Duang Prateep Foundation Monthly News for October 2001

Contact details

Address: Lock 6, Art Narong Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

Telephone: (66 2) 671 4045, 249 4880, 249 3553.

Fax: (66 2) 249 5254

Email: <dpf@internet.ksc.net.th>

News from the Duang Prateep Foundation

Klong Toey women wins historic case

Full details in the ‘News from Thailand’ section of this newsletter (see below).

World Trade Center attacks

Members of the Slum Children's Art Club used their art to express their feelings in the aftermath of the terror attacks on New York and Washington of the 11^th of September. One of the paintings, by twelve-year-old Wanchai Boonprapha from Chumchon Moo Baan Pattana School, next to the DPF, can be seen in the attached file <peace.jpg>. Some of the paintings will be sent to Paint Pals in the USA for use when Paint Pals receives a "2001 Global Tolerance Award" in ceremonies at the UN in New York next month.

The Duang Prateep Foundation is one of several children's art groups from around the world which have cooperated with Paint Pals in the provision of art works for UN special events. The most recent exhibition was for the "UN World Conference Against Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and All Intolerances" which took place in Durban in August. In addition to Durban, the paintings have also been on display in New York, Washington and Atlanta.

Twenty young artists aged between 12 and 14 have also submitted paintings for the Takashi Art competition at Guma in Japan. The competition will take place later this year.

The Duang Prateep Foundation was affected in a small way by the attacks on the World Trade Center. Two youth representatives from Klong Toey and a staff member of the Duang Prateep Foundation, as chaperon, were due to leave for New York four days after the terrorist attack. Their trip to New York was to take part in events arranged by the Global Network of Religions for Children in connection with the UN General Assembly on Children. All events at the UN and in connection with the UN meeting were postponed in the aftermath of the tragedy. It is hoped that the trip to New York, which was to be sponsored by the Arigatou Foundation of Japan, will take place at a later date.

School building opened in Northeast

At the end of last month, a new building was opened at Nong Yai school in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The building was financed by UPS. The opening ceremony was presided over by a local MP, and was attended by the chief executive of UPS in Thailand, the manager of the DPF, Ms. Suwannee Watnoo, and other representatives of the Duang Prateep Foundation and UPS. Nithan Caravan entertained the children with a performance at the opening ceremony.

The building has two classrooms on the upper floor and an open plan ground floor. The school provides kindergarten and primary level education to 150 children. The Duang Prateep Foundation has been supporting Nong Yai school for some year. Previous assistance has included the construction of a library and a well. The foundation presently administers the sponsorship for fifty children at the school.

After the opening ceremony at Nong Yai, the Duang Prateep Foundation group travelled on to the Khru Tim Foundation in Buriram. The Khru Tim Foundation supports children's education in Northeast Thailand and has received support from the DPF over the years. The DPF presently administers the sponsorship for twenty-seven children at the Khru Tim Foundation.

The Khru Tim Foundation was set up in honour of a Buriram teacher who was murdered after exposing corruption in local education administration some thirty years ago.

Sponsorship section activities for children and guardians

Last month, the Sponsorship Section at the Duang Prateep Foundation arranged further events for sponsored children and guardians.

Sixty sponsored children went to a temple in Chonburi province one Sunday. They heard a talk from a monk and saw the vivid statues at the temple, which depict good and evil. Afterwards the youngsters went on to the aquarium at Bang Saen, where they toured the facility answering a set of questions they were given on arrival. The attached file <aquarium.jpg> shows some of the sponsored students at Bang Saen aquarium.

On the 30^th of September, over 100 parents and guardians of children receiving sponsorship from the Duang Prateep Foundation attended a meeting at the Duang Prateep Foundation. The event was a discussion about what to do if children's school grades worsened. The discussion was led by an education expert.

The Sponsorship Section also arranged a deputation of over 200 parents, children and DPF staff who visited the Interior Ministry to show support for the minister's strict enforcement of existing legislation on the closing times for night entertainment places. The minister’s enforcement of laws, which had previously been ignored, has provoked protests from a vociferous minority but has won widespread support from many sectors of society.

National Youth day event

The National Youth Day took place last month and in Bangkok was celebrated at a special event at Sanam Luang, the park next to the Grand Palace. Some twenty youth group members went to the event from Klong Toey. They saw a wide range of activities arranged to interest the youngsters. One of the activities was provided by the Duang Prateep Foundation's Nithan Caravan. The puppet troupe was hosting workshops on puppet making.

Police cadets at DPF

Last month police cadets were at the Duang Prateep Foundation for work experience programmes. Three groups, each of six cadets, were at the DPF for one week. The cadets were informed about the work of the foundation and about the problems of the urban poor before being given more direct contact with the situation through helping with various aspects of the foundation's work.

The Duang Prateep Foundation has now hosted several groups of police cadets since the scheme was first started in 1997. For the future police officers, the week gives them an opportunity to learn about the social background which can lead to criminal problems.

Japanese dentist visits for oral hygiene lessons

Last month a dentist from Kanagawa Dental College Alumni Dental Volunteer Association (KADVO) visited the Duang Prateep Foundation to lecture youngsters about oral hygiene and dental health. Over a two-day visit, the dentist gave talks to a total of 600 children at the Chumchon Moo Baan Pattana school, next door to the Duang Prateep Foundation. The dentist was assisted by two local volunteers, one Thai and one Japanese.

KADVO has been arranging regular visits to the Duang Prateep Foundation since 1997 for dental check-ups and information about dental care.

News from Thailand

Klong Toey women wins historic case

In a landmark verdict last month, the Civil Court ordered the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) to pay 3.2 million baht to Usa Rotpongkasem, a victim of the March 1991 chemical blaze at the Bangkok Port next to Klong Toey slum. The court decided that the chemical fire and explosion on March 2^nd 1991 was caused by negligence by the PAT in storing hazardous chemical substances. The court said that evidence showed that Ms. Usa's injuries were caused by exposure to burning chemicals.

Ms Usa is now blind in one eye and has seriously impaired vision in the other, she has lost her hearing in one ear and has impaired hearing in the other, she is now hairless and suffers from a brain tumour and loss of weight.

Duang Prateep Foundation Secretary General Prateep Ungsongtham Hata said the money could not compensate for what Usa had lost, but the ruling shows there is some justice and would serve as a lesson for the authorities and for state agencies and private firms whose work relates to chemical storage.

The ruling in favour of Usa was the first time that a private individual has successfully won a claim for compensation from a state agency because of environmental mismanagement on the part of the agency.

The fire in March 1991 destroyed 700 homes in the Koh Lao community of Klong Toey Slum. The Duang Prateep Foundation and other rights groups believe that some 40 people have died as a result of the 1991 fire and some 150 people are still suffering ill-health because of the fire. The PAT has only accepted responsibility for the five deaths which actually occurred at the time of the blaze and has turned down all claims for compensation from other victims. Usa's mother and Somchai Charoenvorakijakan, a volunteer fire fighter in Klong Toey slum have also filed cases. The verdicts are expected next month.

The Law Society of Thailand has supported Usa and the other claimants in their cases. Usa's lawyer said that he hoped the case will act as a precedent for similar cases and he urged the PAT not to appeal against the verdict. The PAT used every delaying tactic possible to drag the case out over five years and initially indicated that an appeal would be launched within the permitted thirty days. However, under political pressure, it seems possible that the PAT board will waive their right to appeal. Usa's lawyer said that an appeal would take at least five years and expressed fears that his client might not live to receive the compensation.

A photo of Usa can be seen in the attached file <usa.jpg>.

Commerce minister visited Klong Toey market

Last month the commerce minister, Adisai Bodharamik, visited Klong Toey fresh market to check on prices. The minister's visit to the market was described as bringing the most hustle and bustle to the place since Tesco Lotus and Carrefour stores opened nearby on Rama IV Road last year.

Most market vendors seized the opportunity of the minister's visit to complain about the big, cheap discount stores nearby, with which they could not compete. The minister conceded that small and medium sized stores were having a difficult time. He said that the draft of a new retail business law might be completed soon.

Parents blamed for rise in young criminals

Speakers at a seminar last month agreed that juvenile crime is spreading in Thailand, with parents failing to act as positive role models. It was agreed that loneliness, a lack of family contact and poor guidance helped explain rising juvenile crime. Most young criminals came from broken families or from families which failed to inculcate morals in their children. Many young criminals said that they had never experienced family love and that their parents often used violence to solve problems.

Thailand praised for Aids work

Last month Thailand was one of four countries honoured at an Aids conference for reducing mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus. Botswana, Uganda and Brazil were the other countries honoured.

Despite the good work, the UN reminded last month that there are many child victims of Aids in Thailand and neighbouring countries. UNAids researchers have calculated that as many as half a million children in Thailand are suffering because of Aids, this is regarded as the highest figure in the East Asia and the Pacific region. The figure includes children who are HIV+ and children who have one or both parents suffering from Aids or where one or both parents have died because of Aids.

Plan to put police in all Bangkok schools

The Metropolitan Police Bureau hopes to have a policeman working in all 1,500 Bangkok schools to educate youngsters about the dangers of drugs. Bangkok police are to use the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) programme, which was first developed in Los Angeles. The curriculum teaches ways to discourage drugs use and how to relate to gangs and violent behaviour and was written in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Boot camps for drug convicts to start in October

People jailed for minor drug offences have the option of going to military camps for short term stays prior to release. About twenty military camps will be used to house about 2,500 prisoners. 65% of the 230,000 prisoners nationwide are serving time on drug charges.

Unemployment set to rise

Government advisers have confirmed that the fall-off in exports due to the global economic slowdown and the constraints imposed by the current budget make rising unemployment a major concern.

The economy recorded better than expected growth of 1.9% for the first half of the year. However, economic projections for the whole year have been downgraded to between 1.5 and 2% from earlier forecasts of 2-3%.

Thailand's education gets dismal report

Last month, a report by the Hong Kong based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) ranked Thailand 10^th out of 12 East Asian countries surveyed for education and human resources. PERC found that due to the relatively poor standard of education and human resource development, there is a shortage of qualified personnel in the work force. The report described the state of Thai education, from primary school to the tertiary level as parlous. The lack of quality in the labour force will make it difficult for Thailand to move to a more sophisticated level of development.

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The following comment column by Veera Prateepchaikul appeared in the Bangkok Post of the 2^nd of October. The article appears here with the permission of the Bangkok Post and cannot be used or reproduced in any form without the permission of the Bangkok Post.

Allow Usa her peace and close this case

Bangkok Post 02.10.01

Ten years on, Usa Rotpongkasem, a survivor of the hazardous chemical fire at Klong Toey port on March 2, 1991, has finally received justice. The Civil Court on Friday found the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) guilty of negligence over the fire and ordered it to pay Ms Usa 3.2 million baht in damages to cover the cost of her medical care and to compensate for the loss of work opportunities.

The court ruling was long overdue but it came as welcome news to Ms Usa, her family and all the many other victims of disasters of a similar nature who have yet to receive justice from those responsible for their torment. The ruling also was warmly received by all justice-loving people.

This rare legal triumph would not have been possible had Ms Usa accepted, like so many other victims of the same incident, that her karma was to blame for this misfortune. Also, instead of accepting the token handouts offered by the PAT, she took the case to court, not for the money but because she wanted the state agency to be held responsible for the deeds of its own making, be they deliberate or the result of negligence.

The support of several non-governmental organisations and the legal advice provided by the Law Society cannot be ruled out as factors contributing to this positive outcome. Another prominent supporter was Dr Oraphan Methadilokkul, who has long experience on occupational and environmental issues. She testified as a witness in support of Ms Usa's claim for damages.

Ms Usa had her backers but the determining factor in this case was the victim's own fierce fighting spirit and her strong sense of justice. These were crucial to the success of the court battle. Otherwise, she might have thrown in the towel long before this matter had reached this stage.

The 3.2 million baht in damages is a huge amount for any poor slum family. Such an amount is more than it could earn throughout an entire life time. But ask Ms Usa which she would choose if she were able - the money or having a normal life - and she would definitely opt for the latter.

The compensation is a pittance when compared to the pain and suffering Ms Usa has gone through over the past 10 years and the bleak future which is the rest of her life. She is blind in one eye and has only partial sight in the other. She has lost her hearing in the right ear and has had surgery to remove a brain tumour. She had been studying law at Ramkhamhaeng University but now finds she is too weak to attend classes.

Her worst fear now seems to be that she may never see the money if the PAT appeals the court decision and the case drags on in the Appeals and the Supreme courts. She simply may not live that long.

The PAT is quite entitled to appeal the verdict. But, morally, this would be a very cruel blow. It would prolong the suffering of Ms Usa and would deprive her of any last chance she may have of the money to pay for her essential medical care.

The PAT can stretch this case out further but, in so doing, it only further tarnishes its own image. This matter has already cast it in the light of a cruel and irresponsible state agency.

After all, what is 3.2 million baht to the PAT? What does it compare to the enormous sum spent on its new head office at Klong Toey and the cool air-conditioned working environment being created for its staff - something which is a topic of envious gossip among employees of shipping firms seeking office space to rent in the same complex.

If the management of the PAT or the minister in charge of the agency possess any sense of accountability or compassion, they must surely understand the advisability of putting this matter to rest.

Veera Prateepchaikul is Deputy Editor (News), Bangkok Post