Batik craft group wins Thai Princess Award! April 2010

Dr Anita Siaw visits the Tok Mueng Batik Group (one of the two craft groups being assisted in the Thai-British Project) to congratulate them on their accomplishments. Here she is with the founders of the group the dynamic husband and wife team Ms Suporn and Policeman Sakchai Promchit.

The Tok Mueng Batik Group has been selected from all craft groups in Trang province to receive the prestigious award from the Royal Crown Princess in recognition of their contribution in preserving Thai Culture through Batik Art. The ceremony took place on 4 April 2010 and was attended by the Chairwoman (Ms Suporn). The Tok Mueng Batik Group gave thanks to organisations that have helped them. Giving special mention to the support of Transrural Trust in England for funding their materials, design and creative process; and that they have achieved the current success as a result of the nurturing and encouragement by the Professors and the team at Lifelong Learning Foundation in Thailand.

Practical training at eco-resort for Swedish tourism students

“We came here as volunteers for practical training. We have had four wonderful weeks (Feb 2010) at the Libong Nature Beach Resort It is with broken hearts that we now must say Goodbye! Thank you for this experience! We will never forget you!”

Emma Skyllberg & Linn Jonsson (Eighteen year old high school students) from Nature and Guide School in Alvadalen , Sweden

The girls were put in charge as Assistant resident managers at the Libong Nature Beach Resort during their stay. Their duties include, checking in and out guests; providing local information of the area and the available tours, taking care of tourists and their needs and special requests; guiding them on the tours to various local attractions; coordinating with the Thai local staff in the management of the resort; working with them in cleaning the beach and taking food orders and servicing the guests at our seafood restaurant as well as keeping accurate accounts and billing of all income and expenditure in the small beach resort. In their free time, the girls also worked on community projects organised by the Lifelong Learning Foundation.

Swedish volunteer stays for three months!

“Thank you for the wonderful three months!”
Simon (Swedish volunteer Dec 09-Feb 10)

Below is an extract from an article that was published in the Swedish newspaper (Ljnsdals-Posten) on 19th December 2009:

‘… Simon Hedin is 20 years old and comes from the small town of Jarvso. He, like any other young man wishes to see the world before he enters working life. Right now he is doing volunteer work somewhere west of Trang in Thailand…’

‘… The volunteers are working and living on the organizations different properties during the three months with shifting tasks. The first thing they will do the following morning is to clear up and burn behind the half finished bungalows. Simon’s project leader Kahlil and some local workers are sweating in the heat from the sun and the fires. For Simon, to be a part of the working group is something positive…’

“ … I want to live the life as they do it here, not just stand and watch but to be a part of it”, Simon says. The organization they are volunteering with is called the Lifelong Learning Foundation whose work is focused on education, the environment and ecological sustainable tourism. The resorts are eco-based and have a target to let the locals become more involved in tourism development in a nature friendly way. The organization is nonprofit and everyone who is involved and working here are more or less idealistic.

‘… Simon continues to sweep the land for grass, branches and coconuts. He has also hunted down a runaway goat and even worked out a proposition for the color scheme of the bungalows before the night fall…”

“… They said that I should come with an open mind when I applied for this position, the plans are changing by the day” says Simon. However it seems that the unstructured way of working is fitting Simon. He takes all the news with ease, he likes the people and their culture, and thinks that Ko Mook is a fitting island to start on. “ It’s a little bit like home in Jarvso, it seems like everyone knows everyone” he says as a finishing touch before we all go to bed in our individual tents under the stars in the Asian night sky.

New design for Batik scarf!

The creation of this new design and product is a result of the tireless efforts of four elements. The Italian designer Giorgio Turino who volunteered his artistic abilities to the project; Dr Anita Siaw project manager of Lifelong Learning Foundation; the rural women with knowledge of this traditional craft skill (batik painting) and Transrural Trust who funded research and development in this Women’s Livelihood Restoration Project (a Thai-British Cooperation) which started in 2008. These sample products are now being test marketed in the UK and if proven to be popular, will result in developing a sustainable livelihood for women along the coast and islands as a means for poverty eradication.

During the New Year 2010, Giorgio Turino visited Haadyao and was amazed as to how his simple drawings could be converted into a piece of native art. He is very happy to know that he has contributed his skill for a good cause and he wishes the project every success! (pix: Rita, Giorgio, Elisabeth, Anita)

A Batik workshop on new design was also held in November 2010 to test and practice the skill of painting the lizards and butterfly on the silk cloth. Leaders from both craft groups (Tok Mueng Batik and Nature Batik Club) took part and the class fostered goodwill and cooperation amongst the participants.

Organisation and Production Training for Fish Scale Women's Group

Held at their headquarters in Ban Laem Kruad, Krabi the small training session was attended by thirteen members and took place on Monday 26th October 2009. Participants felt that they had benefited from the workshop by gaining more knowledge in the craft making production process and that it was a learning experience for the purpose of improvement and making corrections to their previous commission so that they will become more professional and produce products of high quality to be test marketed locally and abroad.

(Pix: Dr Anita (Left in green)