Some 13,000 hill tribe people in Chiang Rai need blankets, winter jackets

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Some 13,000 hill tribe people in Chiang Rai need blankets, winter jackets

CHIANG RAI: -- The Mae Fah Lung district office has issued an urgent plea for blankets and winter jackets for some 13,000 poor hill tribe people living on mountaintops in Tambon Mae Salong Nok in Chiang Rai.

The district office said the poor people had to warm themselves by lighting up fires. The temperature there has dropped below 10 Celsius degree at night and in the morning.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Some-13000-hill-tribe-people-in-Chiang-Rai-need-bl-30249665.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-12

[Mango Bob]

It seems to be the same old story year after year, winter jackets and blankets only seem to last one year.

[rasmus5150]

It seems to be the same old story year after year, winter jackets and blankets only seem to last one year.

If they stopped selling their warm clothes in late January, then they would not have the same problem year after year.

[canuckamuck]

The blankets are nice to get, we already got ours. I don't need it but people in our village definitely do. It does get freakin cold up in high altitude villages. Last year was really bad. However this year it has been unseasonably warm up here, so a little early on the blanket campaign. It did get down to 12 a couple of weeks ago though.

If you are wondering why they need em every year, partially it is because it is expected; so new ones are not purchased. And secondly they are not thick blankets so people usually use more than one. And they get used all year, just less layers when it is hot.

So some old ones get replaced every year. Is that so terrible? Are you all jealous?

[mango66]

It seems to be the same old story year after year, winter jackets and blankets only seem to last one year.

if this people so stupid not to keep them for the next year,

than collect them every year after the " frozen Winter time " !!

Or dont deliver, they will remember !!

iIn 3 months they will have no water - songkhran,

in 6 months no food of the try season

in 9 months boats for floods,

[ezzra]

What happened to the blankets they got last year? every year they get assistant from the government

for the same stuff, what happened to those? sold at the markets? exchanged for beer and cigarettes?

and why don't they weave their own blankets? those guys will sale you hand made blankets

and other types of rugs, why don't they use them to keep warm?... why? coz they get it for free

from the government, year after year after year...

[skildpadden]

I agree with the above posts. It is so strange we have this stuation every year and apparently nothing has been learnt at all from last year - or at least they keep the blankets for next winter. I used to support collection of warm clothes, but now I honestly feel they are taking the piss on me.

[thaidel48]

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It seems to be the same old story year after year, winter jackets and blankets only seem to last one year.

if this people so stupid not to keep them for the next year,

than collect them every year after the " frozen Winter time " !!

Or dont deliver, they will remember !!

iIn 3 months they will have no water - songkhran,

in 6 months no food of the try season

in 9 months boats for floods,

MMMMM... last time I looked there where only 12 months in a year but I get your drift lmao

[Bung]

Im sure there are plenty of blankets to buy that you can give to these poor freezing souls in a market near to the village....

[colinneil]

Three years ago, i lived in a hill tribe village 39 kilometers in the mountains east of Mae Hon Song.

No electric in the village except at the school (solar).

I was amazed how many times different groups gave blankets to villagers, but still nobody had blankets!!!

Because they were taken to MHS and sold on the sunday markets.

Next cold season they got more!!! What a joke that was.

[tgeezer]

Three years ago, i lived in a hill tribe village 39 kilometers in the mountains east of Mae Hon Song.

No electric in the village except at the school (solar).

I was amazed how many times different groups gave blankets to villagers, but still nobody had blankets!!!

Because they were taken to MHS and sold on the sunday markets.

Next cold season they got more!!! What a joke that was.

Have just returned from a trip to Chiang Rai and the night time temperature was never lower than 22 c . The roads are superb, and I guess that is because they depend on government work, annual handouts are part of the system I expect. I can't see how there can be a market for blankets unless they are bought back into stock for next year by the organisations who supplied them.

[lordpeps]

why should they be replaced every year? I have the same blankets now for 10 years and there's no wear on them. I even have 1 blanket that's 35 years old. So i don't see why they need to replace a blanket or get rid of them year after year.

.

So some old ones get replaced every year. Is that so terrible? Are you all jealous?

[canuckamuck]

Three years ago, i lived in a hill tribe village 39 kilometers in the mountains east of Mae Hon Song.

No electric in the village except at the school (solar).

I was amazed how many times different groups gave blankets to villagers, but still nobody had blankets!!!

Because they were taken to MHS and sold on the sunday markets.

Next cold season they got more!!! What a joke that was.

Have just returned from a trip to Chiang Rai and the night time temperature was never lower than 22 c . The roads are superb, and I guess that is because they depend on government work, annual handouts are part of the system I expect. I can't see how there can be a market for blankets unless they are bought back into stock for next year by the organisations who supplied them.

Last year it was 6 degrees in my house several morning in a row. I have nice warm blankets on a big comfy bed. But I am surrounded by folks that sleep on a mat on a bamboo floor. I am pretty sure the blanket they got that year was especially appreciated.

In a country that has no social safety net and almost no consideration for the needy, I am amazed to see posters from first world countries begrudging these people a few blankets. Yes some of them are not needed, but if they do get sold I am sure the money they get is useful. Why don't you save your ire for the officials that probably skimmed half of the budget before the first blanket was bought?

[tgeezer]

Three years ago, i lived in a hill tribe village 39 kilometers in the mountains east of Mae Hon Song.

No electric in the village except at the school (solar).

I was amazed how many times different groups gave blankets to villagers, but still nobody had blankets!!!

Because they were taken to MHS and sold on the sunday markets.

Next cold season they got more!!! What a joke that was.

Have just returned from a trip to Chiang Rai and the night time temperature was never lower than 22 c . The roads are superb, and I guess that is because they depend on government work, annual handouts are part of the system I expect. I can't see how there can be a market for blankets unless they are bought back into stock for next year by the organisations who supplied them.

Last year it was 6 degrees in my house several morning in a row. I have nice warm blankets on a big comfy bed. But I am surrounded by folks that sleep on a mat on a bamboo floor. I am pretty sure the blanket they got that year was especially appreciated.

In a country that has no social safety net and almost no consideration for the needy, I am amazed to see posters from first world countries begrudging these people a few blankets. Yes some of them are not needed, but if they do get sold I am sure the money they get is useful. Why don't you save your ire for the officials that probably skimmed half of the budget before the first blanket was bought?

Don't misunderstand me, I am not in a position to criticise the system of a country where I am a visitor, I observe that the country has a safety net for these needy people but unlike my country(UK) it enables them to maintain their self esteem. Trading blankets for cash requires effort and even if they are bought back into the system it is gainful employment no different from trading the fruit of the forest which is equally beyond criticism form me. That officials 'skim' half is as much a part of the system; money is useless if it isn't circulating, left out of the system the Northern provinces would soon degrade.

[Traveler19491]

Three years ago, i lived in a hill tribe village 39 kilometers in the mountains east of Mae Hon Song.

No electric in the village except at the school (solar).

I was amazed how many times different groups gave blankets to villagers, but still nobody had blankets!!!

Because they were taken to MHS and sold on the sunday markets.

Next cold season they got more!!! What a joke that was.

Have just returned from a trip to Chiang Rai and the night time temperature was never lower than 22 c . The roads are superb, and I guess that is because they depend on government work, annual handouts are part of the system I expect. I can't see how there can be a market for blankets unless they are bought back into stock for next year by the organisations who supplied them.

Last year it was 6 degrees in my house several morning in a row. I have nice warm blankets on a big comfy bed. But I am surrounded by folks that sleep on a mat on a bamboo floor. I am pretty sure the blanket they got that year was especially appreciated.

In a country that has no social safety net and almost no consideration for the needy, I am amazed to see posters from first world countries begrudging these people a few blankets. Yes some of them are not needed, but if they do get sold I am sure the money they get is useful. Why don't you save your ire for the officials that probably skimmed half of the budget before the first blanket was bought?

It certainly is nice to see a post on here by someone who is not judging the hill tribes by western standards. Yes, it is entirely possible that these people may be selling the donated blankets. But it is also entirely possible that those blankets are sold out of necessity. Food for my kids now, or hang on to the blanket just in case it gets cold again six months from now? As the Christmas season is upon us, it is remarkable to see how many Scrooges there are.

[NE1]

Once again , why don't the temples help people out who are less fortunate , I am sure these people have given thousands of baht to the local temples over their lifetime .

[bangon04]

What happened to the blankets they got last year? every year they get assistant from the government

for the same stuff, what happened to those? sold at the markets? exchanged for beer and cigarettes?

and why don't they weave their own blankets? those guys will sale you hand made blankets

and other types of rugs, why don't they use them to keep warm?... why? coz they get it for free

from the government, year after year after year...

Maybe, just maybe, the local Pu Yai collects the blankets after the cold snap finishes, then sells them to the government the next year and collects the same subsidy again each year?

[my friend I]

The blankets are paper thin. The thickest part is where the donor, usually a local politician or a company, prints their name. Always in English. The donors are happy coz they make merit.

Most of these people do not have electric let alone a washing machine or a dryer. The blanket would disintegrate if it were washed anyway.

Its lucky if it lasts through winter.

I have never seen any being on sold.

[canuckamuck]

The blankets are paper thin. The thickest part is where the donor, usually a local politician or a company, prints their name. Always in English. The donors are happy coz they make merit.

Most of these people do not have electric let alone a washing machine or a dryer. The blanket would disintegrate if it were washed anyway.

Its lucky if it lasts through winter.

I have never seen any being on sold.

Oh yes, but it is s scam don't you see. These people are living way above their means and all of it on the backs of well meaning citizens.

Next thing you know they are going to be demanding first hand clothing.

[toybits]

We have blankets to donate to some Tribal Villages. However, we have to evaluate the village to determine whether it matches our criteria. PM Me for more information.