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Published on January 19, 2008

 It was through the dogs several years ago that I came to learn about the kids. I had gone to the wat at the invitation of the ladies of an auxiliary organisation of the Ploenchit Fair, who had been using their funds to help develop the children's facilities at the wat when they quickly noticed the dogs, who were sleeping, eating and playing around the kids.

Most of the dogs needed medical treatment, and their number fluctuated from day to day, depending on who had given birth the previous night and which were newcomers, abandoned by their owners also on the previous night.

"How can you keep the kids healthy if the dogs are not?" the ladies wondered.

Laurie rosenthal  

The Nation

Thus started a subordinate programme, where vets have been brought in to treat sick animals and vaccinate and sterilise as many as possible.

This programme is ongoing. Every few months, the vets go to the wat to treat the animals.

At the same time, the number of kids has also been growing. Four years ago, around 500 were living at the temple. Today, the number has risen to around 1,600, children from six to 16 years old. About 400 are girls.

Not all are orphans. Perhaps the families are too poor to give them an education. Perhaps through great bad misfortune, the kids have nowhere else to go.

Feeding all these children requires eight sacks of rice and Bt17,000 each day.

The doggies, of course, are up for adoption, but the kids are not. The abbot, I'm told, believes that if they receive a proper education, they will be able to be integrated into Thai society and become good citizens.

The Thai Government has built two big schools nearby for the kids and pays the teachers. The temple takes care of the remaining expenses. The older boys and girls look after the younger ones.

Upgrading the kids' facilities is also ongoing. Right now, the kitchen, where all the meals are prepared, is being improved.

For everyone, though, it's not all work and no play. For the past four or five years, a number of ladies' associations have banded together for a "Children's Day".

Scheduled this year for February 9, the organisers have been busy trying to make the day as much fun as possible with food, ice cream, a magic show, games and drinks. Sports are being organised, as well as other activities.

Organisers are hoping the public will join in. You could drop by on the day and help with the games. Or perhaps you have used toys suitable for prizes. They're also hoping to locate a candy-floss machine that they could rent for the day.

For more information, you can contact Sunita Kulisra (coordinator) on (081) 659 7085 or sunita@advmfr.net; or Isabel de Lestrange on (081) 285 4884 or isabel@krohnart.com. Wat Sakeow is located in Tambon Bang Sadet, Ampoe Pamok, Changwat Angthong 14130; (035) 661 169. The website is Wat-sakeo.piczo.com.