Tsunami survivor to open international school under the theme of ‘generosity’

[rooster59]

Tsunami survivor to open international school under the theme of ‘generosity’

By Thanachart Chuengyaempin

 

Howard Liang and his family

 

Tsunami survivors have come back to Thailand for the opening of an international school near Suvarnabhumi Airport under the theme of “Numchai”, or generosity, after being impressed by the generosity and kindness of Thai people during the time of disaster, which marks its 26th anniversary this month.

 

Hong Kong educational investor Howard Liang, 64, together with his wife Luanna Liang, 62, and two daughters – Chloe, 30, and Charmian, 26 – recounted that he and nineteen members of his family were in Phuket when the tsunami struck on December 23, 2004.

 

 

 

“Our two boats were crushed to pieces and we were separated,” he said. “Luckily waves carried me to an island, where local people helped evacuate me and other survivors to a high area where the tsunami waves could not reach.”

 

Charmian, who was twelve years old at that time, said that after her boat was hit by the waves, she first thought it was funny, but she was dragged under water and awoke to find herself on the same island.

 

 

“That memory is quite blurred to me because I was so young then, but I remember that local people suggested I head for high ground, from which my entire family were evacuated,” she explained.

 

The family and other survivors were sent for rehabilitation to a Takua Pa hospital and school the next day. At the school, the shoeless family met a man and his daughter, who took off their slippers and handed them to the family. 

 

 

“He then disappeared and came back with more shoes for us,” Luanna said.

 

Takua Pa School was a place where Chloe was allowed to use one of two computers to contact her friend in Hong Kong. She came back a few years later and donated computers to the school to show her appreciation.

 

 

The generosity inspired Howard to think that “numchai” should be taught in Verso international school, which he plans to open in August 2020.

 

The school is presently under construction on 168 rai in Thana City village near Suvarnabhumi Airport. 

 

“My school will be like a big apple if you see it from a plane,” he said. “It will have kindergarten to high school. However, in the first year of operation, the highest educational level will be grade eight.” 

 

 

He said the target group of his school are those who live in nearby areas of Bangkok, Samut Prakarn, and Eastern Economic Corridor provinces. Tuition fees will range from Bt600,000 to Bt960,000 per year, depending on the students’ educational level.

 

“There are numerous wonderful international schools in Bangkok and my school is not going to compete with them,” said Howard. “We are giving parents a choice by providing courses that inspire students to think outside the box, with flexible classroom teaching.”

 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30379675

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-12-21

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[SoilSpoil]

Tuition fees will range from Bt600,000 to Bt960,000 per year!!

 

Very generous indeed.

 

 

[Phuketshrew]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

he and nineteen members of his family were in Phuket when the tsunami struck on December 23, 2004.

It must have been a different tsunami to the one we experienced on December 26th.

[Colabamumbai]

Get those work permits ready. 

[TEFLKrabi]

I’d love to see a dozen scholarships for Children of people from the areas that were most badly affected too.

[pikao]

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

after being impressed by the generosity and kindness of Thai people during the time of disaster, which marks its 26th anniversary this month.

 

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

when the tsunami struck on December 23, 2004.

15th anniversary and December 26, 2004

 

Quality journalism again

 

[Scot123]

31 minutes ago, TEFLKrabi said:

I’d love to see a dozen scholarships for Children of people from the areas that were most badly affected too.

No money no honey. 

[Scot123]

4 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

Tuition fees will range from Bt600,000 to Bt960,000 per year!!

 

Very generous indeed.

 

 

Nothing generous about that in fact it is very expensive and all about greed. Haven't they stolen enough money from the generosity of the world? So much given with very little going to where it was meant. I get really angry when I think about it. 

[Vacuum]

6 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

Nothing generous about that in fact it is very expensive and all about greed. Haven't they stolen enough money from the generosity of the world? So much given with very little going to where it was meant. I get really angry when I think about it. 

His profession says it all: educational investor.

[BobbyL]

The video looks impressive, although some slightly strange ideas. As a teacher in an international school in Bangkok I am not too keen on some of those open plan designs / loops.

 

It'll be interesting the see if they become successful with their high fees and a glut of brand new international schools being opened (Wellington, Brighton, King's College etc). 

[PremiumLane]

So basically he is using the anniversary of the tragedy as a marketing tool for his overpriced school, very generous of him

[Knocker33]

8 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

It must have been a different tsunami to the one we experienced on December 26th.

It must be as it celebrating the 26th anniversary. Who wrote this Diane Abbot 

[Nip]

I don't know about anybody else but I thought at first this was a feel good story but it is a feel bad story. I thought perhaps he was opening a school for the disadvantaged on the island where the people were so generous to him when disaster struck. 

 

As noted above he is using his family and the Tsunami as nothing more than a disgusting marketing tool.