better ingredients - into an air-conditioned space, making it easier to enjoy Isan treats. There is another branch in Pattaya and expansions to Central Lat Phrao and even London are on the way.
Another restaurant where the beautiful flock to is Extra Virgin at 63 Sukhumvit Soi 53. Serving Italian fusion food, the homey atmosphere is emphasised by the garden in front. Another branch is slated for CentralWorld when the mall reopens.
My favourite, as you might have guessed, is Blue Velvet at 105/2 Thong Lor Soi 5, where the decor evokes a chic medieval castle, the food combines Thai, Japanese and Western influences, and the cocktails are nice and strong.
Oh, and check this out. Soon you will no longer have to go to LA for a "food truck" experience. Rika and partners are bringing the hip-and-happening culinary trend to Bangkok.
Soon to hit town is Kenjy, a Korean and Mexican mobile food enterprise. In two or three months a delicious sampling of Korean and Mexican cuisines will be available nightly along a route that runs by the happening places in the Thong Lor-Ekamai area. In LA, the concept really works, but in order to connect people have to follow irregular schedules posted on Twitter. In Bangkok, we'll be lucky to have routes following exact schedules.
Talking of her business arrangements with partners, Rika said: "What we have is the best kind of partnership. I do the concepts, designs and staff uniforms. I leave the running of the restaurants to my partners."
Cool as she is, Rika actually squirmed a bit when I asked about her relationship with Pat. "It was accidental. I met him at a party. I'd never met him before, though I knew his sister. Now we're hanging out and we're happy," she said, smiling. "That's all I'm telling you. Yeah, we're very good together."
Tranquil turquoise retreat
The waterfall is famed for its turquoise-coloured stream and unique limestone formations, and is on seven levels, each of which has unique characteristics, allowing visitors to enjoy exploring the 1.5 kilometre trail to the top.
Walk along the shady trail and you will find yourself in a tropical wilderness, your path lined with huge trees such as makha mong (Afzelia xylocarpa (Kurz) Craib) and ironwood (Hopea odorata Roxb).
On the way up the hill, I take small rests along the way and find each tier of the waterfall has its own pool, allowing visitors to swim and relax in privacy. And since the national park does not allow visitors to bring in plastic bottles, the waterfall is very clean.
Curiosity keep me walking to see how beautiful each tier was. Finally I reached the highest tier of the falls. At the seventh tier, Phu Pha Sawan, I find my efforts climbing up worthwhile.
Here is an amazing and marvellous waterfall, fed by a turquoise stream. If you visit the falls on a rainy day, you may get a chance to see the stream rushing over a huge rock, making it look like a three-headed elephant - which is why this waterfall is named Erawan, the heavenly Hindu elephant god ridden by Lord Indra.
Amnesty mulled for reds' decree breaches PROTESTERS FACING NON-TERRORISM CHARGES COULD BE FREED
hirt demonstrators who violated the emergency decree.Mr Tharit said the department will discuss the matter with the Council of State.
A working panel will study the CRES proposal which was floated in support of the government's road map to national reconciliation.
Tens of thousands of red shirts took part in the two-month rally which was marred by violence. A total of 89 people were killed and almost 2,000 injured.
Mr Tharit said the CRES had proposed the law because tens of thousands of those people were not involved in violence.
"If the special law is introduced, those who were arrested but not charged with terrorism will be released," he said.
People found to have violated the emergency decree face a jail term of six months to two years. Mr Tharit said some of those arrested under the emergency decree are being prosecuted.
Asked about the deaths of two red shirt guards who were killed on Thursday, one in Nakhon Ratchasima and the other in Chon Buri, Mr Tharit said an investigation is under way to establish if the killings were related to the protest.
The killings of the two red shirt guards triggered accusations from core red shirt leaders that the government is hunting them down, which could endanger the national reconciliation plan.
The proposed amnesty was welcomed by one academic, who believe it should reduce friction and smooth the government's reconciliation process.
Sompan Techa-athik, a social scientist at Khon Kaen University, said the proposal separates innocent protesters from hard-liners bent on violence.
"I think some wrongdoers may enjoy the benefit, but the measure is good in the long run. It will not expand the conflict and fits in with the government's reconciliation plan," he said.
But Mr Sompan also warned the proposed amnesty might encourage more protests and undermine the sanctity of the law. He called on the government to speed up its work and address protesters' concerns.
"These people are easily provoked and persuaded," he said.
Mr Sompan said the government must show its sincerity in tackling people's problems and not turn it into a political ploy to help prolong its stay in power.
Legal specialist Preecha Suwannathat said the government has the authority to propose an amnesty to parliament without involving the DSI.
The matter was complicated, as the government must also ensure that the rule of law is upheld.
The New Politics Party yesterday lashed out at the government for delays in mapping out the reconciliation road map.
Friday, June 11, 2010
D-day for South Africa and Parreira
We are ready, says the 67-year-old of a team built around Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar and containing more local-based footballers than originally expected with unfit West Ham striker Benni McCarthy among the casualties.
Mexico look stronger and are more experienced than Bafana Bafana (The Boys) with a potentially potent cocktail of youth and experience captained by occasional Barcelona first-team utility player Rafael Marquez.
It adds up to an intriguing opening match at the first World Cup in Africa with international political icon Nelson Mandela expected to be among a sell-out 90,000 crowd at Soccer City stadium in Soweto.
Parreira, a World Cup-winning coach with Brazil 16 years ago, needs to get a monkey off his back by winning a match at the tournament with a country other than his own.
He took Middle East nations Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to the tournament between 1982 and 1998 without managing to celebrate even one victory.
No host nation has failed to reach the second round since the World Cup began 80 years ago and three points for Bafana would set them up for a top-two finish and a place among the 16 survivors.
After being told for eight months by South Africans to make them proud, Parreira believes he can deliver a second-round place although other group rivals France and Uruguay are also ranked among the leading 20 nations.
"I believe if you want to qualify for the second round you have to do something special and for us that would mean in the technical and skills aspects of the game," says Parreira.
"We cannot beat France, Mexico or Uruguay in a physical struggle. My boys have to play well against them with the ball on the ground. This is our big strength. That is what I want the South African team to believe in."
Bafana demonstrated in a draw with Bulgaria last month they can retain the ball while a victory over Colombia suggested the stars can handle the pressure of playing before a huge crowd.
Mandela, headache-inducing plastic vuvuzela trumpets that opponents detest, and a knowledge within the team that an often divided sporting nation has united behind Bafana may inspire Aaron Mokoena and his team to success.
Mexico had an impressive build-up to the tournament that culminated in a 2-1 Brussels triumph over 2006 World Cup winners Italy via goals from Arsenal striker Carlos Vela, and midfielder Alberto Medina.
Like Parreira, coach Javier Aguirre is a wily old fox when it comes to the big time and at least the 1,800-metre Johannesburg altitude will pose no problems for footballers used to performing at such stamina-draining heights.
He is expected to combine young stars like Manchester United-bound striker Javier Hernandez with veterans like recent West Ham United discard Guillermo Franco.
"Mexico have been eliminated in the round of 16 at the last four World Cup tournaments so we want to make history in South Africa by improving as much as possible."
Aguirre was recalled when a Sven Goran Eriksson-led qualifying campaign came off the rails and boasts that youngsters like Vela and Giovani dos Santos of Galatasaray represent the "best generation in Mexican football history".
Key to Match
Itumeleng Khune (RSA) v Guillermo Ochoa (MEX)
The opening World Cup match is often a tight affair offering few scoring opportunities to ultra-cautious rivals. Khune is set to become a goalkeeping giant, but wears a work-in-progress tag. Despite an imposing physique, the South African can struggle with crosses. A strength is his shot-stopping ability. Although Ocha ranks among the leading goalkeepers in the Americas, he struggled at times during an intense warm-up schedule.