As the southern part of Thailand is facing sultry difficulty from violence and conflict, a group of organisations who are not at ease sent out their generosity to let out the heat. A collaboration between Bangkok Bank PCL, Praphansarn Publishing Co., Ltd. and Plearn Aksorn Book Shop recently hosted the 7th CSR activity to distribute children books worth eight million baht to school libraries in need at the South of Thailand. The campaign, “Opening Up the World of Languages, Sharing Children Books to libraries at the South,” was launched on December 18th, 2015 at the Bangkok Bank’s headquarter branch in Hat Yai, Songkla Province.
Apart from situated at the very bottom of Thailand next to the three southern border provinces where insurgency happening in the country, Songkla still consists of impoverished schools that needs qualified materials for children education. Inspecting through these schools’ library, the campaign’s organiser explained that their books are outmoded and left in poor condition unable for students to read practically. To assure that the books will be delivered to those who really need it, the campaign this year, therefore, was moved from Bangkok out to the remote areas starting at Hat Yai District in Songkla.
Under the budget worth 8 billion baht, 160 schools at the southern provinces were selected and each of them will be given away books worth 50,000 baht for their libraries available for students to read. Meant to develop children’s critical ability and help them ready to adjust themselves to the world of reality, all titles in this campaign were carefully judged qualified by Praphansarn Publishing’s editors. These titles feature various children themes such as mind coaching series, the philosophy of the King’s sufficient economy and ASEAN’s cultural diversity described in a form of bilingual comics.
One of the titles in mind coaching series is called the Sadness Hole talking about a little boy who lost his pet and fell into sorrow. The theme of the story explain a type of feeling that every children could not run away from and help them to learn how to cope with it.
At the ceremony yesterday, the directors of three Educational Service Area Offices together with the director of the Department of Non-Formal Education in Songkla were invited as the representatives to receive a plate symbolising of the official book delivery on the stage. Likewise, the event was accompanied by a playful traditional performance of the South Nang Talung or a shadow play. The show adapted the southern dialect and local context with the story composed from the campaign background. Observing from the smiling face of the participants, it can be said that this innovative performance received a satisfactory feedback.
“The campaign was aimed to cultivate reading habits to the younger generation. Despite the development of educational materials, I strongly believe that reading is the most effective method of learning. The project also responds to one of Bangkok Bank’s CSR cincepts which is to promote education. We could not deny that education is the key factor of our national development and it is our mission to succeed it together,” said Jinda Wongsuwanwaree, Bangkok Bank’s head manager of the South.
