Suits me sir

I've decided to get a suit made...A couple of other volunteers and I went to a street in Bangkok this week where every shop is either a Tailors or a Jewellers - it's these sort of authentic Thai marketplaces that I'm here for!

They had a special deal where you could get a suit with 2 pairs of trousers, 2 shirts and a tie for ฿5000 which is about 75 quid...unfortunately I'm paying a bit more as the fabric I wanted was a bit more expensive but I'm still getting a very good deal...I've already had one fitting and am going back for a second one in May - hopefully the results will be good...I'll get some pictures up if they are!

Just to let you know how Nin is getting on...I had asked for some extra support in his wheelchair as he was finding it very difficult to sit up because of the lack of strength in his arms. He kept falling over to one side or the other...When the (ccd) physios came to measure him they said that it would be best for him not to have the support so as to give him a chance to rehabilitate himself - they said that he would need to have regular physio treatment and we would see how that went before making any modifications to his wheelchair.

I accepted this as it seemed very sensible...the thing is though when I got back from Chiang Mai I heard that he hadn't had any physio and there were no plans for him to have any in the future! I wasn't particularly happy about this and made it clear that something had to be done - these guys can't fight for themselves so they need someone to do it for them - anyway to cut a long story short, Nin is now getting one and a half hours of physio treatment from the Government staff every day. This is very positive and hopefully will lead to some improvements in his condition...

On the 8th of May, the staff and volunteers (and the kids from Rainbow House) are going on a retreat to some place near the coast. As seems to be traditional in Thailand each of the workplaces has been asked to arrange a show for everyone else's entertainment...well this time it is actually going to happen - Rachawadee Boys are going to be Rachawadee Lady Boys! We've already got our costumes and have started practising our dance routine to "I Will Survive"...and it was my idea! What was I thinking?! Anyway - I'm sure there will be some demand for pictures of the event, so I'll make sure you get some...

Right then, about the paintings people have bought - thanks very much to the people who have paid already...I have heard that there are some problems with transferring cash from Ireland...so, if it is possible could you send cheques (payable to me) to Maisy and then she will put them into my account? Thanks very much.

Take care

Happy Songkran

I'm currently in Chiang Mai (in the northwest of Thailand) where we are celebrating the Thai New Year. It is called the Songkran Festival and is basically a HUGE water fight (it lasts about a week)...it is absolute chaos by the moat which surrounds the city - thousands of people just drenching each other all day...what I find the funniest though is the people away from the main thoroughfares just standing and waiting all day for suitable targets to go past (walking or on bikes or in Tuk-Tuks or in taxis or whatever) so that they can throw a bucket of (sometimes ice cold) water over them!

I think it says a lot about the culture here that something like this can happen...I can't really see it working in the UK and not just because of the different weather...it is always done with a smile here and really is all in good fun...I have to say I didn't enjoy it so much when the water was thrown (or fired) by a farang (that's what the Thais call foreigners - specifically westerners)...which brings me onto my next point...

There's something strange that has happened to me while I've been here - I've almost become a racist...I don't like being in the places where all the farangs are, I don't really feel like one of them, and I guess in lots of ways I'm not - and I find myself wishing they would go back to England or wherever they came from!

It's funny, you travel to some exotic place on the other side of the world...you go to a fancy restaurant halfway up a mountain next to a waterfall overlooking an ancient city...you order a typical local dish to more fully engross yourself in the culture...and what do you get? Pork scratchings!

Bad news and good

A lot of the work on the wards (feeding, cleaning etc.) is delegated to the more able boys, which often works out well as it gives the staff more time and gives some of the guys a bit of responsibility. Things are not always so positive though...

Last week we found out that Nin had been dropped by one of the guys who was carrying him to the toilet...He went to hospital and apparently he's damaged some nerves in his back (or something) which means that he has lost the strength in his right hand...This would be bad news for anyone but when you consider that his right arm is the only one of his limbs he can actually do anything with, it is devastating for Nin because he's losing the only thing he has...it seems so unfair...

I have been going to see him after work and am going to help him with eating his dinner (something he used to be able to do by himself without a problem)...he is clearly upset by the current state of his arm, the thing is though, he doesn't know the full extent of it...the doctor said that things aren't going to get any better...he will need physio just to maintain his current condition and over time things will more than likely get worse...should we tell him this? I don't know...I'm just hoping the doctor's wrong...and with this being Thailand there's a fair chance of that!

Anyway, on a lighter note, we took a few of the guys out on a trip to the local Wat (Buddhist temple) last week to feed the fish...I think they really enjoyed themselves and so did we...such trips are especially good for our autistic boys who don't/can't participate in many of our other activities.


This is Sonmai - one of our autistic boys...


This is me feeding the fish with a slice of bread between my toes...needless to say, I was only told about the fact that there had been crocodiles in this river after I had finished!

This is my boss...no offence to Simon Kersey but she's a bit cuter than the last person to hold this position!

Pictures 2

Thanks to everyone who has bought paintings already - we are very grateful...I will be explaining to the guys where their pictures will be going and I will let all of you know where your money is going as we spend it.

Just to let you know, in case you're interested, paintings 8 and 9 (in the previous post) were done by Pitiyaa who is the only one of our guys who paints with the brush in his mouth - it really is quite impressive how he does it, and to be fair his paintings are probably better than I can do using my hands...Here is a photo of him in action:



Here are a few more paintings...number 14 is my own personal favourite (I don't know if the photo does it justice)...when Rachanook painted it he got really upset when I kept telling him how good it was...he didn't have much confidence and I guess he thought that I was just trying to make him feel good....we've been working on that though and the last couple of times he's done a painting he has been proud of it.

14. Artist - Rachanook (395mm x 270mm). Sold to Maisy.

15. Artist - Nin (395mm x 270mm). Sold to Kenneth.

16. Artist - Sen (395mm x 270mm). Sold to Brian.

The next painting, by popular demand, is a portrait of me - I personally think that the resemblance is uncanny...

17. Artist - Rachanook (395mm x 270mm). Sold to Eoghan.