#050/05 October 3, 2005
Hope is Alive after Tsunami Headlines Fade
New water system in Thai coastal community supported by governments, industry and NGOs
Bangkok, Thailand – When the Tsunami ravaged Thailand’s coastal communities the needs of the people affected were urgent, and the response from the public overwhelming. But nine months later, another kind of story is quietly unfolding – a story about the combined efforts of businesses, governments, and NGOs to deliver a large water treatment system to several of these devastated coastal communities. Valued at 16.4 million baht ($400,000), the new system is expected to provide clean drinking water to 800 families in Phang Nga’s Kuk Kak Sub-district.
The 47 ton water system was donated by the Parkson Corporation, an American producer of water purification and waste water systems located in Florida. Many employees at Parkson were moved by the stories they saw on the news, but the loss became personal when they learned that a Parkson employee’s parents died in the Tsunami while vacationing in Thailand.
To bring together the extra support needed, the U.S. Government rallied resources from private companies, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. Peace Corps. Altogether, ten different contributors assisted with the Water Treatment Plant installation. Heart to Heart, a US-based organization, led the solicitation for donated shipping from FedEx valued at B930,700 ($22,700), and CDS Overseas (FedEx’s local shipper in Thailand) provided ship-to-door delivery of the 47 ton system. Chemitreat (Thailand) Inc., the sole distributor in Thailand of the clarifier and filter components, provided technical support for the project and will facilitate long term sustainable management and repairs to the system.
“USAID’s contribution to this water treatment installation reflects our dedication to our friends in Thailand.” Tim Beans, the Regional Director of the USAID’s Regional Development Mission/Asia said: "The support of these agencies, companies and organizations working together as a team was integral to the success of the project. Through their participation, they are demonstrating their belief that public-private partnerships have matured and now provide tangible value for governments, companies and stakeholders."
When Kuk Kak Sub-district President Chula Tiankrop received the equipment he exclaimed, “In the months waiting for the equipment to arrive, I sometimes doubted if the project would ultimately be realized. This system will encourage local citizens to look toward a brighter future and attract more tourism to the area.” The Kuk Kak TAO provided 1.8 million baht ($45,000) and staff to install piping and electrical work as well as operate and maintain the system.
"The people in these communities can now hold a glass of clean drinking water in their hands," said Tony Kolb, Technical Advisor to the project. "They can be comforted by the fact that the local agencies responsible for the new water system have gained the expertise to maintain it for future generations."