Event to boost volunteer spirit
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Khon Thai Foundation is joining forces with the Thai Health Foundation and other groups to organise the second "Khon Thai Khor Meu Noi" project at Bangkok's CentralWorld shopping mall on March 1 and 2. The project aims to boost active citizenship.

Next year's event, which is expected to attract as many as 100,000 participants, will showcase the work of 100 social volunteer groups and also include discussions on related topics.

Details are available at www.khonthaifoundation.org or www.facebook.com/ourhandsforbetterthailand.

Vichien Pongsathorn, chairman of the Khon Thai Foundation, said the first event last year earned good feedback and helped 128 volunteer organisations link up. He also noted that society needed all sides to help promote public participation in solving complicated social issues.

"I think there is a growing trend of active citizenship in Thai society as evidenced by people uniting to express their stance on certain public issues through social media. It would also be great to link them up in an offline world so it leads to real-time collaborations that have good strategy and direction to help make society better," he said.

Krissada Raungarreerat, manager of the Thai Health Foundation, also expressed hope the event would unite the public, business and people's sectors to become a force for the country's development, allowing more space for those wishing to do volunteer work, thus propelling an active citizen-support mechanism. It would also allow people with the volunteer spirit to connect and exchange ideas.

Volunteer Penjuree Weeranabutr said she was proud to be part of this event and part of a social responsibility movement. She said she wanted to see more equality in society, a less of a social gap and more people becoming volunteers

-- The Nation 2013-12-15

"It would also be great to link them up in an offline world so it leads to real-time collaboration"

You mean actually meet and talk to people? Radical.

This is what Thailand needs. Citizenship participation. They have to understand the meaning of "citizenship."

Yes it would be nice to see genuine caring/empathy minus the somewhat cringe-worthiness of making merit.

"It would also be great to link them up in an offline world so it leads to real-time collaboration"

You mean actually meet and talk to people? Radical.

They could discuss the ' what's in it for me ' principle providing they can keep their hands off the mobile and stop texting.

I would love to volunteer in Thailand ... but as a guest I am not allowed

I am sure many foreigners living here would like to as well ..

Grassroots are good roots.

There is/was this expat volunteer for Phuket police that didn't work out well, I read... Wouldn't want more of those participating in society.