I've decided to make out a new will and I want to include a couple of worthwhile Thai charities. I know about Father Ray and I will certainly help them out, but who else? Please don't ask me to include any members here.

What do you consider "worthwhile"? Helping children, animals, the disabled, those with leprosy, the poor, the environment, elephants, &c., &c.?

Camillian Home for children - well run and doing fantastic work.

http://www.camillianhomelatkrabang.org/

What do you consider "worthwhile"? Helping children, animals, the disabled, those with leprosy, the poor, the environment, elephants, &c., &c.?

Obviously I can't help every cause, but certainly children, the elderly and perhaps an animal shelter.

We support a local school for blind children, near Suratthani. Just food and shoes every couple months but they appreciate it.

I'll find out the name if you want to help out.

We support a local school for blind children, near Suratthani. Just food and shoes every couple months but they appreciate it.

I'll find out the name if you want to help out.

I really want the money to go to major charities like the Father Ray Foundation. It will be too difficult to distribute money to one-off schools etc. Not suggesting that they aren't as needy as anyone else.

I need to find it but I remember a few years back there is a website that is like and ISO for charities here in Thailand. There is a ranking and outline exactly showing where the money goes.

Soi Dog......

They do an excellent job all over Thailand.....

It doesnt matter who you choose....It will be appreciated by the receiver for sure.

Very kind of you to think like that...

I suspect I will be piled on here with people citing example of bad practices from their home countries, but the Rotary clubs are very well regarded here. Rotary was invited into Thailand over 80 years ago by the crown prince and continues to enjoy royal patronage. I know you probably want to contribute to a charity that conducts its business in English, but only a few of the over 320 Rotary clubs in Thailand do so. However, there are 9 that use English, and one each using German, Japanese, French and Chinese.

As a foreigner participating in Rotary in Thailand, I found many doors have been opened and I've been able to make Thailand a better place to live since I first came here as a visitor in the late 1970s. There are over 1.2 million Rotarians in over 32,000 clubs worldwide. Frankly, Hubby and I had no idea what we'd gotten involved with when he joined in the 1970s in Texas and we came to Thailand on holiday. The next thing we knew we were out in a village, "inspecting" water projects and committing to what seemed like very low amounts of money to bring potable water to these very sincere village people who showed us a very good time. All we had to do was go back to Texas and organize a chili dinner or two with the photos we'd taken and we'd have the funds..

Fast forward to retirement. Now we're in a Thai Rotary club and have an important role in making sure that funds from donations are spend properly. Most of our members here in Chiang Mai are retired. Some of us actually had the title of "project manager". In any event, that's what we do with the funds that are sent to us from Rotary clubs overseas, just like NancyL and Hubby did over 35 years ago when we first came to Thailand and returned home to organize a chili dinner to raise funds for safe water in Thailand.

There was this charity that funded sex change operations, you should look into them. Forgot what they were called.

Nice idea,

I would think helping the people out in the countryside get simple things like clean water and pumps and solar electric for lights is a good idea ,

Also in Africa they are helping with cooking stoves that take much less fuel.

No idea which group does these things in Thailand

Research your chosen charity well. With a lot of the bigger charities, a large proportion of what you donate will be sucked up by "admin" costs.

Before anyone blasts me for being negative, I'm not but have seen it 1st hand in a few African countries....

Check out the Mercy Center down Klong Toey way, started by Father Joe Maier (do a Google for him, too):

http://www.mercycentre.org/

Mac

if there were a charity to expunge the words 'Hubby', 'Wifey', and 'Good Lady' from the English language expat lexicon, I would gladly donate.

Camillian House, Father Ray Foundation, Mercy Center. All excellent choices.

Thank you for all your suggestions. Duly noted.

I have two UK registered charities working in Thailand included in my will.

Pm me if you want the details.