Saturday, January 13, 2007
Trip Manual-Thailand 2007
Contents will be updated on a monthly basis, starting in January 2007.
CHAPTER 1
PREFACE
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The Thailand Information Handbook (Handbook) posted on the trip blog represents an introduction to the country and is organized to assist the Habitat team members to familiarize themselves with the country that they will visit. By way of this Trip Manual I present to you a document specifically tailored to cover the various aspects of our trip.
I occasionally will make reference to the Handbook in the Manual or I’ll expand on some information included there.
TRIP PREPARATION
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I highly recommend that you look on the web for anything you can find on Thailand.
Some of the websites that I found to be particularly interesting are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/thailand
http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/th.htm
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
I found also the online version of two Thai newspapers. I suggest that you have a look
at them when you have the chance. They are:
http://www.bangkokpost.net/
http://nationmultimedia.com/
There are various travel books on Thailand. The one I know and recommend is that of Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/). Typically the travel books cover areas that we will not visit. I was lucky enough to find an excellent book which offers a detailed description of the region that we will visit and stay. The book is called “A Guide to Northern Thailand and the Ancient Kingdom of Lanna”, and is written by Michael Freeman. You can order a copy from Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller http://edwardrhamilton.com/.The published price of this book is $24.95. I paid $6.95 plus $3.50 (shipping and handling) for my copy.
DOCUMENTS
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To enter Thailand, you need a passport valid for six months beyond the intended length of stay, and a return ticket. Please check the expiration date of your passport and obtain a new one if the passport that you have has a validity that does not match the Thai authority requirements. US citizens who need a passport can go here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Upon arrival in Thailand, immigration and a declaration forms must be filled out by all passengers. We will submit the declaration form to the customs officer when bringing our luggage through the “green channel” which is the route to be followed by those who have nothing to declare. Information on the Thai customs clearance for passengers can be found at: http://www.thaiembdc.org/info/customs.html
TRAVEL
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I’d like to ask that the day we leave the U.S. we wear the Global Village t-shirts that Habitat sent us. This is a great way to spot each other at the airport.
Those who will travel together will be flying United Airlines roundtrip from Los Angeles to Bangkok. We will arrive in Bangkok at around 11 pm on June 6th. We will go from the airport to a hotel (next month I’ll provide full hotel details including their email address). The following day, June 7, we will visit Bangkok (a van will pick up us at the hotel for the sightseeing). In the evening of June 7 we will take an overnight train with sleeping cars to Lampang. We will arrive there in the morning of June 8. Somebody from Habitat and of the local Affiliate will be at the Lampang train station waiting for us. You can find details on the Thai trains by visiting the following website: http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
I already finalized with the travel agency MTS Travel (www.mtstravel.com) the schedule of a group discount airfare trip for those who will depart together from LA. You can find a copy of the trip schedule below. These are the United Airlines terms and conditions:
-Roundtrip airfare LA (LAX)-Bangkok: US$ 880.00, taxes (subject to change) US$ 259
-Last day to cancel the participation to the trip without incurring in a penalty: March 5
-Tickets to be purchased by May 16.
I’ll contact you to provide payment instructions when the time comes.
I suggest that you leave a copy of the travel itinerary with your family/friends at home.
A word of caution: book your domestic flight (s) to arrive with plenty of time at the airport where you will start your international flight. As a rule, in the US you are required to arrive no less than 3 hours prior your departure. This is critical because the flights are usually oversold and they may not let you aboard if you arrive late, even if you have a valid ticket. If you miss your flight to Thailand, you should go to the desk of the airline company that issued your ticket and request that they put you on another flight.
Once having been assigned to another flight, if you realize that it will be impossible for you to join us at the hotel, or to continue your travel according to your original plan, you could contact me by email at the hotel in Bangkok. You should do that before departing. Based on what you will tell me, I’ll discuss the best solution with Habitat and somebody will meet you at your arrival.
Let me provide you now with some information on the Bangkok Airport from which we will arrive and depart.
The airport name is Suvarnabhumi (pronounced: su-wan-na-poom). The name means “Golden Land”. In reality the airport was built on what used to be a wetland. It is a brand new airport: it was inaugurated in September 2006. Like any new airport, especially those as big as Suvarnabhumi, it has some teething problems like long check-in lines, particularly during peak hours; some unfinished buildings; inadequate sign and so on.
This is the situation as it was reported by The New York Times on an article dated December 24, 2006. Chances are that the situation will gradually improve by the time we will be there in June. I found two interesting websites that offer a good picture of the Suvarnabhumi airport. They are: http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/ and www.e-biz-travel.com/suvarnabhumi.htm
Both websites offer maps of the airport terminals, and description as how the airport operates.
Last but not least, two recommendations and one piece of information. First the recommendations:
-Make a copy of the very last page of your ticket, that that recaps all the legs of the trip. Keep that copy with you, separated from the original booklet. You may need the copy should you lose your ticket(s)
-Keep all of your boarding passes for the entire trip. If your luggage is lost you may need to provide the airline a photocopy of all of them
Now the bit of information:
There is a departing tax in Thailand. It is called “Passenger Service Charge” or PSC. Starting February 1, 2007 the international flights PSC will be THB 700 (about US$20).At present it is THB 500. This tax must be paid before departure at a “PSC Cash Counter” or at a PSC vending machine. It should be paid in local currency. Therefore it will be advisable to go to the airport with enough Baht to pay it.
LUGGAGE
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The lighter you travel on a short mission, the better. Chances are that you have to carry what you pack. I suggest that you access the following website that offers some ideas on packing: www.oratory.com/onebag/home.html
Based on my experience, I suggest that you take with you some baggage with wheels that you do not mind damaging. Old duffel bags are the best. I suggest that the baggage you will carry is mainly utilized for a change of clothing and any items you cannot do without in case your checked-through luggage do not arrive with you.
I urge you to lock your luggage. To do so you should utilize a special combination lock that has been approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Those approved locks can be opened by the airport screeners and re-locked once the content of the luggage has been checked. Some models of these “TSA luggage locks” can be found on: http://ww.safeskieslocks.com
For those traveling from the US, I suggest visiting the TSA site (www.tsa.gov/), when there, go to “Research Center” and click on “Permitted and Prohibited Items”.
You should also check www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm for the items that you are allowed to carry on.
I’ll keep you posted on the Lampang address to write on your luggage tag as soon as I get all the necessary details from the Habitat Office in Thailand.
MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS
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This is an area where I can offer some suggestions and recommendations mainly based on my personal experience. Let me suggest, first of all, that you read the chapter “Security and Health” of the Handbook and check: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm
That way you can have a general idea of what you can expect during your trip. Let me be more specific. The only vaccination requested in Thailand is that for the Yellow Fever, and that is only for those travelers who arrive from infected areas. A vaccination that is advised is that against typhoid. An actual risk that exists in rural areas, especially in forested and hilly areas is malaria. This is something we should carefully consider because we will build in the countryside (some 20-25 miles from Lampang) and our R&R will be in a forested area.
It is advisable that you contact your doctor at least two month before departure for a medical exam. On that occasion you can ask for malaria pills and discuss the possibility of having a vaccination against typhoid. Chances are that the malaria pills your doctor will prescribe you will be Larium. There are a number of “horror” stories about Larium. In reality, based on my experience and at that of dozen of people who were on my previous trips, serious effects like depression and deep anxiety are very rare. Most of us just experienced a more than normal number of night dreams, some of them bizarre. Since no preventive measure is 100% effective, seek medical attention for any fever or flu-like illness occurring 3 months of your return home. Be sure to tell your doctor your travel history.
In addition to anti malaria medications, it is important to avoid mosquito bites. This can be done by using an insect repellant that has at least 25% of the effective ingredient DEET. Mosquitoes are more active at dusk and at down and they can hunt at ankle level, and bite through socks. Therefore you should apply the repellent under the socks too. A good deal of information on how to protect you against mosquitoes can be found at www.cdc.gov/travel, clicking on “Insects and Arthropods protection”.
In terms of medical precautions, it is advisable to keep your hand clean. Water will not necessarily be available when needed. I therefore suggest that you bring and use a hand sanitizer product.
Protect you feet by avoiding being barefoot. Some parasites can enter the body through the feet.
To help to stay in good heath, we will drink bottled water or purified water. While there, you had better drink even if you do not feel you are particularly thirsty. You run the risk of dehydration by doing manual work in tropical areas, due to a loss of water through perspiration.
A few words on food: avoid uncooked vegetables and unpasteurized milk. Eat food that is still hot. Remember the rule: cook it, peel it or drop it.
Finally, do not forget to bring with you any prescription medicines that you frequently take or that your doctor recommend that you take with you. I suggest that you bring with you at least the following items: band aids, malaria pills, treatment for upset stomach, tylenol or aspirin, and antibiotic ointment.
I’ll bring a first aid kit to complement the supply that you will bring along.
Schedule of the roundtrip Los Angeles (LAX) –Bangkok (BKK)
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LEAVE:
United Airlines (891)
_________________________________________________
June 5, 2007 -Depart : 12.34 p.m. Los Angeles, Ca (LAX)
June 6, 2007 -Arrive : 3.55 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
(11 hours, 21 minutes flight)
Change plane. Time between flights : 2hours, 35 minutes.
United Airlines (837)
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June 6, 2007 - Depart 6.30 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
June 6, 2007 - Arrive 11.10 p.m. Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
(6 hours, 40 minutes flight)
Total duration (from LAX): 20 hours, 36 minutes.
RETURN:
United Airlines (838)
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June 20, 2007 - Depart 6.50 a.m. Bangkok (BKK)
June 20, 2007 - Arrive 3.00 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
(6 hours, 10 minutes flight)
Change plane. Time between flights: 1 hours, 55 minutes.
United Airlines (890)
_________________________________________________
June 20, 2007 - Depart 4.55 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
June 20, 2007 – Arrive 10.39 a.m. Los Angeles (LAX)
(9 hours, 44 minutes flight)
Total duration (from BKK) :17hours, 49 minutes
CHAPTER 2
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The items that you should bring on this trip are the subject of this Chapter.
I’ve grouped them into categories. For each of them you will find here below my comments and suggestions.
The Packing list closes the Chapter. It will include the items that I discussed and some more that did not require specific comments or suggestions.
MONEY
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The official currency of Thailand is the Baht, its symbol being THB. The Baht is divided into 100 Satang. Banknotes are in denomination of THB 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denomination of THB 10, 5, and 1, and 50 and 25 satang. There are also 10, 5 and 1 satang coins which are not frequently used.. There is a large number of commemorative coins that are legal tender. Should you want to familiarize with the Thai banknotes and coins, you could access the following website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_baht
A frequent question that I am asked in terms of money is how much of them we should carry on these trips. On this occasion my answer is that we do not have not to carry too much cash since Baht can be withdrawn from ATM machines in Lampang and in Bangkok. In any event banks exchange major currencies and traveler checks in both places. Credit cards (in particular American Express, Master Card and Visa) are widely accepted. Import and export of foreign currency is unlimited. As for Thai currency, the import is unlimited, whereas the maximum amount permitted to take out without a specific authorization is THB 50,000.
In terms of money that you can expect to spend when in Thailand, my answer is that apart from the exit tax (see Chapter 1), and some incidental expenses like snacks and beverages, it would depend on your tendency to shop as I understand that there are all sorts of neat and affordable things to buy in Lampang and in Bangkok. I’ll discuss “shopping” in Chapter 4. My point here is that it will be up to you and to the room you will have in your luggage to decide how much money you want to spend when on this trip.
At present the exchange rate is approx 35 THB for 1 US$, 29 THB for 1 Can$, 22.5 THB for a Singapore $, and 29 THB for 100 Yen.
To find out an updated exchange rate between your national currency and the THB, you could access the following website: http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet
On that website you can obtain a schedule that compares various national currency amounts to the THB equivalent. I suggest that, before leaving, you print an updated version of that schedule and bring it with you. It could help you in orientating when checking prices expressed in THB.
Whereas it would not be strictly necessary, you may want to carry your money and other valuable items in a holster bag under your clothes. It that event you could check the website: www.campmor.com go to “travel” and click on “travel security”.
Speaking of money, I invite you to read the section “Currency and monetary instruments” in the Thailand Information Handbook. In the same manual (section “Cultural Don’ts”), there is a curious reference to the Thai coins and paper money. I invite you to find it and to read it.
CLOTHING & PERSONAL ITEMS
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When choosing the clothing that you should bring with you on the trip you should take into consideration the following points:
-We will stay and operate in a tropical environment. The weather-you will find details in Chapter 3- will be hot and possibly humid.
-The people we will meet and we will work with are modest and follow a traditional way of living.
-We will need a mix of working clothing and regular daily clothing, the latter to be worn when visiting places and spending our free time in Lampang and Bangkok.
Based on the above, these are my suggestions:
Working clothing should be durable, simple, light weight, possibly not white in color, and not of a sentimental value to you.
Recommended dress for women on the working site: skirts well below the knee, full and non-see-through, that do not show the legs above your knees. A good alternative to the shirts that are not be practical when working on a building site, are not tight pants that cover the knees. The best alternates are scrub pants: they are light, durable, comfortable, and cheap. Sleeveless shirts, tank tops, and shorts are not acceptable at work or when visiting Buddhist temples, Churches, and the like. They are alright for casual outings, though.
Recommended dress for men on the working site: it will be acceptable to wear short pants (not very short!). Long durable pants-like denims- would be preferred. Men should wear long pants and shirts with collars when visiting Buddhist temples, Churches and the like.
Atop of the items already mentioned, the following clothing should be worn by women and men when doing construction: T-shirts, sturdy shoes that can stand slippery soil and are practical for walking rugged terrain (heavy work boots are not at all necessary), working gloves, a broad rimmed hat, rain gear (windbreaker and a rain poncho). A folding umbrella is a must. When it possibly rains, everything stops until the usually brief, but torrential shower is over.
A note on laundry: it will be a service offered by the hotel where we will stay or arranged by the Affiliate in Lampang.
Personal items: you will find a list of them in the Packing List that follows. You have a choice to leave home with very few items and to buy what you need in Lampang. If you decide to do so, please keep in mind that the quality of some products (in particular toiletries) may not be what you use back home, therefore, for your own comfort you may chose to bring yours from home. Some items-like film-can definitely be bought in Lampang but you may need some handy to take pictures at your arrival.
These are my suggestions for some personal items:
Toiletries: avoid floral and herbal shampoo. Head &Shoulder is recommended. Do not bring perfumes and aftershave: they would attract unwanted little creeping creatures.
Other items: bring with you some family photos. On some occasions they can be a great piece of conversation particularly with our hosts.
If you want to, bring some your own snacks, but avoid things that might melt or spoil easily.
GIFTS AND TOOLS
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We will not be taking gifts to hand out as this is forbidden by Habitat. Gifts perpetuate the idea that “westerners” are rich and are there to give them hand-outs. Habitat has a policy of forbidding gifts for this very reason. This being said, we can bring something for breaking down the shyness of children .To that end, these are my suggestions: let’s bring some small bottles of bubbles for blowing through a small hand held ring. Children love it!
Chances are that we will visit a school. On that occasion it would be nice to bring something like notebooks and pencils for the children or something like soccer balls (they love soccer in Thailand) for the school. You do not have not to bring any of these items with you. There is a small mall in Lampang with food places and a Wal-Mart-like store called “Big-C”. Should we plan to make a donation to the children or to the school we could get there what we plan to buy.
Sometimes some teams present to the homeowners a gift for the new house. This is something we will discuss when there. The gift could be a rice cooker, an electric fan, or something like that. Those items too, should we decide to make a present to the homeowners, could be found at “Big-C”.
A few words on tools.
They will be available at the building site but new tools are always welcome there. Just in case you have room in your luggage and want to bring some tools, these are the ones that you could bring with you : squares, measuring tapes (they use the metric system), levels, trowels, large brushes, carpenter pencils.
These items too can be bought in Lampang.
Before leaving Lampang, we will collect clothing and other stuff that we do not want to bring back home (among other reasons for doing this, there could be the need of having room in our luggage to bring some souvenir with us). The items that we will collect will be presented to the Habitat representative for auctioning them off and raising funds for house building.
Please understand: you are in no obligation to bring or to buy gifts and/or tools. Do not feel guilty if you don’t, or if you cannot. Just bringing yourself and working there will be a tremendous gift for the local community and the Affiliate.
PACKING LIST
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Documents and financial means
___________________________
-Passport (and a copy to keep separated from it)
-Airline tickets (and a copy to keep separated from them)
-A copy of your prescriptions (if any)
-A copy of the itinerary (leave another copy with family/friends)
-A copy of your own packing list
-A copy of the Short Term Mission Manual
-The team biographies and pictures
-Cash
-Credit Card ( a part of your trip fee covers the cost of a very comprehensive overseas health insurance plan. This includes emergency medical treatment, air evacuation, and other emergencies. I recommend carrying a credit card as expenses are usually paid upfront and than reimbursed)
-An underclothing security pouch for carrying your valuable items (suggested)
Clothing and related items
____________________________
-Daily work clothes: T-shirts, underwear, slacks, hospital scrubs (men), skirts (women), sturdy work gloves, hat, bandana, socks, sturdy shoes
-Evening/Sunday outfit: shirts, underwear, pants, socks shoes, a fleece or a sweatshirt
-Other: “flip flops”/sandals, windbreaker/poncho, light weight jacket, folding umbrella, handkerchiefs.
Toiletries and health care items
______________________________
-Tooth paste, tooth brush, dental floss, tooth picks
-A little mirror and a comb
-Nail clipper, tweezers, a pocket knife (optional)
-Insect repellent, disinfecting spray
-Hand sanitizer
-Sun screen, sun glasses
-Contact lens supply and reading glasses (if needed)
-A simple first aid kit (for its content, please refer to last paragraph of the “Medical Precautions” section in Chapter 1)
-Ladies: feminine hygiene items
-Gentlemen: razors and shaving cream
Personal Items
______________________________
-Guidebook, information on the country
-Family/friend addresses (e-mail, snail mail, telephone numbers)
-Journal note book, pens, pencils
-Games, cards, paper back
-Small sewing kit and pins
-Camera, films, and batteries
-Flash light, and batteries (optional)
-Pictures of your home, your family and so on
-A knapsack or a bag to carry items to the building site
Sundry
_________________________________
-Some people might want to bring snacks, dry biscuits etc.
-Holster bag
-Zip lock bags (various sizes)
-Gifts (optional)
-Tools (optional)
CHAPTER 3
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So far (in Chapter 1 and 2) I discussed the trip preparation and what to bring on the trip. It’s now time to “land in Thailand” so to speak, and to introduce to what we can expect there, where we will go, and what we will see.
ITINERARY
The place where we will spend most of our time in Thailand is in the Northern part of the country. To help you to familiarize yourself with that area, I’ve added a map of Northern Thailand to the blog.
The place where the entire team will gather is Bangkok. Most of us will arrive there together from Los Angeles, others will travel independently from the group. The latter will meet the group at the airport or at the hotel where we will spend the night of June 6. The name of the hotel is Bangkok Centre Hotel- 328 Rama IV Rd. Details and information on the hotel, particularly helpful for those who will join us there, can be found on its website: http://www.hotelthailand.com/bangkok/bangkokcentre/index.html
Needless to say, I expect that those who will travel independently from the group will provide me with their detailed trip plan.
The morning of June 7 we will start tour of Bangkok. The Habitat office in Bangkok will provide a vehicle and a tourist guide for us. I’m confident that this will be an interesting way to start getting acquainted with the Thai reality. In the evening of June 7 the tour guide will drop us off at the train station. We will then take an air conditioned sleeper that should depart at 7.40pm. The Habitat office will buy the train ticket for us.
The Thai train website (which I already provided you by way of an email) is:
http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
We should arrive in Lampang the following morning, June 8, between 6 and 7 am. A website on Lampang you could check is: http://www.thai-tour.com/eng/lampang/introduction.html
Some Habitat representatives will be at the station. They will accompany us to our hotel: the Regent Lodge, whose website is: http://www.regentthailand.com/indexlam.php
I suggest that you provide your family and friends with this website for them to know the place we will stay.
A Habitat team was at the Regent Lodge last June. I asked the team leader to let me have some comments on the hotel. She told me “We did not eat dinner there but our rate included breakfast. I though that the hotel was very nice, it had the tile floors and fine beds, hot water showers and western toilets. All the rooms also came with air conditioning and refrigerators (and a bottle of water per person each day). They also left soap and q-tips and such for us in the bathroom each day. We had double rooms. The hotel has laundry service, very convenient and well done-drop it off downstairs in the morning and it’ll be folded and in your room when you return. Their website now says that they have internet access (though there is an internet café down the street for very low rates as well). I would also add that the hotel was very trustworthy, we did not have any problem with theft and we left valuable in our rooms. There were bugs in the rooms at times, tell your team in advance, but I would expect that it would be expected in this type of climate…there were also those little lizards on the wall...but they were good at keeping the bugs away : ) . One last thing about the hotel: there is a 7-11 a few doors down which was GREAT for ice cream treats at night!”
Back to our itinerary. On June 8 we will have an orientation session, the opportunity to familiarize with the local affiliate members, to have a Lampang sightseeing, and a welcome dinner in the evening. On June 9 we will start working at the building site. On Sunday, June 10 we most likely will visit places around Lampang. We will re-start our building activity on June 11. “Construction” is a topic that I’ll discuss next month (Chapter 4). On this occasion I just want to mention that the building site will be an approximately 40 minute drive away from Lampang. Based on how the work will progress, we will consider a visit to places of interest in the Lampang area. In any event we will work up to June 16. Let me discuss now the segment of itinerary that is about our R&R. We will spend one day, June 17, at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (Center). We will have there a so called “1 Day Elephant Riding Program” .The center is located 38 Km from Lampang. It is indicated on the Northern Thailand map that I posted on the web.
Details on the Program that I mentioned could be found at: http://www.thailandelephant.org/eng/activity3.php3
Should you be interested in knowing something on the Thai elephants, you could access the following website: http://www.chiangmai-thai.com/elephant.htm
Since the Center is not far away from Lampang, we will return to our hotel in the evening of June 17. On June 18 we will have the “house dedication” ceremony, a farewell lunch or dinner, and in the evening we will take a night train (air conditioned sleeper) to Bangkok. We will arrive in Bangkok in the early morning of June 19. The train station will not be far away from the place we will stay: Grand China Princess Hotel. Hotel details can be found at: http://www.bangkok.com/grandchina-princess/
I’ll discuss at the next section of this Chapter (Bangkok layover) my suggested visit of the area close to the hotel.
June 19 will be the last day in Thailand for those who travel with the “group”. We will depart to Los Angeles in the early morning of June 20.
This is a recap of the itinerary:
Tuesday ……….June 5: departure from Los Angeles
Wednesday ……June 6: arrival in Bangkok
Thursday……….June 7: Bangkok. Departure to Lampang in the evening
Friday…………..June 8: Lampang. Orientation
Saturday………..June 9: building
Sunday…………June 10: sightseeing
Monday……….. June 11- Saturday , June 16 :building
Sunday………… June 17: Elephant Center
Monday……… June 18: House dedication. Departure to Bangkok in the evening
Tuesday…………June 19: Bangkok
Wednesday……...June 20: departure for home or continuation of the stay in Thailand.
BANGKOK LAYOVER
I decided to write a full section of this Chapter on our layover in Bangkok for providing some information on the tour that we will have on June 7 and some suggestions on how to spend our free time there after the building experience in Lampang.
Before entering into details of our visit, let me offer you a broad introduction to the city. Bangkok is not just the capital of Thailand and a mega city (1990 pop.8.5 million): it is also one of the country 75 districts. Its formal name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or in short Maha Nakhon. The English translation of its name is “The City of the Angels”.
As a matter of fact, the full name is quite longer than just Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.
Should you want have a look at it (and to realize how hard it is to read it), you should go to: http://www.intoasia.com/bangkok/introduction/fullname.php
On Bangkok I suggest that you check the following website: http://bangkok.sawadee.com
Back to our visit on June 7. On that day we will try to get acquainted to the Thai reality by visiting the National Museum, some markets, some temples, and other places of interest. At present I am discussing the details of our visit there with the local Habitat office. As far as our June 19 stay is concerned, I choose to stay at the Grand China Princess because it is strategically located close to the former Royal District, a place that Bangkok visitors do not want to miss. It is close as well to the “must see” Bangkok area. The hotel is located in the Chinatown district of Bangkok. It is some 300 yards away from the Tha Ratchawung boat station on the river Chao Phraya. The fourth upstream station from Tha Ratchawung is Tha Chang. That is a recommended starting point for visiting the former Royal District, whose name is Ko Ratanakosin.
According to the Lonely Planet book on Thailand (11th Edition) the Ko Ratanakosin area is “filled with gleaming temples and bustling markets” (page 136). Since we will have a chance to visit some temples in Thailand, I’d like to say mention a few things on this subject. Temples are sacred places that command a dress code and a respectful behavior. The dress should include shits with sleeves, long pants or long shirts, and closed toes shoes. Shoes should be removed before entering the main chapels or sanctuaries. When sitting in front of a Buddha figure, the feet should be tucked behind to avoid the highly offensive pose of pointing them toward a revered image. It should be avoided to pose in front of a Buddha image for a picture. Visitors should make a donation before leaving a temple.
Ko Ratanakosin can be found on any tourist map of Bangkok. If you have the Lonely Planet book you can find it at page 120. A description of the place can be found at page 136. Should you want to familiarize with the Bangkok boat transportation system, you could find some information at page 183 and 134. The Grand China Princess hotel location offers an alternate solution to those who would not be interested in visiting historical places: a walking tour of Chinatown. Some websites:
On Ko Ratanakosin : http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-palace/grandpalace.html
On the suggested Chinatown tour:
http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/thai_article/1917_bangkok_chinatown/bangkok_chinatown.html
Needless to say, you can decide to visit other places should so you wish to do. Regardless of what you plan to do when in Bangkok, just keep in mind that the name “City of the Angels” is not necessarily well deserved. As a matter of fact, in Bangkok you should be prepared to deal with smart, nice, unscrupulous individuals who make a living at the expenses of tourists. Should you want to get an idea of how they operate, you could visit: http://www.bangkokguidebook.com/tourist_police.php
If you have the Lonely Planet book on Thailand you could read on this topic at page 99 (Dangers and annoyances), and page 728 (Prelude to a rip-off). It is my understanding that the favorite targets of these unscrupulous individuals are the tourists who travel alone and who have just arrived in the country (hence they approach their potential victims with a question on when they arrived). My suggestion: should you be approached by an unknown nice person who starts asking, among other questions, when you arrived in Thailand, answer “one month”. Moreover you may want to ask somebody of the team to accompany you rather then visiting places alone.
CLIMATE
I focus here on the Lampang area because it is there that we will spend almost all the time we will stay in Thailand. Do not expect a very different weather in Bangkok. When compared to Lampang, Bangkok is supposed to have a warmer and a more humid weather.
Lampang is situated in a valley where a river (Wang) flows. Wang is the major tributary of the Chao Phraya river which, in turn, crosses Bangkok. Lampang is bordered by two ranges: the Khumtan on the West and the Pi-Pan-Num on the East. Those ranges offer the beneficial effect of offering some shelter from the rain. As a result Lampang receives less precipitation than its neighboring provinces.
We will arrive there at the end of the hot season and at the very beginning of the rainy one. The former lasts from March to June, the latter from July to October. We can expect a hot and humid weather. The average temperature during the month of June is included between 77 and 90 F (25 and 32C). In general the rain occurs during the afternoon and the evenings and does not last very long. Since we will arrive close to the change of the seasons, chances are that we will get a bit of the one that is finishing and of the other that has yet to start. In other words, we could experience either a set of sunny days or of a set of rainy ones. I asked the local Habitat if the weather could effect our building activity. I am told that it should not since they will build a sort of roof for keeping dry those involved in the construction in case of rain. I found as well that the vehicle to be utilized from the daily trip from Lampang to the building site and back should be a pick-up truck with benches on either side and a cover attached. A good idea would be to wear a poncho when on the pick-up truck for staying dry if it should rain when traveling.
There is a website you could check before the departure to Thailand. It offers a five day forecast for a number of locations around the world, including Bangkok and Lampang. By accessing it, you can have an idea of how the weather will be at our arrival. The website is: http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER
You should click on Asia, select “Thailand”, and after that choose Bangkok and/or
Lampang.
CULTURAL CUSTOMS
The appreciation cultures different from ours implies interest, tolerance, politeness, and common sense. It implies as well some knowledge of the principles around which those cultures evolved. I‘ll try to explain to you those principles that regulate Thai culture. Thai culture evolved around Buddhism, a religion that praises tolerance and respect. To tolerate everybody and everything without creating rules or assigning priorities can open the avenue to lack of respect and anarchy. That is the reason why the “Thai tolerance” evolved around unwritten rules that gently directed the people toward the respect for institutions and for each other.
Samples of the rules that regulate the social life in Thailand can be found in the Cultural Links of Thailand section of the Information Handbook. Please read them carefully. We are supposed to be aware of them and to follow them when in Thailand. To better understand the principles that regulate those rules, we have to imagine the Thai society like a hypothetical pyramid whose top is made of the most respected institutions and people. Monarchy, religion, and their representatives are the top of that pyramid. Never fool with them: they are considered sacred entities.
I’ve already mentioned how to behave when in a temple. Let me give you a hint of how highly the monarchy is thought of: the penalty for lease-majesty is seven year’s imprisonment in Thailand. The concept of monarchy is linked to that of nationhood. It is considered a grave insult to it and the monarchy not to stop whatever you are doing and to stand when the national anthem is broadcasted by radio and TV. That occurs twice a day, at 8am and at 6pm. Public loudspeakers connected to the radio are installed in the town and village streets to allow everybody to pay respect to the king and the country. The next level of this hypothetical pyramid belongs to the senior people. Seniority in the Thai culture is not necessarily related to the age of an individual. The concept of “wealth” or that of “power” prevails over that of age. A young wealth person is more senior than an older one who is not so rich .Respect to senior people comes with a burden to them. They are supposed to take care the “commoners” who are in need. These rules do not strictly apply to foreigners. On the other hand, do not be surprised if somebody asks you what your age is. Most likely that person is trying to figure out how you should be considered.
The last but not least level of this hypothetical pyramid belongs to the commoners. Like everybody else, they tend to keep their feelings inside, to stay calm regardless the situation, and not display anger. Minor misdeeds are overlooked, and major offences are dealt with as discreetly as possible. In other words they are tolerant.
Worth mentioning is another side of the Thai social behavior. They are obsessed by the idea of not loosing face. Their reaction when something goes wrong as somebody is running into the risk of loosing face is to laugh. That way everybody can pretend that nothing happened. Do not get offended if somebody laughs when a blunder or a mishap occurs to you. The idea behind that laugh is to help you not loose your face.
A few words now on some social conventions:
Western visitors will generally receive an handshake on meeting someone. A Thai will be greeted with the traditional “wai”: close hands and a slight bow of the head. The wai has several functions: saying hello, showing respect to a senior person, and asking forgiveness. It is always appreciated and must be reciprocated.
Cleanliness and neatness are important. Most Thai keep themselves scrupulously clean and dress modestly but respectably.
A common assumption in Thailand is that foreigners are rich and should therefore pay higher prices than locals. You will find that in some places there will be a two-tiered pricing systems.
There are some “good table manners” in the Thai etiquette. I’ll discuss them next time at section “Accommodation” of Chapter 4.
LANGUAGE
The official language of Thailand (the Thai or Pasa Thai) is a dialect that is spoken and written in the central part of the country and that has been adopted as second dialect everywhere else.
Apart from the Central dialect, there are three more widely spoken and a number of others spoken by minorities or tribal groups. The other three major dialects are the Northern Thai (that is spoken, among other places, in Lampang and surrounding areas), the Northeastern Thai of the provinces bordering Laos and Cambodia, and the Southern Thai that is spoken in the Southern districts up to the Malaysian border.
Thai is not an easy language to speak mainly because a single syllable may be altered by means of five different tones, and depending on the tone (low, mid, falling, high, rising), that syllable can have a different meaning. Having said this, I do not intend to discourage you from learning and using some basic words. On the contrary: people there will be impressed and very much pleased to hear a foreigner (farang) to say a few words in their own language. Chances are that most of our initial tentative attempts to say something in Thai will be welcomed a by laugh. Should that be the case, remember that the apparent amusement is a sign of appreciation, and a way to say that mistakes are forgiven and you did not loose your face in making some.
Transliteration from Thai script to roman can be confusing since there aren’t any clear rules as how to do it. Subsequently, a Thai word may have several spellings. Rather then suggesting you to check some website where Thai sentences are transliterated in different ways and translated into English, I am attach here a list of simple, basic words and sentences that I received from the Habitat office in Bangkok. These are the Habitat transliterations.
As you can see, their list includes a number of words that are related to the building activity. It should be fun to impress our co-worker there with our broken construction Thai words! Don’t you think so?
CHAPTER 4
==================
Having discussed where we will go and what we will see (Chapter 3), it is now time to focus on Lampang and on what we will do there.
IN LAMPANG
During our stay in Lampang we will have to deal with a number of people who will work with us at the building site. Most of them will be members of the local Habitat Affiliate. An Affiliate is an independent, local organization that carries out HFH’s mission in the area where it operates. The Affiliate should be composed of diverse group of concerned individuals from the community where a housing project can be implemented.
The Affiliate is primarily responsible for managing site-specific programs. It mobilizes committees to conduct family selection and community organizing, supervise construction, raise funds and recruit volunteers. It is the local Affiliate’s responsibility to meet with the community where the team will operate to give a briefing of the pending visit.
A typical day in Lampang will start with a breakfast at the Hotel, a transfer to the working site and, after a short prayer/meditation, the work. We will have our lunch at the working site and our dinner at a restaurant in Lampang. I suggest that at meal-time we follow Thai etiquette out of respect for our hosts. The basic rule has to do with the use of the spoon and fork. The spoon is the only utensil to push food into one’s mouth. The fork is used to steer the food into the spoon if necessary. To put a fork into our mouth would be almost as strange in Thailand as it would be for someone to put a knife in their mouth here in the States. Incidentally, there will be no knives on the table because the food is diced before cooking. At lunch time each individual will receive a plate of rice and a soup bowl. It is the customary at the start of a meal to eat a spoonful of plain rice first, a gesture to recognize the importance of rice in the Thai cuisine and culture. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served in common platters all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combination of different tastes. A typical meal might include a soup, a steamed dish, a fried dish, a hot salad, a variety of dipping sauces, and sweet desserts and/or fresh fruits. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with rice and other dishes, not independently. Something specific about the Thai national specialties can be found at: http://thailand.iexplore.com/dmap/Thailand/Dining
The polite way to eat is to take as much as you can eat in one or two mouthfuls, savor it and then move to another flavor. Take your time and try everything but always leave some food on the serving platter as well as on your plate. Leaving nothing implies that your host did not feed you enough.
In Chapter 3 I discussed the Thai cultural customs. Let me revisit that topic in light of our stay in Lampang and at the building site.
-We should be always courteous, speak softly, and greet the people we meet.
-We should ask permission before taking pictures of individuals and their property.
-Should we go places, we will in general go together. I ask you to inform Diana or me if you decide to go somewhere by yourselves
-If in doubt about how to behave or act, ask the Habitat representative and keep us (Diana or me) posted.
-Dress modestly
-People must refrain from hand holding or showing affection in public.
-Report to Diana or I any situation that makes you uncomfortable. You can inform us in private or during the evening team gathering.
-Please show appreciation for what the people we will deal with will do for us and show them respect.
CONSTRUCTION
Our building activity will start with a short orientation by a construction professional who will work side by side with some skilled workers, our team, the future homeowners and other local people. Once everybody has the basic understanding of what to do and how to do it, we will be separated into units with specific tasks. They may include mixing cement, carrying and laying cinder hollow blocks, digging, plastering, etc.
The houses built by Habitat in Thailand have a cement floor, steel frames, and walls made of cinder clocks with plaster finish. The roofs are made of corrugated metal. The houses are about 36 square meters (some 188 square feet).
Chances are that we will work on two different houses. This might mean that the team will be split into two units. It is also possible that the houses are not close one to the other. In some instances the house foundations are already in place at our arrival. Sometimes the construction area has just been cleared, in other instances the construction is already in progress. Regardless the situation we will find, I wish to share with you an hint on a construction involving cinder blocks. Those of you who are not familiar with brick-laying, will soon realize that it is a more complex task that it might seem look like. It must be done in a certain way, the work must be constantly checked and even minor mistakes are not allowed since their effect gets multiplied if not corrected. Do not be frustrated or offended if the supervisor asks you to take out several bricks that you patiently and proudly laid. Just appreciate that in the end we will leave behind a construction that was made according the proper specifications.
At the beginning of our building some delays and work stoppages can be expected because of the excitement and curiosity created by our presence, as well as our initial adjustment to a task we are not familiar with.
Our local co-workers will probably approach the building activity with a sense of playfulness that in Thai is called “sa’nu’k”. That does not mean that the Thai people do not take the work seriously. It means that anything worth doing must be approached with some element of “fun” otherwise it becomes drudgery.
SAFETY TIPS
Apart from some very minor incidents that were fixed by way of a band-aid, I do not recollect anything serious that happened to the teams that I led in the past. This does not means that risks do not exist. In my opinion it means that the team members followed the instructions that they received. Those instructions can be summarized into being constantly alert in spotting and avoiding potential dangerous situations, and using sound judgment in any circumstance. More specifically, these are some safety tips based on my experience. I ask you to keep them in mind when we will be on the work site:
=We will operate in a tropical area. While working there we will lose fluids more rapidly than we are used to. To stabilize our body’s system, we will have to drink frequently, even if we do not feel thirsty.
=Scaffoldings: before using them, ask the person in charge (the construction supervisor or the person in charge of the team) to make a stability and a weight supporting check. Use solid material for building them. When a long scaffolding is used, put a support in the middle. Do not stand on the edge unless somebody else is on the other edge. Do not move from your position unless you have first alerted the individual who is standing on the opposite side. Do not climb scaffolding if you do not feel comfortable working on it. Descend immediately if you feel unsafe and/or uncomfortable.
=Ladders: before using a ladder, be sure it is on solid, level ground, that it can support your weight included the material that you are possibly carrying, and that it is positioned in an area where it does not represent an obstacle to other people or where it could be hit by somebody. Remember to move your ladder with your work. Do not make the mistake of extending your body too much out of the ladder frame.
=The building area must be kept clean from unnecessary material, tools, scraps. My suggestion is to spend your spare time collecting and disposing of any building materials that are not being utilized. Do the same with the garbage that should be collected on a separate spot from the building material. The building material that should be utilized should be piled according to size and type of material.
=Chances are that we will experience minor cuts and scratches. In those events, we should stop working, wash the cut/scratch with bottled water, and to contact the person who has the first aid kit for any needed action.
=Dressing appropriately for work will be important. Please do not arrive on the building site wearing sandals or open-toed shoes. Wear comfortable clothes, bring and use working gloves, wear a cap. Keep a bandana handy.
=Last but not least: concentrate on what you are doing. Distraction and overconfidence are responsible for most of the situations when something goes wrong.
HOMEOWNER PROFILE:
GENERAL INFORMATION
Host Affiliate Lampang
Date of Build: June 6 - 21, 2007
Name: Mrs. Supen Thaokhamlure Age 33
Occupation: Employee at the fruit factory
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s name Mr. Jitpanu Thaokhamlure
Children Kwanrutai Thaokhamlure (Girl)
Other members 1. Noi Khamsan (Mother) 2. Chuen Khamsan (Father)
Address 20 Moo13, Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang.
Mrs. Suphen was born in Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang. Her house where she and her family are now living in is A governmental house. She and her family do not have their own house. Moreover, she has to take care her parents. Her husband moved to Bangkok to work as a driver to earn money for buying their own land. Mrs. Suphen’s family thus far has bought their own land which belonged to their relative before. For this reason, they want to build a new house for their parents and their son to live well.
After paying the family’s expenses each month, Mrs. Suphen has life savings which are not big money. Consequently, she would like to ask for support in house building. Her family does not have their own house, still living in the governmental house. As of now, the family has already bought the land, so they need only the house.
The family in the governmental house.
The land on which to build the new house.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Host Affiliate Lampang
Date of Build: June 6 - 21, 2007
HOME OWNER INFORMATION
Name: Mrs. Fong Kamdee
Age: 43
Occupation: Domesticating animals
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s name: Mr. Vinai Kamdee
Children: Kwanrutai Thaokhamlure (Girl)
Other members: 1. Mr. Panom Kamdee 2. Miss Supansa Kamdee
Address: 11 Moo15, Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang.
Mrs. Fong was born in Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang. Her house where she and her family are now living in was built more than 25 years ago. Moreover, there are many termites that are ruining the house and its roof, and its toilet is terrible and not clean enough.
There are 3 people in her family. Her son has moved out to work in another province. Her daughter is going to be a teenager, so she needs her own private room. Thus, this house is too small, not strong and not safe enough. Sometimes Mrs. Fong’s husband has to work in another province for many months, so the house is not safe enough for only 2 women live alone.
After paying the family’s expense each month, Mrs. Fong has life savings which are not big money. Consequently, she would like to ask for help to build a new house which will be located in her own same place.
Inside the house.
Around the house.
CHAPTER 5
CONTACT INFORMATION
Preface: phone numbers will be mentioned more than once in this chapter. They have eight digits in Thailand. To dial a domestic phone, the local phone number there must be preceded by “0”. When dialing Thailand from outside, you must dial first whatever international access code is necessary (e.g. if calling from the US, the access code would be “011”), followed by “66” (which is the Thai country code, valid for any locations), and then the eight digit local phone number .
“Contacts” work in different ways: from you to your family/friends, from them to you and from us to third parties in the country. My purpose here is to offer some information for dealing with those various kinds of contacts.
Contacts with your family/friends: most likely the hotel we will stay will have an email service .In any event if it will be necessary, we will stop at an internet café on June 7, the day of our Bangkok sightseeing.
I am told that in Lampang our hotel has an internet facility. Internet cafés are present anyhow in Lampang.
Contact from your family friends: the phone number of the Bangkok Centre Hotel where we will stay on June 7 is 2238-4848. When in Lampang, the phone number of the Regent Hotel is 5432-3388. An alternate way to contact us is to get in touch with the in-country HFH representatives. They are: Benjaporn (Candi) Montonchaikul who is in Bangkok, and Malinie (Aor) Rauntong in Chiang Mai.
Candi’s phone number is 2711-6942 ext.110, the fax is: 2711-6937, her email address gv [at] habitatthailand.org. Aor’s phone and fax number is 5324-6147. Her cell phone: 89 755 8703, her email: hrcnorthhfht [at] yahoo.com
Needless to say, you should give a copy of this Chapter to those who could be interested in calling you. I suggest that before calling, they check the current time in Thailand at: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_TH.aspx (they will find that, for example, Saturday 4pm in the US West Coast is equivalent to Sunday 3am in Thailand). Let them know as well that we will be in the Hotel (in Lampang) early in the morning, in the late afternoon, and in the evenings.
Our contact with third parties in Thailand: apart from our contact with the Habitat Representatives, we could need the services and assistance of the Embassy of our Country. Their addresses, phone and fax numbers are the following:
The Canada Embassy
15th floor, Abdulrahim Place, 990 Rama IV Road, Bangkok, Bangkok 10500
Tel : 2636-0560, fax: 2636-0568
The Embassy of Japan
1674 New Petchburi Road, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 10310
Tel: 2252-6151-9, fax 2255-6999, 2258-6877
Embassy of the Republic of Singapore
129 South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120
Tel: 2286-2111, 2213-1261, 2287-5115, fax: 2287-2578
U.S. Embassy
120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
Tel: 2205-4000
There is as well a US Consulate in Chiang Mai :
Vidhyanond Road , Tel: 5325-2629, fax: 5325-2633
As part of the “contact information” the data that you should write on your baggage tag are:
Your name
Regent Hotel
279/3 Phaholyothin RD. T. Huaweang A. Maung
Lampang, Thailand 52000
Tel: (66) 5432-3338
TRIP ABROAD REGISTRATION
I suggest that those of us who are not US citizens check if their countries have in place a registration systems for those who travel abroad. Should that system exist, I invite them to register themselves. Those of us who are US citizens should spend a few minutes to fill out the “Travel Registration” fields of the following US Department of State website: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/
All of us, regardless our nationality, should indicate the following address for a possible contacts in Thailand:
Habitat for Humanity (Thailand)
SSP Tower, 15 Floor, 555 Ekamai Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Phone: +66 (0) 2711-6942
Fax: +66(0) 2711-6937
Please get in touch with me should you have any questions on the trip registration.
TEAM MEETINGS
Our normal meetings will take place in the morning, in the evening, and at the conclusion of our mission trip. Not scheduled meetings could take place any time when needed.
In the morning: whereas Habitat is opened to everybody, regardless of their beliefs, religious/personal orientations, and so on, it is still a Christian organization. As such there will be a time, just before starting to work, for a short reflection/devotion. Everybody will be invited to attend but it will be up to you to participate or not. I would just appreciate that those of you who would like to, to come prepared for possibly leading a short reflection or devotion in one or more of our morning meetings. Chances are that some of the local people want to say a prayer or read something for us. Needless to say, they would be welcome.
In the evening: usually the meetings will take place after dinner. They are a vital part of our mission trip. They will offer us a chance to discuss our experience, to plan our work, to make suggestions, to clear up possible problems, and in the process to get to know each other better. I noted that on those occasions the team tends to listen to me rather than to talk. Please surprise me! Come to these meetings with some ideas, feelings, and suggestions. After all, you will have the entire day to think about something to say. Once the meetings are be over, we will have an occasion to entertain ourselves us by way of group games. As a matter of fact, if you have a favorite game, bring it with you. A deck of regular cards is a good idea too. Needless to say, we will have time in the evening to read a book, to talk, to write and so on.
At the conclusion of our mission trip: a meeting will be held before our return to Bangkok. The purpose of this final meeting will be to discuss our experience, and to collect ideas and suggestions. This time of “closure” will offer us a chance to put in perspective all the incredible things which have been happening to us, both emotionally and spiritually, as a result of the trip. Likewise it is the case with the evening meetings, I expect that on this occasion too you will want to participate by expressing your ideas and feelings. On the occasion of this last meeting I’ll distribute Global Village Evaluation Forms that you will be requested to fill out.
Something not strictly related to our meetings, rather to our community life there, is a “Team Journal”. The idea is to give each of us a chance to write something (serious, funny, and in between) on our experience. I tested for the first time this idea in Samoa last year. The result was amazing. We got the best outcome when some of us suggested the “entries” and one wrote them down. I still have the list of the “Top 10 things about building a house” (it included #8: “Strangers donating cupcakes & cookies”, # 5:” Scraping bark with machetes.” The # 1 was “The kids!”). We had as well a list of “Top 10 phrases” and the “Top 10 things we love about our hotel”. Trust me, guys, it was fun to discuss what to include in those lists.
I’ll provide the Journal book and if the project takes off, I’ll type the Journal entries when back home and let you have a copy of the writing.
Let me conclude this “manual” with a commitment. It is my strong desire to help you to have the best possible experience, hopefully the most wonderful of your life. I’ve worked hard so far to that end, and I’ll continue to do it until the end of our mission trip. Needless to say your cooperation will be crucial for the success of our project. Let me then remind you that we should go on this trip with an open mind, an open heart, maturity and a little patience, cheerfulness and nonjudgmental attitude, good sense of humor, and respect for everybody.
Contents will be updated on a monthly basis, starting in January 2007.
Chapter 1- January
–Preface
-Trip preparation
-Documents
-Travel
-Luggage
-Medical precautions
Chapter 2- February
-Money
-Clothing & Personal Items
-Gifts and tools
-Packing list
Chapter 3- March
-Itinerary
-
-Climate
-Cultural custom
Chapter 4- April
-In Lampang
-Construction
-Safety tips
Chapter 5- May
-Contact information
-
-Insurance
-Team meetings
CHAPTER 1
PREFACE
------------------------
The Thailand Information Handbook (Handbook) posted on the trip blog represents an introduction to the country and is organized to assist the Habitat team members to familiarize themselves with the country that they will visit. By way of this Trip Manual I present to you a document specifically tailored to cover the various aspects of our trip.
I occasionally will make reference to the Handbook in the Manual or I’ll expand on some information included there.
TRIP PREPARATION
----------------------------
I highly recommend that you look on the web for anything you can find on Thailand.
Some of the websites that I found to be particularly interesting are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/thailand
http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/th.htm
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
I found also the online version of two Thai newspapers. I suggest that you have a look
at them when you have the chance. They are:
http://www.bangkokpost.net/
http://nationmultimedia.com/
There are various travel books on Thailand. The one I know and recommend is that of Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/). Typically the travel books cover areas that we will not visit. I was lucky enough to find an excellent book which offers a detailed description of the region that we will visit and stay. The book is called “A Guide to Northern Thailand and the Ancient Kingdom of Lanna”, and is written by Michael Freeman. You can order a copy from Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller http://edwardrhamilton.com/.The published price of this book is $24.95. I paid $6.95 plus $3.50 (shipping and handling) for my copy.
DOCUMENTS
----------------------
To enter Thailand, you need a passport valid for six months beyond the intended length of stay, and a return ticket. Please check the expiration date of your passport and obtain a new one if the passport that you have has a validity that does not match the Thai authority requirements. US citizens who need a passport can go here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Upon arrival in Thailand, immigration and a declaration forms must be filled out by all passengers. We will submit the declaration form to the customs officer when bringing our luggage through the “green channel” which is the route to be followed by those who have nothing to declare. Information on the Thai customs clearance for passengers can be found at: http://www.thaiembdc.org/info/customs.html
TRAVEL
---------------------
I’d like to ask that the day we leave the U.S. we wear the Global Village t-shirts that Habitat sent us. This is a great way to spot each other at the airport.
Those who will travel together will be flying United Airlines roundtrip from Los Angeles to Bangkok. We will arrive in Bangkok at around 11 pm on June 6th. We will go from the airport to a hotel (next month I’ll provide full hotel details including their email address). The following day, June 7, we will visit Bangkok (a van will pick up us at the hotel for the sightseeing). In the evening of June 7 we will take an overnight train with sleeping cars to Lampang. We will arrive there in the morning of June 8. Somebody from Habitat and of the local Affiliate will be at the Lampang train station waiting for us. You can find details on the Thai trains by visiting the following website: http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
I already finalized with the travel agency MTS Travel (www.mtstravel.com) the schedule of a group discount airfare trip for those who will depart together from LA. You can find a copy of the trip schedule below. These are the United Airlines terms and conditions:
-Roundtrip airfare LA (LAX)-Bangkok: US$ 880.00, taxes (subject to change) US$ 259
-Last day to cancel the participation to the trip without incurring in a penalty: March 5
-Tickets to be purchased by May 16.
I’ll contact you to provide payment instructions when the time comes.
I suggest that you leave a copy of the travel itinerary with your family/friends at home.
A word of caution: book your domestic flight (s) to arrive with plenty of time at the airport where you will start your international flight. As a rule, in the US you are required to arrive no less than 3 hours prior your departure. This is critical because the flights are usually oversold and they may not let you aboard if you arrive late, even if you have a valid ticket. If you miss your flight to Thailand, you should go to the desk of the airline company that issued your ticket and request that they put you on another flight.
Once having been assigned to another flight, if you realize that it will be impossible for you to join us at the hotel, or to continue your travel according to your original plan, you could contact me by email at the hotel in Bangkok. You should do that before departing. Based on what you will tell me, I’ll discuss the best solution with Habitat and somebody will meet you at your arrival.
Let me provide you now with some information on the Bangkok Airport from which we will arrive and depart.
The airport name is Suvarnabhumi (pronounced: su-wan-na-poom). The name means “Golden Land”. In reality the airport was built on what used to be a wetland. It is a brand new airport: it was inaugurated in September 2006. Like any new airport, especially those as big as Suvarnabhumi, it has some teething problems like long check-in lines, particularly during peak hours; some unfinished buildings; inadequate sign and so on.
This is the situation as it was reported by The New York Times on an article dated December 24, 2006. Chances are that the situation will gradually improve by the time we will be there in June. I found two interesting websites that offer a good picture of the Suvarnabhumi airport. They are: http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/ and www.e-biz-travel.com/suvarnabhumi.htm
Both websites offer maps of the airport terminals, and description as how the airport operates.
Last but not least, two recommendations and one piece of information. First the recommendations:
-Make a copy of the very last page of your ticket, that that recaps all the legs of the trip. Keep that copy with you, separated from the original booklet. You may need the copy should you lose your ticket(s)
-Keep all of your boarding passes for the entire trip. If your luggage is lost you may need to provide the airline a photocopy of all of them
Now the bit of information:
There is a departing tax in Thailand. It is called “Passenger Service Charge” or PSC. Starting February 1, 2007 the international flights PSC will be THB 700 (about US$20).At present it is THB 500. This tax must be paid before departure at a “PSC Cash Counter” or at a PSC vending machine. It should be paid in local currency. Therefore it will be advisable to go to the airport with enough Baht to pay it.
LUGGAGE
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The lighter you travel on a short mission, the better. Chances are that you have to carry what you pack. I suggest that you access the following website that offers some ideas on packing: www.oratory.com/onebag/home.html
Based on my experience, I suggest that you take with you some baggage with wheels that you do not mind damaging. Old duffel bags are the best. I suggest that the baggage you will carry is mainly utilized for a change of clothing and any items you cannot do without in case your checked-through luggage do not arrive with you.
I urge you to lock your luggage. To do so you should utilize a special combination lock that has been approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Those approved locks can be opened by the airport screeners and re-locked once the content of the luggage has been checked. Some models of these “TSA luggage locks” can be found on: http://ww.safeskieslocks.com
For those traveling from the US, I suggest visiting the TSA site (www.tsa.gov/), when there, go to “Research Center” and click on “Permitted and Prohibited Items”.
You should also check www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm for the items that you are allowed to carry on.
I’ll keep you posted on the Lampang address to write on your luggage tag as soon as I get all the necessary details from the Habitat Office in Thailand.
MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS
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This is an area where I can offer some suggestions and recommendations mainly based on my personal experience. Let me suggest, first of all, that you read the chapter “Security and Health” of the Handbook and check: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm
That way you can have a general idea of what you can expect during your trip. Let me be more specific. The only vaccination requested in Thailand is that for the Yellow Fever, and that is only for those travelers who arrive from infected areas. A vaccination that is advised is that against typhoid. An actual risk that exists in rural areas, especially in forested and hilly areas is malaria. This is something we should carefully consider because we will build in the countryside (some 20-25 miles from Lampang) and our R&R will be in a forested area.
It is advisable that you contact your doctor at least two month before departure for a medical exam. On that occasion you can ask for malaria pills and discuss the possibility of having a vaccination against typhoid. Chances are that the malaria pills your doctor will prescribe you will be Larium. There are a number of “horror” stories about Larium. In reality, based on my experience and at that of dozen of people who were on my previous trips, serious effects like depression and deep anxiety are very rare. Most of us just experienced a more than normal number of night dreams, some of them bizarre. Since no preventive measure is 100% effective, seek medical attention for any fever or flu-like illness occurring 3 months of your return home. Be sure to tell your doctor your travel history.
In addition to anti malaria medications, it is important to avoid mosquito bites. This can be done by using an insect repellant that has at least 25% of the effective ingredient DEET. Mosquitoes are more active at dusk and at down and they can hunt at ankle level, and bite through socks. Therefore you should apply the repellent under the socks too. A good deal of information on how to protect you against mosquitoes can be found at www.cdc.gov/travel, clicking on “Insects and Arthropods protection”.
In terms of medical precautions, it is advisable to keep your hand clean. Water will not necessarily be available when needed. I therefore suggest that you bring and use a hand sanitizer product.
Protect you feet by avoiding being barefoot. Some parasites can enter the body through the feet.
To help to stay in good heath, we will drink bottled water or purified water. While there, you had better drink even if you do not feel you are particularly thirsty. You run the risk of dehydration by doing manual work in tropical areas, due to a loss of water through perspiration.
A few words on food: avoid uncooked vegetables and unpasteurized milk. Eat food that is still hot. Remember the rule: cook it, peel it or drop it.
Finally, do not forget to bring with you any prescription medicines that you frequently take or that your doctor recommend that you take with you. I suggest that you bring with you at least the following items: band aids, malaria pills, treatment for upset stomach, tylenol or aspirin, and antibiotic ointment.
I’ll bring a first aid kit to complement the supply that you will bring along.
Schedule of the roundtrip Los Angeles (LAX) –Bangkok (BKK)
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LEAVE:
United Airlines (891)
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June 5, 2007 -Depart : 12.34 p.m. Los Angeles, Ca (LAX)
June 6, 2007 -Arrive : 3.55 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
(11 hours, 21 minutes flight)
Change plane. Time between flights : 2hours, 35 minutes.
United Airlines (837)
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June 6, 2007 - Depart 6.30 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
June 6, 2007 - Arrive 11.10 p.m. Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
(6 hours, 40 minutes flight)
Total duration (from LAX): 20 hours, 36 minutes.
RETURN:
United Airlines (838)
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June 20, 2007 - Depart 6.50 a.m. Bangkok (BKK)
June 20, 2007 - Arrive 3.00 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
(6 hours, 10 minutes flight)
Change plane. Time between flights: 1 hours, 55 minutes.
United Airlines (890)
_________________________________________________
June 20, 2007 - Depart 4.55 p.m. Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
June 20, 2007 – Arrive 10.39 a.m. Los Angeles (LAX)
(9 hours, 44 minutes flight)
Total duration (from BKK) :17hours, 49 minutes
CHAPTER 2
==================
The items that you should bring on this trip are the subject of this Chapter.
I’ve grouped them into categories. For each of them you will find here below my comments and suggestions.
The Packing list closes the Chapter. It will include the items that I discussed and some more that did not require specific comments or suggestions.
MONEY
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The official currency of Thailand is the Baht, its symbol being THB. The Baht is divided into 100 Satang. Banknotes are in denomination of THB 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denomination of THB 10, 5, and 1, and 50 and 25 satang. There are also 10, 5 and 1 satang coins which are not frequently used.. There is a large number of commemorative coins that are legal tender. Should you want to familiarize with the Thai banknotes and coins, you could access the following website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_baht
A frequent question that I am asked in terms of money is how much of them we should carry on these trips. On this occasion my answer is that we do not have not to carry too much cash since Baht can be withdrawn from ATM machines in Lampang and in Bangkok. In any event banks exchange major currencies and traveler checks in both places. Credit cards (in particular American Express, Master Card and Visa) are widely accepted. Import and export of foreign currency is unlimited. As for Thai currency, the import is unlimited, whereas the maximum amount permitted to take out without a specific authorization is THB 50,000.
In terms of money that you can expect to spend when in Thailand, my answer is that apart from the exit tax (see Chapter 1), and some incidental expenses like snacks and beverages, it would depend on your tendency to shop as I understand that there are all sorts of neat and affordable things to buy in Lampang and in Bangkok. I’ll discuss “shopping” in Chapter 4. My point here is that it will be up to you and to the room you will have in your luggage to decide how much money you want to spend when on this trip.
At present the exchange rate is approx 35 THB for 1 US$, 29 THB for 1 Can$, 22.5 THB for a Singapore $, and 29 THB for 100 Yen.
To find out an updated exchange rate between your national currency and the THB, you could access the following website: http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet
On that website you can obtain a schedule that compares various national currency amounts to the THB equivalent. I suggest that, before leaving, you print an updated version of that schedule and bring it with you. It could help you in orientating when checking prices expressed in THB.
Whereas it would not be strictly necessary, you may want to carry your money and other valuable items in a holster bag under your clothes. It that event you could check the website: www.campmor.com go to “travel” and click on “travel security”.
Speaking of money, I invite you to read the section “Currency and monetary instruments” in the Thailand Information Handbook. In the same manual (section “Cultural Don’ts”), there is a curious reference to the Thai coins and paper money. I invite you to find it and to read it.
CLOTHING & PERSONAL ITEMS
----------------------------------------------------
When choosing the clothing that you should bring with you on the trip you should take into consideration the following points:
-We will stay and operate in a tropical environment. The weather-you will find details in Chapter 3- will be hot and possibly humid.
-The people we will meet and we will work with are modest and follow a traditional way of living.
-We will need a mix of working clothing and regular daily clothing, the latter to be worn when visiting places and spending our free time in Lampang and Bangkok.
Based on the above, these are my suggestions:
Working clothing should be durable, simple, light weight, possibly not white in color, and not of a sentimental value to you.
Recommended dress for women on the working site: skirts well below the knee, full and non-see-through, that do not show the legs above your knees. A good alternative to the shirts that are not be practical when working on a building site, are not tight pants that cover the knees. The best alternates are scrub pants: they are light, durable, comfortable, and cheap. Sleeveless shirts, tank tops, and shorts are not acceptable at work or when visiting Buddhist temples, Churches, and the like. They are alright for casual outings, though.
Recommended dress for men on the working site: it will be acceptable to wear short pants (not very short!). Long durable pants-like denims- would be preferred. Men should wear long pants and shirts with collars when visiting Buddhist temples, Churches and the like.
Atop of the items already mentioned, the following clothing should be worn by women and men when doing construction: T-shirts, sturdy shoes that can stand slippery soil and are practical for walking rugged terrain (heavy work boots are not at all necessary), working gloves, a broad rimmed hat, rain gear (windbreaker and a rain poncho). A folding umbrella is a must. When it possibly rains, everything stops until the usually brief, but torrential shower is over.
A note on laundry: it will be a service offered by the hotel where we will stay or arranged by the Affiliate in Lampang.
Personal items: you will find a list of them in the Packing List that follows. You have a choice to leave home with very few items and to buy what you need in Lampang. If you decide to do so, please keep in mind that the quality of some products (in particular toiletries) may not be what you use back home, therefore, for your own comfort you may chose to bring yours from home. Some items-like film-can definitely be bought in Lampang but you may need some handy to take pictures at your arrival.
These are my suggestions for some personal items:
Toiletries: avoid floral and herbal shampoo. Head &Shoulder is recommended. Do not bring perfumes and aftershave: they would attract unwanted little creeping creatures.
Other items: bring with you some family photos. On some occasions they can be a great piece of conversation particularly with our hosts.
If you want to, bring some your own snacks, but avoid things that might melt or spoil easily.
GIFTS AND TOOLS
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We will not be taking gifts to hand out as this is forbidden by Habitat. Gifts perpetuate the idea that “westerners” are rich and are there to give them hand-outs. Habitat has a policy of forbidding gifts for this very reason. This being said, we can bring something for breaking down the shyness of children .To that end, these are my suggestions: let’s bring some small bottles of bubbles for blowing through a small hand held ring. Children love it!
Chances are that we will visit a school. On that occasion it would be nice to bring something like notebooks and pencils for the children or something like soccer balls (they love soccer in Thailand) for the school. You do not have not to bring any of these items with you. There is a small mall in Lampang with food places and a Wal-Mart-like store called “Big-C”. Should we plan to make a donation to the children or to the school we could get there what we plan to buy.
Sometimes some teams present to the homeowners a gift for the new house. This is something we will discuss when there. The gift could be a rice cooker, an electric fan, or something like that. Those items too, should we decide to make a present to the homeowners, could be found at “Big-C”.
A few words on tools.
They will be available at the building site but new tools are always welcome there. Just in case you have room in your luggage and want to bring some tools, these are the ones that you could bring with you : squares, measuring tapes (they use the metric system), levels, trowels, large brushes, carpenter pencils.
These items too can be bought in Lampang.
Before leaving Lampang, we will collect clothing and other stuff that we do not want to bring back home (among other reasons for doing this, there could be the need of having room in our luggage to bring some souvenir with us). The items that we will collect will be presented to the Habitat representative for auctioning them off and raising funds for house building.
Please understand: you are in no obligation to bring or to buy gifts and/or tools. Do not feel guilty if you don’t, or if you cannot. Just bringing yourself and working there will be a tremendous gift for the local community and the Affiliate.
PACKING LIST
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Documents and financial means
___________________________
-Passport (and a copy to keep separated from it)
-Airline tickets (and a copy to keep separated from them)
-A copy of your prescriptions (if any)
-A copy of the itinerary (leave another copy with family/friends)
-A copy of your own packing list
-A copy of the Short Term Mission Manual
-The team biographies and pictures
-Cash
-Credit Card ( a part of your trip fee covers the cost of a very comprehensive overseas health insurance plan. This includes emergency medical treatment, air evacuation, and other emergencies. I recommend carrying a credit card as expenses are usually paid upfront and than reimbursed)
-An underclothing security pouch for carrying your valuable items (suggested)
Clothing and related items
____________________________
-Daily work clothes: T-shirts, underwear, slacks, hospital scrubs (men), skirts (women), sturdy work gloves, hat, bandana, socks, sturdy shoes
-Evening/Sunday outfit: shirts, underwear, pants, socks shoes, a fleece or a sweatshirt
-Other: “flip flops”/sandals, windbreaker/poncho, light weight jacket, folding umbrella, handkerchiefs.
Toiletries and health care items
______________________________
-Tooth paste, tooth brush, dental floss, tooth picks
-A little mirror and a comb
-Nail clipper, tweezers, a pocket knife (optional)
-Insect repellent, disinfecting spray
-Hand sanitizer
-Sun screen, sun glasses
-Contact lens supply and reading glasses (if needed)
-A simple first aid kit (for its content, please refer to last paragraph of the “Medical Precautions” section in Chapter 1)
-Ladies: feminine hygiene items
-Gentlemen: razors and shaving cream
Personal Items
______________________________
-Guidebook, information on the country
-Family/friend addresses (e-mail, snail mail, telephone numbers)
-Journal note book, pens, pencils
-Games, cards, paper back
-Small sewing kit and pins
-Camera, films, and batteries
-Flash light, and batteries (optional)
-Pictures of your home, your family and so on
-A knapsack or a bag to carry items to the building site
Sundry
_________________________________
-Some people might want to bring snacks, dry biscuits etc.
-Holster bag
-Zip lock bags (various sizes)
-Gifts (optional)
-Tools (optional)
CHAPTER 3
==================
So far (in Chapter 1 and 2) I discussed the trip preparation and what to bring on the trip. It’s now time to “land in Thailand” so to speak, and to introduce to what we can expect there, where we will go, and what we will see.
ITINERARY
The place where we will spend most of our time in Thailand is in the Northern part of the country. To help you to familiarize yourself with that area, I’ve added a map of Northern Thailand to the blog.
The place where the entire team will gather is Bangkok. Most of us will arrive there together from Los Angeles, others will travel independently from the group. The latter will meet the group at the airport or at the hotel where we will spend the night of June 6. The name of the hotel is Bangkok Centre Hotel- 328 Rama IV Rd. Details and information on the hotel, particularly helpful for those who will join us there, can be found on its website: http://www.hotelthailand.com/bangkok/bangkokcentre/index.html
Needless to say, I expect that those who will travel independently from the group will provide me with their detailed trip plan.
The morning of June 7 we will start tour of Bangkok. The Habitat office in Bangkok will provide a vehicle and a tourist guide for us. I’m confident that this will be an interesting way to start getting acquainted with the Thai reality. In the evening of June 7 the tour guide will drop us off at the train station. We will then take an air conditioned sleeper that should depart at 7.40pm. The Habitat office will buy the train ticket for us.
The Thai train website (which I already provided you by way of an email) is:
http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
We should arrive in Lampang the following morning, June 8, between 6 and 7 am. A website on Lampang you could check is: http://www.thai-tour.com/eng/lampang/introduction.html
Some Habitat representatives will be at the station. They will accompany us to our hotel: the Regent Lodge, whose website is: http://www.regentthailand.com/indexlam.php
I suggest that you provide your family and friends with this website for them to know the place we will stay.
A Habitat team was at the Regent Lodge last June. I asked the team leader to let me have some comments on the hotel. She told me “We did not eat dinner there but our rate included breakfast. I though that the hotel was very nice, it had the tile floors and fine beds, hot water showers and western toilets. All the rooms also came with air conditioning and refrigerators (and a bottle of water per person each day). They also left soap and q-tips and such for us in the bathroom each day. We had double rooms. The hotel has laundry service, very convenient and well done-drop it off downstairs in the morning and it’ll be folded and in your room when you return. Their website now says that they have internet access (though there is an internet café down the street for very low rates as well). I would also add that the hotel was very trustworthy, we did not have any problem with theft and we left valuable in our rooms. There were bugs in the rooms at times, tell your team in advance, but I would expect that it would be expected in this type of climate…there were also those little lizards on the wall...but they were good at keeping the bugs away : ) . One last thing about the hotel: there is a 7-11 a few doors down which was GREAT for ice cream treats at night!”
Back to our itinerary. On June 8 we will have an orientation session, the opportunity to familiarize with the local affiliate members, to have a Lampang sightseeing, and a welcome dinner in the evening. On June 9 we will start working at the building site. On Sunday, June 10 we most likely will visit places around Lampang. We will re-start our building activity on June 11. “Construction” is a topic that I’ll discuss next month (Chapter 4). On this occasion I just want to mention that the building site will be an approximately 40 minute drive away from Lampang. Based on how the work will progress, we will consider a visit to places of interest in the Lampang area. In any event we will work up to June 16. Let me discuss now the segment of itinerary that is about our R&R. We will spend one day, June 17, at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (Center). We will have there a so called “1 Day Elephant Riding Program” .The center is located 38 Km from Lampang. It is indicated on the Northern Thailand map that I posted on the web.
Details on the Program that I mentioned could be found at: http://www.thailandelephant.org/eng/activity3.php3
Should you be interested in knowing something on the Thai elephants, you could access the following website: http://www.chiangmai-thai.com/elephant.htm
Since the Center is not far away from Lampang, we will return to our hotel in the evening of June 17. On June 18 we will have the “house dedication” ceremony, a farewell lunch or dinner, and in the evening we will take a night train (air conditioned sleeper) to Bangkok. We will arrive in Bangkok in the early morning of June 19. The train station will not be far away from the place we will stay: Grand China Princess Hotel. Hotel details can be found at: http://www.bangkok.com/grandchina-princess/
I’ll discuss at the next section of this Chapter (Bangkok layover) my suggested visit of the area close to the hotel.
June 19 will be the last day in Thailand for those who travel with the “group”. We will depart to Los Angeles in the early morning of June 20.
This is a recap of the itinerary:
Tuesday ……….June 5: departure from Los Angeles
Wednesday ……June 6: arrival in Bangkok
Thursday……….June 7: Bangkok. Departure to Lampang in the evening
Friday…………..June 8: Lampang. Orientation
Saturday………..June 9: building
Sunday…………June 10: sightseeing
Monday……….. June 11- Saturday , June 16 :building
Sunday………… June 17: Elephant Center
Monday……… June 18: House dedication. Departure to Bangkok in the evening
Tuesday…………June 19: Bangkok
Wednesday……...June 20: departure for home or continuation of the stay in Thailand.
BANGKOK LAYOVER
I decided to write a full section of this Chapter on our layover in Bangkok for providing some information on the tour that we will have on June 7 and some suggestions on how to spend our free time there after the building experience in Lampang.
Before entering into details of our visit, let me offer you a broad introduction to the city. Bangkok is not just the capital of Thailand and a mega city (1990 pop.8.5 million): it is also one of the country 75 districts. Its formal name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or in short Maha Nakhon. The English translation of its name is “The City of the Angels”.
As a matter of fact, the full name is quite longer than just Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.
Should you want have a look at it (and to realize how hard it is to read it), you should go to: http://www.intoasia.com/bangkok/introduction/fullname.php
On Bangkok I suggest that you check the following website: http://bangkok.sawadee.com
Back to our visit on June 7. On that day we will try to get acquainted to the Thai reality by visiting the National Museum, some markets, some temples, and other places of interest. At present I am discussing the details of our visit there with the local Habitat office. As far as our June 19 stay is concerned, I choose to stay at the Grand China Princess because it is strategically located close to the former Royal District, a place that Bangkok visitors do not want to miss. It is close as well to the “must see” Bangkok area. The hotel is located in the Chinatown district of Bangkok. It is some 300 yards away from the Tha Ratchawung boat station on the river Chao Phraya. The fourth upstream station from Tha Ratchawung is Tha Chang. That is a recommended starting point for visiting the former Royal District, whose name is Ko Ratanakosin.
According to the Lonely Planet book on Thailand (11th Edition) the Ko Ratanakosin area is “filled with gleaming temples and bustling markets” (page 136). Since we will have a chance to visit some temples in Thailand, I’d like to say mention a few things on this subject. Temples are sacred places that command a dress code and a respectful behavior. The dress should include shits with sleeves, long pants or long shirts, and closed toes shoes. Shoes should be removed before entering the main chapels or sanctuaries. When sitting in front of a Buddha figure, the feet should be tucked behind to avoid the highly offensive pose of pointing them toward a revered image. It should be avoided to pose in front of a Buddha image for a picture. Visitors should make a donation before leaving a temple.
Ko Ratanakosin can be found on any tourist map of Bangkok. If you have the Lonely Planet book you can find it at page 120. A description of the place can be found at page 136. Should you want to familiarize with the Bangkok boat transportation system, you could find some information at page 183 and 134. The Grand China Princess hotel location offers an alternate solution to those who would not be interested in visiting historical places: a walking tour of Chinatown. Some websites:
On Ko Ratanakosin : http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-palace/grandpalace.html
On the suggested Chinatown tour:
http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/thai_article/1917_bangkok_chinatown/bangkok_chinatown.html
Needless to say, you can decide to visit other places should so you wish to do. Regardless of what you plan to do when in Bangkok, just keep in mind that the name “City of the Angels” is not necessarily well deserved. As a matter of fact, in Bangkok you should be prepared to deal with smart, nice, unscrupulous individuals who make a living at the expenses of tourists. Should you want to get an idea of how they operate, you could visit: http://www.bangkokguidebook.com/tourist_police.php
If you have the Lonely Planet book on Thailand you could read on this topic at page 99 (Dangers and annoyances), and page 728 (Prelude to a rip-off). It is my understanding that the favorite targets of these unscrupulous individuals are the tourists who travel alone and who have just arrived in the country (hence they approach their potential victims with a question on when they arrived). My suggestion: should you be approached by an unknown nice person who starts asking, among other questions, when you arrived in Thailand, answer “one month”. Moreover you may want to ask somebody of the team to accompany you rather then visiting places alone.
CLIMATE
I focus here on the Lampang area because it is there that we will spend almost all the time we will stay in Thailand. Do not expect a very different weather in Bangkok. When compared to Lampang, Bangkok is supposed to have a warmer and a more humid weather.
Lampang is situated in a valley where a river (Wang) flows. Wang is the major tributary of the Chao Phraya river which, in turn, crosses Bangkok. Lampang is bordered by two ranges: the Khumtan on the West and the Pi-Pan-Num on the East. Those ranges offer the beneficial effect of offering some shelter from the rain. As a result Lampang receives less precipitation than its neighboring provinces.
We will arrive there at the end of the hot season and at the very beginning of the rainy one. The former lasts from March to June, the latter from July to October. We can expect a hot and humid weather. The average temperature during the month of June is included between 77 and 90 F (25 and 32C). In general the rain occurs during the afternoon and the evenings and does not last very long. Since we will arrive close to the change of the seasons, chances are that we will get a bit of the one that is finishing and of the other that has yet to start. In other words, we could experience either a set of sunny days or of a set of rainy ones. I asked the local Habitat if the weather could effect our building activity. I am told that it should not since they will build a sort of roof for keeping dry those involved in the construction in case of rain. I found as well that the vehicle to be utilized from the daily trip from Lampang to the building site and back should be a pick-up truck with benches on either side and a cover attached. A good idea would be to wear a poncho when on the pick-up truck for staying dry if it should rain when traveling.
There is a website you could check before the departure to Thailand. It offers a five day forecast for a number of locations around the world, including Bangkok and Lampang. By accessing it, you can have an idea of how the weather will be at our arrival. The website is: http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER
You should click on Asia, select “Thailand”, and after that choose Bangkok and/or
Lampang.
CULTURAL CUSTOMS
The appreciation cultures different from ours implies interest, tolerance, politeness, and common sense. It implies as well some knowledge of the principles around which those cultures evolved. I‘ll try to explain to you those principles that regulate Thai culture. Thai culture evolved around Buddhism, a religion that praises tolerance and respect. To tolerate everybody and everything without creating rules or assigning priorities can open the avenue to lack of respect and anarchy. That is the reason why the “Thai tolerance” evolved around unwritten rules that gently directed the people toward the respect for institutions and for each other.
Samples of the rules that regulate the social life in Thailand can be found in the Cultural Links of Thailand section of the Information Handbook. Please read them carefully. We are supposed to be aware of them and to follow them when in Thailand. To better understand the principles that regulate those rules, we have to imagine the Thai society like a hypothetical pyramid whose top is made of the most respected institutions and people. Monarchy, religion, and their representatives are the top of that pyramid. Never fool with them: they are considered sacred entities.
I’ve already mentioned how to behave when in a temple. Let me give you a hint of how highly the monarchy is thought of: the penalty for lease-majesty is seven year’s imprisonment in Thailand. The concept of monarchy is linked to that of nationhood. It is considered a grave insult to it and the monarchy not to stop whatever you are doing and to stand when the national anthem is broadcasted by radio and TV. That occurs twice a day, at 8am and at 6pm. Public loudspeakers connected to the radio are installed in the town and village streets to allow everybody to pay respect to the king and the country. The next level of this hypothetical pyramid belongs to the senior people. Seniority in the Thai culture is not necessarily related to the age of an individual. The concept of “wealth” or that of “power” prevails over that of age. A young wealth person is more senior than an older one who is not so rich .Respect to senior people comes with a burden to them. They are supposed to take care the “commoners” who are in need. These rules do not strictly apply to foreigners. On the other hand, do not be surprised if somebody asks you what your age is. Most likely that person is trying to figure out how you should be considered.
The last but not least level of this hypothetical pyramid belongs to the commoners. Like everybody else, they tend to keep their feelings inside, to stay calm regardless the situation, and not display anger. Minor misdeeds are overlooked, and major offences are dealt with as discreetly as possible. In other words they are tolerant.
Worth mentioning is another side of the Thai social behavior. They are obsessed by the idea of not loosing face. Their reaction when something goes wrong as somebody is running into the risk of loosing face is to laugh. That way everybody can pretend that nothing happened. Do not get offended if somebody laughs when a blunder or a mishap occurs to you. The idea behind that laugh is to help you not loose your face.
A few words now on some social conventions:
Western visitors will generally receive an handshake on meeting someone. A Thai will be greeted with the traditional “wai”: close hands and a slight bow of the head. The wai has several functions: saying hello, showing respect to a senior person, and asking forgiveness. It is always appreciated and must be reciprocated.
Cleanliness and neatness are important. Most Thai keep themselves scrupulously clean and dress modestly but respectably.
A common assumption in Thailand is that foreigners are rich and should therefore pay higher prices than locals. You will find that in some places there will be a two-tiered pricing systems.
There are some “good table manners” in the Thai etiquette. I’ll discuss them next time at section “Accommodation” of Chapter 4.
LANGUAGE
The official language of Thailand (the Thai or Pasa Thai) is a dialect that is spoken and written in the central part of the country and that has been adopted as second dialect everywhere else.
Apart from the Central dialect, there are three more widely spoken and a number of others spoken by minorities or tribal groups. The other three major dialects are the Northern Thai (that is spoken, among other places, in Lampang and surrounding areas), the Northeastern Thai of the provinces bordering Laos and Cambodia, and the Southern Thai that is spoken in the Southern districts up to the Malaysian border.
Thai is not an easy language to speak mainly because a single syllable may be altered by means of five different tones, and depending on the tone (low, mid, falling, high, rising), that syllable can have a different meaning. Having said this, I do not intend to discourage you from learning and using some basic words. On the contrary: people there will be impressed and very much pleased to hear a foreigner (farang) to say a few words in their own language. Chances are that most of our initial tentative attempts to say something in Thai will be welcomed a by laugh. Should that be the case, remember that the apparent amusement is a sign of appreciation, and a way to say that mistakes are forgiven and you did not loose your face in making some.
Transliteration from Thai script to roman can be confusing since there aren’t any clear rules as how to do it. Subsequently, a Thai word may have several spellings. Rather then suggesting you to check some website where Thai sentences are transliterated in different ways and translated into English, I am attach here a list of simple, basic words and sentences that I received from the Habitat office in Bangkok. These are the Habitat transliterations.
As you can see, their list includes a number of words that are related to the building activity. It should be fun to impress our co-worker there with our broken construction Thai words! Don’t you think so?
CHAPTER 4
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Having discussed where we will go and what we will see (Chapter 3), it is now time to focus on Lampang and on what we will do there.
IN LAMPANG
During our stay in Lampang we will have to deal with a number of people who will work with us at the building site. Most of them will be members of the local Habitat Affiliate. An Affiliate is an independent, local organization that carries out HFH’s mission in the area where it operates. The Affiliate should be composed of diverse group of concerned individuals from the community where a housing project can be implemented.
The Affiliate is primarily responsible for managing site-specific programs. It mobilizes committees to conduct family selection and community organizing, supervise construction, raise funds and recruit volunteers. It is the local Affiliate’s responsibility to meet with the community where the team will operate to give a briefing of the pending visit.
A typical day in Lampang will start with a breakfast at the Hotel, a transfer to the working site and, after a short prayer/meditation, the work. We will have our lunch at the working site and our dinner at a restaurant in Lampang. I suggest that at meal-time we follow Thai etiquette out of respect for our hosts. The basic rule has to do with the use of the spoon and fork. The spoon is the only utensil to push food into one’s mouth. The fork is used to steer the food into the spoon if necessary. To put a fork into our mouth would be almost as strange in Thailand as it would be for someone to put a knife in their mouth here in the States. Incidentally, there will be no knives on the table because the food is diced before cooking. At lunch time each individual will receive a plate of rice and a soup bowl. It is the customary at the start of a meal to eat a spoonful of plain rice first, a gesture to recognize the importance of rice in the Thai cuisine and culture. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served in common platters all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combination of different tastes. A typical meal might include a soup, a steamed dish, a fried dish, a hot salad, a variety of dipping sauces, and sweet desserts and/or fresh fruits. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with rice and other dishes, not independently. Something specific about the Thai national specialties can be found at: http://thailand.iexplore.com/dmap/Thailand/Dining
The polite way to eat is to take as much as you can eat in one or two mouthfuls, savor it and then move to another flavor. Take your time and try everything but always leave some food on the serving platter as well as on your plate. Leaving nothing implies that your host did not feed you enough.
In Chapter 3 I discussed the Thai cultural customs. Let me revisit that topic in light of our stay in Lampang and at the building site.
-We should be always courteous, speak softly, and greet the people we meet.
-We should ask permission before taking pictures of individuals and their property.
-Should we go places, we will in general go together. I ask you to inform Diana or me if you decide to go somewhere by yourselves
-If in doubt about how to behave or act, ask the Habitat representative and keep us (Diana or me) posted.
-Dress modestly
-People must refrain from hand holding or showing affection in public.
-Report to Diana or I any situation that makes you uncomfortable. You can inform us in private or during the evening team gathering.
-Please show appreciation for what the people we will deal with will do for us and show them respect.
CONSTRUCTION
Our building activity will start with a short orientation by a construction professional who will work side by side with some skilled workers, our team, the future homeowners and other local people. Once everybody has the basic understanding of what to do and how to do it, we will be separated into units with specific tasks. They may include mixing cement, carrying and laying cinder hollow blocks, digging, plastering, etc.
The houses built by Habitat in Thailand have a cement floor, steel frames, and walls made of cinder clocks with plaster finish. The roofs are made of corrugated metal. The houses are about 36 square meters (some 188 square feet).
Chances are that we will work on two different houses. This might mean that the team will be split into two units. It is also possible that the houses are not close one to the other. In some instances the house foundations are already in place at our arrival. Sometimes the construction area has just been cleared, in other instances the construction is already in progress. Regardless the situation we will find, I wish to share with you an hint on a construction involving cinder blocks. Those of you who are not familiar with brick-laying, will soon realize that it is a more complex task that it might seem look like. It must be done in a certain way, the work must be constantly checked and even minor mistakes are not allowed since their effect gets multiplied if not corrected. Do not be frustrated or offended if the supervisor asks you to take out several bricks that you patiently and proudly laid. Just appreciate that in the end we will leave behind a construction that was made according the proper specifications.
At the beginning of our building some delays and work stoppages can be expected because of the excitement and curiosity created by our presence, as well as our initial adjustment to a task we are not familiar with.
Our local co-workers will probably approach the building activity with a sense of playfulness that in Thai is called “sa’nu’k”. That does not mean that the Thai people do not take the work seriously. It means that anything worth doing must be approached with some element of “fun” otherwise it becomes drudgery.
SAFETY TIPS
Apart from some very minor incidents that were fixed by way of a band-aid, I do not recollect anything serious that happened to the teams that I led in the past. This does not means that risks do not exist. In my opinion it means that the team members followed the instructions that they received. Those instructions can be summarized into being constantly alert in spotting and avoiding potential dangerous situations, and using sound judgment in any circumstance. More specifically, these are some safety tips based on my experience. I ask you to keep them in mind when we will be on the work site:
=We will operate in a tropical area. While working there we will lose fluids more rapidly than we are used to. To stabilize our body’s system, we will have to drink frequently, even if we do not feel thirsty.
=Scaffoldings: before using them, ask the person in charge (the construction supervisor or the person in charge of the team) to make a stability and a weight supporting check. Use solid material for building them. When a long scaffolding is used, put a support in the middle. Do not stand on the edge unless somebody else is on the other edge. Do not move from your position unless you have first alerted the individual who is standing on the opposite side. Do not climb scaffolding if you do not feel comfortable working on it. Descend immediately if you feel unsafe and/or uncomfortable.
=Ladders: before using a ladder, be sure it is on solid, level ground, that it can support your weight included the material that you are possibly carrying, and that it is positioned in an area where it does not represent an obstacle to other people or where it could be hit by somebody. Remember to move your ladder with your work. Do not make the mistake of extending your body too much out of the ladder frame.
=The building area must be kept clean from unnecessary material, tools, scraps. My suggestion is to spend your spare time collecting and disposing of any building materials that are not being utilized. Do the same with the garbage that should be collected on a separate spot from the building material. The building material that should be utilized should be piled according to size and type of material.
=Chances are that we will experience minor cuts and scratches. In those events, we should stop working, wash the cut/scratch with bottled water, and to contact the person who has the first aid kit for any needed action.
=Dressing appropriately for work will be important. Please do not arrive on the building site wearing sandals or open-toed shoes. Wear comfortable clothes, bring and use working gloves, wear a cap. Keep a bandana handy.
=Last but not least: concentrate on what you are doing. Distraction and overconfidence are responsible for most of the situations when something goes wrong.
HOMEOWNER PROFILE:
GENERAL INFORMATION
Host Affiliate Lampang
Date of Build: June 6 - 21, 2007
Name: Mrs. Supen Thaokhamlure Age 33
Occupation: Employee at the fruit factory
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s name Mr. Jitpanu Thaokhamlure
Children Kwanrutai Thaokhamlure (Girl)
Other members 1. Noi Khamsan (Mother) 2. Chuen Khamsan (Father)
Address 20 Moo13, Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang.
Mrs. Suphen was born in Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang. Her house where she and her family are now living in is A governmental house. She and her family do not have their own house. Moreover, she has to take care her parents. Her husband moved to Bangkok to work as a driver to earn money for buying their own land. Mrs. Suphen’s family thus far has bought their own land which belonged to their relative before. For this reason, they want to build a new house for their parents and their son to live well.
After paying the family’s expenses each month, Mrs. Suphen has life savings which are not big money. Consequently, she would like to ask for support in house building. Her family does not have their own house, still living in the governmental house. As of now, the family has already bought the land, so they need only the house.
The family in the governmental house.
The land on which to build the new house.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Host Affiliate Lampang
Date of Build: June 6 - 21, 2007
HOME OWNER INFORMATION
Name: Mrs. Fong Kamdee
Age: 43
Occupation: Domesticating animals
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s name: Mr. Vinai Kamdee
Children: Kwanrutai Thaokhamlure (Girl)
Other members: 1. Mr. Panom Kamdee 2. Miss Supansa Kamdee
Address: 11 Moo15, Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang.
Mrs. Fong was born in Maung Yao Sub district, Hang Chat District, Lampang. Her house where she and her family are now living in was built more than 25 years ago. Moreover, there are many termites that are ruining the house and its roof, and its toilet is terrible and not clean enough.
There are 3 people in her family. Her son has moved out to work in another province. Her daughter is going to be a teenager, so she needs her own private room. Thus, this house is too small, not strong and not safe enough. Sometimes Mrs. Fong’s husband has to work in another province for many months, so the house is not safe enough for only 2 women live alone.
After paying the family’s expense each month, Mrs. Fong has life savings which are not big money. Consequently, she would like to ask for help to build a new house which will be located in her own same place.
Inside the house.
Around the house.
CHAPTER 5
CONTACT INFORMATION
Preface: phone numbers will be mentioned more than once in this chapter. They have eight digits in Thailand. To dial a domestic phone, the local phone number there must be preceded by “0”. When dialing Thailand from outside, you must dial first whatever international access code is necessary (e.g. if calling from the US, the access code would be “011”), followed by “66” (which is the Thai country code, valid for any locations), and then the eight digit local phone number .
“Contacts” work in different ways: from you to your family/friends, from them to you and from us to third parties in the country. My purpose here is to offer some information for dealing with those various kinds of contacts.
Contacts with your family/friends: most likely the hotel we will stay will have an email service .In any event if it will be necessary, we will stop at an internet café on June 7, the day of our Bangkok sightseeing.
I am told that in Lampang our hotel has an internet facility. Internet cafés are present anyhow in Lampang.
Contact from your family friends: the phone number of the Bangkok Centre Hotel where we will stay on June 7 is 2238-4848. When in Lampang, the phone number of the Regent Hotel is 5432-3388. An alternate way to contact us is to get in touch with the in-country HFH representatives. They are: Benjaporn (Candi) Montonchaikul who is in Bangkok, and Malinie (Aor) Rauntong in Chiang Mai.
Candi’s phone number is 2711-6942 ext.110, the fax is: 2711-6937, her email address gv [at] habitatthailand.org. Aor’s phone and fax number is 5324-6147. Her cell phone: 89 755 8703, her email: hrcnorthhfht [at] yahoo.com
Needless to say, you should give a copy of this Chapter to those who could be interested in calling you. I suggest that before calling, they check the current time in Thailand at: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_TH.aspx (they will find that, for example, Saturday 4pm in the US West Coast is equivalent to Sunday 3am in Thailand). Let them know as well that we will be in the Hotel (in Lampang) early in the morning, in the late afternoon, and in the evenings.
Our contact with third parties in Thailand: apart from our contact with the Habitat Representatives, we could need the services and assistance of the Embassy of our Country. Their addresses, phone and fax numbers are the following:
The Canada Embassy
15th floor, Abdulrahim Place, 990 Rama IV Road, Bangkok, Bangkok 10500
Tel : 2636-0560, fax: 2636-0568
The Embassy of Japan
1674 New Petchburi Road, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 10310
Tel: 2252-6151-9, fax 2255-6999, 2258-6877
Embassy of the Republic of Singapore
129 South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120
Tel: 2286-2111, 2213-1261, 2287-5115, fax: 2287-2578
U.S. Embassy
120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
Tel: 2205-4000
There is as well a US Consulate in Chiang Mai :
Vidhyanond Road , Tel: 5325-2629, fax: 5325-2633
As part of the “contact information” the data that you should write on your baggage tag are:
Your name
Regent Hotel
279/3 Phaholyothin RD. T. Huaweang A. Maung
Lampang, Thailand 52000
Tel: (66) 5432-3338
TRIP ABROAD REGISTRATION
I suggest that those of us who are not US citizens check if their countries have in place a registration systems for those who travel abroad. Should that system exist, I invite them to register themselves. Those of us who are US citizens should spend a few minutes to fill out the “Travel Registration” fields of the following US Department of State website: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/
All of us, regardless our nationality, should indicate the following address for a possible contacts in Thailand:
Habitat for Humanity (Thailand)
SSP Tower, 15 Floor, 555 Ekamai Road
Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Phone: +66 (0) 2711-6942
Fax: +66(0) 2711-6937
Please get in touch with me should you have any questions on the trip registration.
TEAM MEETINGS
Our normal meetings will take place in the morning, in the evening, and at the conclusion of our mission trip. Not scheduled meetings could take place any time when needed.
In the morning: whereas Habitat is opened to everybody, regardless of their beliefs, religious/personal orientations, and so on, it is still a Christian organization. As such there will be a time, just before starting to work, for a short reflection/devotion. Everybody will be invited to attend but it will be up to you to participate or not. I would just appreciate that those of you who would like to, to come prepared for possibly leading a short reflection or devotion in one or more of our morning meetings. Chances are that some of the local people want to say a prayer or read something for us. Needless to say, they would be welcome.
In the evening: usually the meetings will take place after dinner. They are a vital part of our mission trip. They will offer us a chance to discuss our experience, to plan our work, to make suggestions, to clear up possible problems, and in the process to get to know each other better. I noted that on those occasions the team tends to listen to me rather than to talk. Please surprise me! Come to these meetings with some ideas, feelings, and suggestions. After all, you will have the entire day to think about something to say. Once the meetings are be over, we will have an occasion to entertain ourselves us by way of group games. As a matter of fact, if you have a favorite game, bring it with you. A deck of regular cards is a good idea too. Needless to say, we will have time in the evening to read a book, to talk, to write and so on.
At the conclusion of our mission trip: a meeting will be held before our return to Bangkok. The purpose of this final meeting will be to discuss our experience, and to collect ideas and suggestions. This time of “closure” will offer us a chance to put in perspective all the incredible things which have been happening to us, both emotionally and spiritually, as a result of the trip. Likewise it is the case with the evening meetings, I expect that on this occasion too you will want to participate by expressing your ideas and feelings. On the occasion of this last meeting I’ll distribute Global Village Evaluation Forms that you will be requested to fill out.
Something not strictly related to our meetings, rather to our community life there, is a “Team Journal”. The idea is to give each of us a chance to write something (serious, funny, and in between) on our experience. I tested for the first time this idea in Samoa last year. The result was amazing. We got the best outcome when some of us suggested the “entries” and one wrote them down. I still have the list of the “Top 10 things about building a house” (it included #8: “Strangers donating cupcakes & cookies”, # 5:” Scraping bark with machetes.” The # 1 was “The kids!”). We had as well a list of “Top 10 phrases” and the “Top 10 things we love about our hotel”. Trust me, guys, it was fun to discuss what to include in those lists.
I’ll provide the Journal book and if the project takes off, I’ll type the Journal entries when back home and let you have a copy of the writing.
Let me conclude this “manual” with a commitment. It is my strong desire to help you to have the best possible experience, hopefully the most wonderful of your life. I’ve worked hard so far to that end, and I’ll continue to do it until the end of our mission trip. Needless to say your cooperation will be crucial for the success of our project. Let me then remind you that we should go on this trip with an open mind, an open heart, maturity and a little patience, cheerfulness and nonjudgmental attitude, good sense of humor, and respect for everybody.
# posted by Enzo : 5:42 PM
