families in Thai village
MMS Home Director Col (Retd) Quek Koh Eng giving fishing
equipment to a villager. At left is the Rev Prasert, and at right is Mr Withaya.
STORIES AND PICTURES
BY PETER TEO IN PHUKET
THE Methodist Missions Society
(MMS), through its social and welfare unit in Thailand, Muang
Thai Mettakij Foundation, has presented fishing nets and equipment
to fishermen affected by the December 2004 tsunami in a village
to the north of Phuket.
Twenty-one families, comprising
about 400 people, in Ban Nai Rai in Phang Nga Province, benefited
from the welfare scheme. Ban (Town in the Thai language) Nai Rai
is 80 km north of Phuket and is linked to the resort island by
bridge.
The fishing village was the worst
hit by the tsunami in Thailand, and the 21 families had been identified
by the Department of Fisheries as the ones who needed help most.
At a simple half-hour presentation
ceremony at the village's newly-built Community Hall on Aug 11,
2006, Col (Retd) Quek Koh Eng, the MMS Home Director, gave away
the fishing nets and equipment to representatives of the 21 families.
He was assisted by the Rev Prasert Pornkiratikul, Director of
the Foundation.
The village headman, a Muslim
leader, was not able to be present as he had to be at another
event. However, the Department of Fisheries was represented by
its Fisheries Biologist, Mr Withaya Panthakit.
In conveying his greetings from
The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) and Muang Thai Mettakij
Foundation, Col (Retd) Quek told the fishermen that the Church
was saddened by news of the devastating effect caused by the tsunami,
and decided to render help swiftly to the people in Phuket as
well as those in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
"Our Church, as well as many
Singaporeans, were deeply sorry for the loss of many lives and
destruction of homes," he said.
"Our response to help was
swift and spontaneous. Together with YWAM, we built seven houses
for families in another village, and we raised funds to purchase
the fishing nets and equipment for all of you here in this village."
Col (Retd) Quek apologised for
the delay in holding the presentation ceremony as, he said, "it
could not be held earlier for good reason".
"We hope this small gift
will help you to revive your livelihood in some way," he
said, and concluded: "May the peace of God be with all of
you, your families and the Government of Thailand."
In his opening address, the Rev
Prasert reminded the villagers that one week after the tsunami
struck, a group of Singaporean Methodists were the first people
outside Thailand to render help to them.
"The Methodists from Singapore
were by your side. Together with Muang Thai Mettakij Foundation,
they will continue to be by your side. We hope to come back again
to see how else we can help you."
In thanking the MCS and the Foundation,
Mr Withaya encouraged the villagers to be diligent. He also urged
them not to sell their fishing nets and equipment for "a
quick profit" as some people in other areas had done in the
past.
The villagers requested the MMS
to consider buying fibre-glass fishing boats for them. The wooden
ones given to them by the Thai Government are not durable, they
said.
The ceremony ended with the presentation
of gifts from the MMS and the Foundation to the Department of
Fisheries.
Peter Teo is the Editor of Methodist Message.