The wife and I want to give back to the local community. How can we do this?

[advancebooking]

Has anyone ever done a good deed for their local community?

 

The wife and I want to do something but dont know what. I realise I have limitations bc volunteer work is impossible without a WP. But what if the wife does it? Or if we donate financially to something....

 

Any ideas/ suggestions are appreciated.

[dode57k]

Invest in the future. Get your wife to approach the local school and see what they need

[Orton Rd]

On no account give money to a School, pay for items they want if you think it's a worthy cause. I gave money for a School once via a charity, a year later the School had not received the money, it was quite a lot. Only after kicking up a fuss did the money get handed over and they did send photos of all the equipment purchased

[daveAustin]

Plant hundreds of trees.

[473geo]

A couple in our village bought bicycles for the children to ride to school a very pleasant gesture

[CharlieH]

Outside Play equipment for the younger kids school.

(Buy the equipment don't give cash,)

[Mikisteel]

I regularly go looking for bottle collectors, especially after a month or so. We go though 72 2 litre bottles a month.

 

Gave a couple of pairs of trainers to the neighbours kids. Brand new kicks brought wrong size for our son from Europe so gave to them.

 

Play footy with the youngsters in the area from time to time.

 

Hand a lot of clothes to my Mrs family.

 

Thinking of giving the mountain bike away as it's not used enough.

 

 

 

 

[fishtank]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Plant hundreds of trees.

So that the Thais can cut them down and replace with concrete.

Thais only like trees if they can cut them down to make fire wood to cook their dinner on.

[bikerlou47]

At the end of every year I donate money to local schools.

[soalbundy]

I donated three fans to my sons school, it was quite embarrassing, the head teacher had the whole school form up in the playground to give me a wai (the school is not impoverished) it was as if I had donated a million Baht, at first I had the sneaking suspicion that he was taking the p1ss but my missus assured me it was deadly serious.

[steven100]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

it was as if I had donated a million Baht,

hmmm ….ok,  try the million baht then and let us know what happens

[thaiguzzi]

Find out where the nearest orphanage is and donate stuff they need.

[peterb17]

See if you find a local Rotary club - really depends where you live as I presume you will need to find an English speaking club. 

Then you can get involved with projects or initiative your own. 

[CNXexpat]

"The wife and I want to give back to the local community…"
What do you received from the community that you have the feeling that you have to give back something? 

Generally a school is a good place to donate - but only things like fans, that nobody put the money in his own pocket.

We donate food regularly to a local temple in Chiang Mai who takes care of orphans.

[OneMoreFarang]

Be careful that you don't upset the wrong people.

Doing something good is obviously good. But if some influential locals don't like what you do because you upset how things work then you won't only make friends. Be careful and think twice.

[1FinickyOne]

I would donate something to a local health clinic... ask them what they need. It just might save your or someone else's life. 

[Kurtf]

Volunteer to teach conversational English at your local grammar school.

[transam]

47 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

Volunteer to teach conversational English at your local grammar school.

Can't...

[jimn]

2 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

"The wife and I want to give back to the local community…"
What do you received from the community that you have the feeling that you have to give back something? 

Generally a school is a good place to donate - but only things like fans, that nobody put the money in his own pocket.

We donate food regularly to a local temple in Chiang Mai who takes care of orphans.

Exactly my thoughts you beat me too it. Come on OP what has the local community given you that you feel duty bound to give back. I have never lived anywhere that I felt the local community had ever given me anything. Only time was the local football team for my sons, the managers giving up their time. When my sons finished I helped by managing for 5 years, but thats about the extent of it. I keep well away from local community events and activities, I am far happier mixing in my own social circles and family.

[geoffbezoz]

2 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Find out where the nearest orphanage is and donate stuff they need.

The best response in this thread so far. Giving money to schools will only ensure the school director will pocket more money as I know from experience many years ago.

[geoffbezoz]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Is that a joke?

 

When I arrived in Bangkok I worked for a few months for a Rotary member (with lots of certificates on his wall). He cheated me and others. Over time I met other Rotary members from his and other clubs. He is well known and it seems he cheats about everybody. So I asked the other members why he is still in Rotary. Why do they allow a guy like him to ruin the name of that club? From many members I didn't get an answer. One member told me something similar to: There are so many crooks in Thai rotary. The many crooks won't throw out one of them.

 

This might be an exception in Bangkok. But I wouldn't bet on it. At least personally I don't trust people only because they are part of some club with a good name.

Well I thought that all of these "do gooder" clubs were only in it for their own benefit and ego.   Seems like you have now learned nothing ever changes, only the faces.

[Mavideol]

11 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Outside Play equipment for the younger kids school.

(Buy the equipment don't give cash,)

I bought them books and some playground equipment, paid for the set up as well, no cash given, just the goods

[NCC1701A]

i pay four women's rent here in Hua Hin. 

 

i fixed one of my girlfriend's pick up truck transmission. vital to her business. 

 

another girlfriend I bought her a business and she really made a lot of money and super happy.

 

three others i buy bus tickets for and some cash for small presents for their children when they go home.

 

they really count on me. I am not joking. 

 

first six months in 2019 i have spent 673,588 in the local economy. 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by NCC1701A

[natway09]

If you want popularity go buy a truckload of Lao Khao

Only kidding !!!!! have a look around the "city centre" it will become obvious

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i pay four women's rent here in Hua Hin. 

I also help several female uni students with their rent and expenses.

We're both philanthropists!

Edited August 9, 2019 by BritManToo

[jaiyen]

Arrange a football match for the local kids and have a big barby afterwards with good food

[Handsome Gardener]

I bought my local football team their entire squad kit based on the colours of the team I support back home.

 

When I then went to see their next game wearing it ready to feel full of pride, they trotted out with my name blazed across the front as a thank you to me !! <deleted> up the design completely !

[Saltire]

It annoys me that I can't volunteer at the local school in any way for fear of someone taking the hump and reporting it than its a forced quick exit. This grates on me especially after 5 years of working and volunteering in Cambodia before I came here. I prefer the term  'giving' to 'giving back' - i don't need to get something to want me to give, that's not how it works.

 

Each year the school has a presentation of prizes and each placed student (1st, 2nd etc) gets an envelope with 500 Baht. The better off local residents can donate this to 1 or as many students as you like. Wife and I normally do 2 students, and the donor has to present the student with his prize. The first year they were terrified to come up and take their prize from the farang, very shy, but now that I have been here a few years I am told they actually want the dubious honour. Until Thailand eases up on volunteering that will have to do for a while.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Saltire

[mserror]

We once donated money to buy soccer shirts for a school team.

 

I was interested in giving a student prize, but wife said bad idea, because you then appear rich and become a target.

 

We discussed many other things, and the conclusion was to do nothing, because there were problems. Except of course with collecting garbage, which I will not do anywhere.

 

Now I am happy with various giving to younger members of her family.

[kevinmartyn]

You could give your heart and soul and the local community would not respect you for doing so. If you want to help maybe the village school needs better WCs or something else. The thai government seems to do minimum!

 

I once gave writing pads, pens and several football's to a local issan village school. I admit it felt good!

 

Do what makes you feel good. But remember to fill out TM30 and report every 90 day's or your be put in stocks and pelted with buffalo dung. Another new law for foreigners in Thailand i hear, Think it came out in 1666 at the same time as "Great fire of London" Really it's true read in Bangkok Post and The Nation!????????????