M`SIANS RAISE OVER 300,000 BAHT FOR CHARITY

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, March 30 (Bernama) -- A group of Malaysian expatriates in Bangkok
found a noble cause to repay the kindness of their host country.

They organised a charity dinner which raised more than 300,000 baht
(US$8,445) for a home for children affected or infected with HIV/Aids, a school
and an old folks home in Malaysia.

While the figure raised at a dinner on Saturday night and attended by about
120 people was not high, it was timely as many of such homes faced difficulties
in getting generous funding from corporate firms due to the gloomy economic
situation.

C. Maheswary, who initiated the event with a group of friends, said while
many Malaysians, their fellow Thais and other expatriate friends had been
involved in
charity for some time, it was the first time they came together to host a big
event like this that received overwhelming support.

"We felt it was good for us to repay the kindness of our Thai friends by
helping the children's home and the school.

Some of the homes are facing closure due to lack of funds," said Maheswary,
who have been residing in Thailand for the past decade.


Janpen Ngoensamut, a caretaker manager of the Baan Nor Giank, a Bangkok home
for children affected or infected with HIV/Aids, said they needed about 300,000
baht a month to provide all the amenities, daily medicines and hospitalisation
provisions for 20 children, as well as rental and staff salaries.

"We have children aged five to 15. To keep them healthy, we need to provide
them with all the necessary medicines, and love as well. It's not easy to get
funding from government or private sectors as there are dozens of similar homes
in Thailand," she said.

The home was set up in 1997 by the late Bob der Kevorkian, who was then the
chief executive of K-Tech construction and a well-known figure in the capital.

Janpen said she was overwhelmed by the support and dedication shown by the
Malaysian expatriates and their fellow Filipino and American friends, adding
that such support kept the home and the spirit of staff and children alive.

Part of the proceedings from the ticket sales, auction, cash donations and
lucky draws also went to Baan Aur Ta Khian, a school in the southern province
of Nakhorn Si Tammarat, and the Vivekananda Margam Welfare Society which runs
old folks homes and sponsoring poor children's education in Malaysia.

One of Bangkok's leading travel and tour agencies, Sun Moon Tour & Travel,
gave a three-day, two nights package with Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur for
two, while other contributors were Malaysian-owned resort Impiana Koh Samui,
Asian Fine Arts Gallery, Comfortor Foot Care and Compass Hospitality which runs
several hotels in Thailand and Bangkok.

-- BERNAMA