Mechai is a wonderful humanitarian and a great guy, very funny, polite, charming and adores kids. I have met him many times and he never fails to leave a mark on a moment. What he has done for Thai people and with the Village Banks is amazing and, so smart to only let women manage money in the villages. Super guy. Well spotted Mr Gates.

On 10/27/2018 at 1:16 AM, dieter1 said:

- Thailands population is declining

I am sure there are some TV members trying to reverse that trend...

Any kudos going his way are well deserved. A man to be much admired.

 

BTW, to that poster who cast some aspersions on Mechai: I've followed the story of Mechai for 3 decades and not a single, solitary word of denigration has ever been uttered against him. If you know something the rest of us don't, then spit it out or keep your mouth shut. Dark insinuation without relative fact is the ultimate insult.

35 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

Any kudos going his way are well deserved. A man to be much admired.

 

BTW, to that poster who cast some aspersions on Mechai: I've followed the story of Mechai for 3 decades and not a single, solitary word of denigration has ever been uttered against him. If you know something the rest of us don't, then spit it out or keep your mouth shut. Dark insinuation without relative fact is the ultimate insult.

 

I've also followed the legend of Mechai from the old PDA days to PCDA and now the current foundation. No one can deny that his early efforts on family planning introduced Thailand to the condom and is therefore believed to have averted a worse AIDS crisis in the 80s and 90s. However, though my work, I know many of Thailand's top social activists and humanitarians, and it is from their comments over the years that I draw my opinion. I also know people once involved with Mechai in Buriram. This is why I phrased it as coming from "among those in the know." There are no "links" as another poster requested. Because defamation is a thing here, I have to be careful. But if interested, one might look into the true history of the schools in Lamplaimat and the conclusions of certain overseas charitable foundations that ended their support. Since you closed your reply with the rude, "spit it out or keep your mouth shut," I will end with my own advice to you: quit the immature hero-worship ("not a single, solitary word of denigration"-- what big eyes you have, Grandma!) and go do your homework. 

1 hour ago, Puwa said:

I've also followed the legend of Mechai from the old PDA days to PCDA and now the current foundation. No one can deny that his early efforts on family planning introduced Thailand to the condom and is therefore believed to have averted a worse AIDS crisis in the 80s and 90s. However, though my work, I know many of Thailand's top social activists and humanitarians, and it is from their comments over the years that I draw my opinion. I also know people once involved with Mechai in Buriram. This is why I phrased it as coming from "among those in the know." There are no "links" as another poster requested. Because defamation is a thing here, I have to be careful. But if interested, one might look into the true history of the schools in Lamplaimat and the conclusions of certain overseas charitable foundations that ended their support. Since you closed your reply with the rude, "spit it out or keep your mouth shut," I will end with my own advice to you: quit the immature hero-worship ("not a single, solitary word of denigration"-- what big eyes you have, Grandma!) and go do your homework. 

All well and good, sunshine, for you to imply that you have more knowledge than the rest of us. But when that knowledge is kept from the general public then you are being very arrogant in claiming you know more than us. There are no links, you say, then expect us to believe you. I've just done a cursory search and found nothing out of the ordinary (in fact the positive posts are overwhelming). Nor has there been any scuttlebutt among my Thai colleagues who know Mechai very well. Once again, put up or shut up.

Puwa, you don't receive the Gates Award for Global Health ($1m) or the Magsaysay Award with skeletons in the closet.

 

I have met Mechai on several occasions and yes, he is driven by what he believes in, however I have never known him to be unscrupulous.

 

Which overseas foundations have ended their support?  I cannot find anything.