4 months in

[Nakmuay887]

My original topic from back in June is here. It had a ton of responses and helped me make some great friends here when I arrived 

 

 

 

I've been in Thailand for 4 months now and it's been a heck of a journey. The advice I was given in my original thread was informative, appreciated and accurate. No matter how tough to swallow. 

 

Life has changed a lot for me, I still box full time but the majority of my focus has shifted Into helping the Karen people as much as I can. 

 

I volunteer full time at a boarding school for Burmese migrant children. I think all but one are specifically Karen kids who's parents either couldn't get into Thailand, have been jailed or are now missing or dead. I teach them Thai boxing 3x a week and work on their English daily with them. They are all very diligent workers and eager to learn! 

 

I managed to buy them a water filtration system with the earnings from my last two fights which felt great. Most of the these kids have never had clean water in their lives. 

 

Twice monthly I head into the mountains not far from Mae Sot and visit two different hill tribes where I bring medical supplies, food, clothing and toys. I have grown quite close with both groups over the last several months. Although I often wonder if me bringing them modern things does more harm than good. That's a topic for another day I guess. 

 

https://youtu.be/_ygMhtT-3wU

 

I met a Thai gal working in a refuge camp as a social worker who has been my girlfriend since I arrived. (I know I swore up and down it wouldn't happen but it did.) she comes from a nice family in a village in tak called Mae Kasa. Fluent in English and pretty on top of it. 

 

My long term goals are to run my own non profit school here or even an NGO if I can eventually work towards the funding and permits. 

 

I know I'm not "desired type of farang to be living in Thailand" at least if I go by the opinions of many on this board. I'm not retired or wealthy. I am still doing border runs lol. You get the picture. I am probably no different than many other people my age coming to Thailand but instead of coming to party I spend my days helping others and boxing. 

 

It's been a great 4 months and I plan to be here for the rest of my days. So I just wanted to shoot everyone a quick update and thank you for all the input in my original thread months back 

 

Joshua 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Nakmuay887

[Andrew Dwyer]

Glad to hear it working out for you Joshua, long may it continue !!

[Odysseus123]

Well done!

 

..and great photos too.

[NCC1701A]

1 hour ago, Nakmuay887 said:

I know I'm not "desired type of farang to be living in Thailand"

you are doing more than a lot of the people on TVF to help. keep up the good work.

 

[sunnyboy2018]

Good job. Stay healthy

[Nakmuay887]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the kind words. Definitely starting to find my niche in life I think 

[Nakmuay887]

Unfortunately there's no long term visa for parading around Thailand trying to help people. That will be my next hurdle but one I'll prepare for 

[NCC1701A]

33 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Unfortunately there's no long term visa for parading around Thailand trying to help people. That will be my next hurdle but one I'll prepare for 

keep a low profile. whatever you do try to stay off of Facebook. 

Facebook posts take on a life of their own in Thailand and become the source for many Thai news stories.

don't get photographed helping anyone with their business, even if it is completely innocent.

don't over stay. even if you have to leave your girlfriend for a few months.

good luck. 

 

[xtof2]

Respect.

 

48 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

keep a low profile. whatever you do try to stay off of Facebook. 

Facebook posts take on a life of their own in Thailand and become the source for many Thai news stories.

don't get photographed helping anyone with their business, even if it is completely innocent.

don't over stay. even if you have to leave your girlfriend for a few months.

good luck. 

 

Good pieces of advice.

[Nakmuay887]

49 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

keep a low profile. whatever you do try to stay off of Facebook. 

Facebook posts take on a life of their own in Thailand and become the source for many Thai news stories.

don't get photographed helping anyone with their business, even if it is completely innocent.

don't over stay. even if you have to leave your girlfriend for a few months.

good luck. 

 

Because it could be spun that I'm working illegally? 

 

I've found legal work with a large NGO based out of tak and Mae Hong son. Just finishing up the salary negotiations. So with the work permit that's one problem saved. 

 

I'll never overstay, using Vietnam as a hub if I need to leave Thailand for a period. Hoping that doesn't happen 

 

Thanks for the all the advice! 

[scorecard]

30 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Because it could be spun that I'm working illegally? 

 

I've found legal work with a large NGO based out of tak and Mae Hong son. Just finishing up the salary negotiations. So with the work permit that's one problem saved. 

 

I'll never overstay, using Vietnam as a hub if I need to leave Thailand for a period. Hoping that doesn't happen 

 

Thanks for the all the advice! 

 Good news about having a work permit. Congratulations. Take care of yourself. 

 

 

[Helmet Grunter]

Good on ya saan, good news to hear

Edited December 11, 2019 by Helmet Grunter
Misspelt

[alex8912]

If you have done all that in just 4 months you will be amazed at your achievements in the next year. Very nice post. Thanks. 

[Laza 45]

Good on you!  You are making a difference for a lot of people.  Good luck and do your best to stay healthy.  Keep us up to date... look forward to your posts and more great photos.. 

[Nakmuay887]

10 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

Good on you!  You are making a difference for a lot of people.  Good luck and do your best to stay healthy.  Keep us up to date... look forward to your posts and more great photos.. 

Thank you. 

 

These people can certainly use a break. The Karen in Burma have it very bad because of the military rule and are in immediate danger obviously, but the ones who make it into Thailand are completely brushed aside. 

 

All of these kids are citizen zero it seems. Meaning they don't belong to either country. It's not an option to go back to Myanmar and the Thai government doesn't really want them. A few of these young boys have serious potential as Nak Muay so that may be an option for a better life so I'm doing my best to help. 

 

[Nakmuay887]

I got an infection in my arm the first week I arrived and then caught staph badly from my last fight from a cut in my shin but all is well now 

 

Cheers guys 

[stephen tracy]

Love the pics!

[Harveyg]

Thanks for doing such good.  Always welcome that.

Allow me one observation:

I watched the first youtube and saw kids being given a sort of snoopy, a drink, and a bag of some kind of chips.

I dont find any of these healthy or helpful, but rather, unhealthy physically- things called food in plastic bags, sugar water for drink, consumerist doll, and....

What are you teaching them about the modern world?  To aspire to?

I see their beautiful surroundings.  How can you help them keep that, the naturalness of their home?

The water filter - seems like a great addition.

 

 

[Nakmuay887]

3 minutes ago, Harveyg said:

Thanks for doing such good.  Always welcome that.

Allow me one observation:

I watched the first youtube and saw kids being given a sort of snoopy, a drink, and a bag of some kind of chips.

I dont find any of these healthy or helpful, but rather, unhealthy physically- things called food in plastic bags, sugar water for drink, consumerist doll, and....

What are you teaching them about the modern world?  To aspire to?

I see their beautiful surroundings.  How can you help them keep that, the naturalness of their home?

The water filter - seems like a great addition.

 

 

That's why I said in the post I felt it was actually doing more harm than good. That was my first trip over to them. Very naive on my end. 

 

The hill tribes don't need the modern world other than maybe antibiotics and sewing kits. But you can slowly see it changing now as they want hard currency instead of just bartering amongst themselves. 

 

Now I bring clothing and medicine. 

 

The Karen children I teach are practicing English, learning how to box and learning how to read and write. Most already speak Thai, Burmese and  Karen and are very eager to learn English and French from me. 

 

The two young boys in the photos lived in a garbage dump near the border for over a year before this school found them. Dad was killed by Burmese soldiers. Their mom took off to Bangkok and never came back. Sad state of affairs for many of these children. 

 

The few hours of happiness I manage to bring them means everything to me 

[looking for LIFE insurance]

Josh,

 

     I'm in BKK for 21 years.  I would like to come and visit.  Can you DM me your email if you feel this is OK.

I'm not doing very much with my time.  My daughter is in International School and is busy with her friends.

Perhaps I could bring some needed supplies.

 

[Nakmuay887]

24 minutes ago, looking for LIFE insurance said:

Josh,

 

     I'm in BKK for 21 years.  I would like to come and visit.  Can you DM me your email if you feel this is OK.

I'm not doing very much with my time.  My daughter is in International School and is busy with her friends.

Perhaps I could bring some needed supplies.

 

Absolutely. I'll send you my email now. 

[Brunolem]

What a waste of time and energy!

 

Here you could be sitting on a bar stool all day long in Pattaya, sipping 20 beers a day (19 when the pound goes down), and breathing the emanations of thousands of motorbikes and pickup trucks...and yet you chose to dedicate yourself to Karen, a strange name for a Thai girl if you ask me, right in the middle of nowhere!

 

(full disclosure: I have been living in a remote village, being the only farang for kilometers around, for more than 10 years, and I have survived...with no beer and no toxic fumes...keep up the good work)

[Jaxxper]

Good to hear a good news story. Best of luck with your endeavors.????

[Thingamabob]

Well done. Hope all goes well in the future.

[IssanMichael]

At last a great story, and a wonderful way to change people's lives and help them. A gold medal for that man. Best regards.

[natway09]

Well done & good luck. As much as I dislike pugilism it can be a character builder if controlled properly. Our village is just 45 Km up the hill from Mae Sot & yes, the people are honest, friendly,

& hard working. Being a young fella you could fall foul of immigration.

Ensure you cross your T's & dot your I's

[Golden Triangle]

Well done young man, it is truly refreshing to read your story and to see the people whose lives you are helping, I wish you many many more years of helping some of the most unfortunate people in the country.

 

Please keep us up to date with your adventures. ????

[Nakmuay887]

16 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Well done & good luck. As much as I dislike pugilism it can be a character builder if controlled properly. Our village is just 45 Km up the hill from Mae Sot & yes, the people are honest, friendly,

& hard working. Being a young fella you could fall foul of immigration.

Ensure you cross your T's & dot your I's

My ajarn in boxing was a police officer in Mae sot for 20 years. 

Retired last year. His brother is an immigration officer at the land border near by. So fortunately I have been lucky in that regard. Whenever I travel anywhere he's on speed dial and I keep a letter written by him in my bag. Can't make out what it says but it's gotten me out of trouble in the past. 

 

Great people. His wife always jokes about adopting me

Edited December 11, 2019 by Nakmuay887

[Nakmuay887]

Here are some more pictures. Various things, where I live, where I help out etc. Quite a simple life. I don't even have hot water and have to boil my drinking water. 

 

 

 

The young boxer there in several pictures is named Chai. Very talented fighter and an absolute genius. He wants to be a computer teacher. He's an example of a citizen zero. He was born in a hill tribe village, he cannot leave the province of Tak as he's not recognized as a Thai citizen

[rhodie]

You are an amazing inspiration. I hope you succeed with your journey and goal ahead. Great work.