Swede dedicates his life to children in Thailand

[webfact]

Swede dedicates his life to children in Thailand



BANGKOK: -- He started to fill up suitcases with things every time he visited Thailand. One day at the office in Sweden he thought; ‘Why not do something in a larger scale?’. Today he is transporting boxes with clothes, toys and hygiene products almost every month and his plan is to start a home for orphaned children later this year.

First time Sebastian Wilhelmsson was in Thailand was in 2008 – it was a holiday. He quickly fell in love with the country and the people. When he met his girlfriend, they were staying in the countryside. He saw many poor people, who had nothing, and this was how it all started.

“I started to fill up my suitcases every time I went to Thailand. I felt I had to do something and give something back to these very humble people,” Sebastian says.

Sebastian continued the “suitcase-project” for some years. But last year in February, he started looking for companies who could transport boxes from Sweden to Thailand.

Today he is sending boxes almost monthly. People in Thailand help him with picking up the boxes at the warehouse and transporting them out to the children. The boxes contain everything from clothes, toys and hygiene products.

The Journey To Ban Phe
One day a man contacted Sebastian. He heard about what Sebastian was doing and wanted to invite him to his place in Ban Phe to give him a free ride in his tourist boat.

“I said; ‘We can do that, but then I want to bring all the children I can gather, and drive them down there, so they get to see the ocean’,” Sebastian tells.

Together they are now planning “The journey to Ban Phe” – what Sebastian describes as his biggest project so far. The trip is around 500 kilometers and goes from the Bueng Sam Phan District in Phetchabun to Ban Phe, Mueang Rayong District in Rayong. The journey is planned to take place in March/April this year.

Sebastian finds the children through the church in Phetchabun. They are different ages up till 12-13 years.

The most vulnerable
It is very important for Sebastian to do things in a proper way.

Besides approximate 20 children, there will be more people joining the trip to help and take care of the children and make sure that everything is done in a good way.

“We must be careful and have people to look after the children. A majority of them never saw the ocean and they cannot swim,” he says.

Sebastian is also making insurances on all the children. The idea is to bring the most vulnerable children, however Sebastian accepts that he has to be selective.

“We cannot take the most vulnerable children with us on this tour, because that will be too much for them – what they need is something else,” Sebastian says.

An orphanage
Sebastian’s plan is to develop the already on going projects he started. Besides sending boxes and the journey to Ban Phe, he wants to open an orphanage later this year.

Sebastian is now 42. His vision is that maybe in 15 years he will be able to stay in Thailand for good and run the orphanage by himself. Until then he is looking for a person in Sweden who can take over the sending boxes-project and for people who can run the orphanage until he is able to do it himself.

“It is important for me that my projects do not grow too big too fast, because I do not want to start something that I cannot fulfill,” he says.

See the pictures from the latest shipment of boxes from Sweden to Thailand last Sunday here:
https://instagram.com/thailandsprojektet/

Read more about Sebastian Wilhelmsson here:
http://mycharityprojects.com/1179/vem-ar-jag-bakom-projektet/

Source: http://scandasia.com/swede-dedicates-his-life-to-children-in-thailand/

-- ScandAsia 2015-03-09

[Briggsy]

Propagating the myth that Thailand is a poor country. Thailand's problems do not stem from lack of money but rather from systemic failings in basic government entitiies, in particular the police.

Whenever I hear of middle-aged men working with children who do not have the benefit of guardians or parents and the same man surrounding himself with a charity shield, I think some background on the man is required. There have been too many previous examples of inappropriate behaviour. If he has nothing to hide, then everything should be fine.

[Cuchulainn]

Another poor sod who'll probably be detained and arrested for working without a permit.

[CharlieH]

immature nonsense removed

[weegee]

There was an Aussie guy who started the same idea a couple of years back....He has thrown in the towel i believe and walked away...

I wish this guy good luck, but lets not get too excited just yet, hey?

[Swiss1960]

Kudos to Mr. Sebastian for what he is already doing and all he is planning to do in the future.

Let us hope that the authorities will not block him with to many undue and hindering regulations

and for Briggsgy and your concerns... would a "person of bad intentions" publicly announce his plans? Did you also read that he is

• working with the local church
• organizing supporters for the trip
• even ensure the kids will have insurances...

[Briggsy]

Kudos to Mr. Sebastian for what he is already doing and all he is planning to do in the future.

Let us hope that the authorities will not block him with to many undue and hindering regulations

and for Briggsgy and your concerns... would a "person of bad intentions" publicly announce his plans? Did you also read that he is

• working with the local church
• organizing supporters for the trip
• even ensure the kids will have insurances...

Will throwing toys and money at this problem solve it or will the same corrupt entities simply steal the aforementioned toys and money and sell them at the local market? What is required is not clueless, well-intentioned, misguided foreigners thinking Thailand is sub-Saharan Africa but protection of vulnerable children from exploitation by government entities performing their duty. Thailand is not a poor country.

On your second point, you obviously never heard of Jimmy Saville. He had a prime time tv show on Saturday night helping children.

[colinneil]

Working with a local church, means nothing .

Look at all the children who were abused by priests in the catholic church.

I sincerely hope this mans intentions are honorable.

If they are good luck to him , he gets my support.

[lungmi]

Another poor sod who'll probably be detained and arrested for working without a permit.

No, this time not. The tsumani posters before forgot it was the Thaksin misadministration at this time.

[DaddyWarbucks]

They've just about wiped out poverty in Sweden, haven't they?

Let him play Santa Claus here.

He's probably a decent guy and wants to help the kids.

But run a background check on him just in case.

Thailand attracts all kinds of people... many of them are twisted out of shape.

[Mr Somtam]

Kudos to Mr. Sebastian for what he is already doing and all he is planning to do in the future.

Let us hope that the authorities will not block him with to many undue and hindering regulations

and for Briggsgy and your concerns... would a "person of bad intentions" publicly announce his plans? Did you also read that he is

• working with the local church
• organizing supporters for the trip
• even ensure the kids will have insurances...

Will throwing toys and money at this problem solve it or will the same corrupt entities simply steal the aforementioned toys and money and sell them at the local market? What is required is not clueless, well-intentioned, misguided foreigners thinking Thailand is sub-Saharan Africa but protection of vulnerable children from exploitation by government entities performing their duty. Thailand is not a poor country.

On your second point, you obviously never heard of Jimmy Saville. He had a prime time tv show on Saturday night helping children.

Reminds me of "compassion without wisdom" examples that some monk talked about. Intensions are good but the results could even be negative. I agree totally thaT many people here do not have to be poor if there was better government and law enforcement. That is something this guy will not fix. But I respect his intension and effort he puts into this!

[balo]

He should have learned more about SE Asia before he started this project. Try Cambodia instead , they are a really poor country and need all the help they can get from people like him. But I am sure his Thai girlfriend supports him in what he is doing.

Edited March 9, 2015 by balo

[robertthebruce]

Working with a local church, means nothing .

Look at all the children who were abused by priests in the catholic church.

I sincerely hope this mans intentions are honorable.

If they are good luck to him , he gets my support.

Yes, with you 100 percent, i am a prime example, and was abused by Priests at our Local Church...

All seemed innocent, until i was on my own... as for the rest, i still find it hard to come to terms with....

[mickyboy]

well lets hope he does good work and nobody starts to point the finger at him for tea money children can be brought and sold in thailand money talks he very vunerable himself there he needs to watch his back as well

[roamer]

Kudos to Mr. Sebastian for what he is already doing and all he is planning to do in the future.

Let us hope that the authorities will not block him with to many undue and hindering regulations

and for Briggsgy and your concerns... would a "person of bad intentions" publicly announce his plans? Did you also read that he is

• working with the local church
• organizing supporters for the trip
• even ensure the kids will have insurances...

Will throwing toys and money at this problem solve it or will the same corrupt entities simply steal the aforementioned toys and money and sell them at the local market? What is required is not clueless, well-intentioned, misguided foreigners thinking Thailand is sub-Saharan Africa but protection of vulnerable children from exploitation by government entities performing their duty. Thailand is not a poor country.

On your second point, you obviously never heard of Jimmy Saville. He had a prime time tv show on Saturday night helping children.

Saville. Irrelevant point. Sweden is not the UK. Child protection laws are, were, of a totally different caliber. Those laws extended abroad meant that a Swede was the first person to be convicted in Europe of child sex abuse carried out abroad, that was in the 90's when Saville was buggering his way around the UK. I would feel pretty comfortable that this guy has not only been given a serious health check by the Swedish authorities but isn't being protected by a clique of corrupt pedophile politicians.

[Jessi]

Kudos to Mr. Sebastian for what he is already doing and all he is planning to do in the future.

Let us hope that the authorities will not block him with to many undue and hindering regulations

and for Briggsgy and your concerns... would a "person of bad intentions" publicly announce his plans? Did you also read that he is

• working with the local church
• organizing supporters for the trip
• even ensure the kids will have insurances...

Will throwing toys and money at this problem solve it or will the same corrupt entities simply steal the aforementioned toys and money and sell them at the local market? What is required is not clueless, well-intentioned, misguided foreigners thinking Thailand is sub-Saharan Africa but protection of vulnerable children from exploitation by government entities performing their duty. Thailand is not a poor country.

On your second point, you obviously never heard of Jimmy Saville. He had a prime time tv show on Saturday night helping children.

Briggesy I know what you are saying is very true. Many years ago an American came here to start an orphanage, he was helped by Father Ray in Pattaya to set it up.

It was a collection point for Pedo's to buy children. He got caught and put in prison, even in there he had enough money to buy children to satisfy his sexual needs.

Father Ray was very upset about the fact this guy conned him. I often spoke with Father Ray about it.

This guy or anyone that will have dealings with children should be checked out.

[ggt]

Two things...one...you may be asked for a work permit...this is Thailand...

Second...a man working with children always has a few people who will throw the child molester question your way...always have another adult present when you interact with the children...for your own protection...

Blessings to you...a man after my own heart...

[skildpadden]

A guy with good intentions gets my support. Hopefully he will be able to make a positive difference for some of the kids

That being said, such help is much more needed in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar than in Thailand. In those countries you will see real dispair among the kids with no real future in sight. Even though Thailand is far from taking good care of its poorest citizens, there is at least better access to e.g. healthcare and schooling than in the neighbouring countries.

[maidee]

when he is all done giving and beeing poor, he might just be asked to leave

[gvan]

I sure hope that his 'orphanage' does not include taking children from families, as so many do. 75% of children in 'orphanages', are not orphans! Don't make more orphans by giving to them.

[Oziex1]

There are many who legitimately need help in the world however if we keep giving some will keep taking and never move forward. Not against the true victims of poverty but the greedy leaders and those who scam the assistance.

I don't give much to charities these days as too many have bloated bureaucracies sucking up the donations.

[Eaglekott]

Many here seems to believe its just one guy, but it is a foundation. Mychairityprojects. (http://mycharityprojects.com/stadgar-for-mycharityprojects/)

So he is not alone in this work.

[spermwhale]

The majority of posters on this site are sick sick sick and it reflects the average naysayer mentality of the people on this site. Is there any mention of him doing bad stuff, abusing children? One schmuck even likened him to Jimmy Saville (nice work)

No, but you cretins creep out of the woodwork to criticize and conjecture about his intentions.

If you don't have anything good to say, even on a "good news" story like this, keep your trap shut.

I am thinking all those criticizing are jealous as they've never lifted a finger to help anyone less fortunate.

[Time Traveller]

Another poor sod who'll probably be detained and arrested for working without a permit.

sounds like you are justifying to yourself a reason for not helping out. The world is a better place becuase of people like Sebastian, not because of people that offer up excuses for doing nothing.

[reptile91602]

Can't blame a person for trying to do good. But if he wants to do good in a poor country he should look at Nepal or some African country. Thailand has enough money to take care of itself. Hell he could go to the US and find some really poor people to help. Probably more than here.

[Sealbash]

If he wishes to avoid work permit troubles, he should become a registered charity organization. There are many in Thailand, with admittedly varying degrees of transparency. I have been involved with some very worthwhile charities. Most larger donors require that the charity be registered as such. No matter how admirable his intentions, without being registered and without a work permit, legality comes into question.

[kinmaew]

Sounds like his intentions are genuine but it frustrates the hell out of me that this is not needed!! Thailand has more billionaires than Australia!!

So where is all the money? - Its all held by the elite and a bunch of grovelling worms and cronies and they don't give a shit about the poor - Fix that first, yes hard to do short term so this bloke is trying his best lets give him the benefit of the doubt.

[kinmaew]

The elite will be saying "Cool, let the Farang sort out that problem, now its off to London to buy my 25th property (In 100% Thai name of course) and a shopping spree (Unlimited) at Harrods"

[farangmick]

Sebastian loves Thailand, so he wants to help Thai people. What the hell is wrong with that. There are some really miserable gits on TV. A few months ago I posted a topic asking for a reputable charity to take a large quantity of good quality clothes that my sons had outgrown. After I had posted them off, I got a PM from a farang teacher in Si Saket who described in detail just how poor the locals were. I was unable to help at the time, but I am getting my friends with children to save clothes for me, which I shall post when I get enough. It is a very small thing, but a damn sight better than giving them to the swarms of cousins always sniffing round for freebies.

[Alwyn]

Propagating the myth that Thailand is a poor country. Thailand's problems do not stem from lack of money but rather from systemic failings in basic government entitiies, in particular the police.

Whenever I hear of middle-aged men working with children who do not have the benefit of guardians or parents and the same man surrounding himself with a charity shield, I think some background on the man is required. There have been too many previous examples of inappropriate behaviour. If he has nothing to hide, then everything should be fine.

How do you know these checks have not been done? Either in Sweden or Thailand? I guess there's always somebody around who wants to piss on somebody's parade.