Everyone agrees that 124 is a high-end PR company being at the top of the society. Those who work here would spend their lives spoiling their only best among themselves and their business prosperity and not having to care for the rest of their off-society counterparts.
But in fact, appearance is not always what it appears to be.
Certainly, we cannot avoid the stream of globalization. The modern way of living and the city life have inevitably made us leap forward in both financial and business aspects in order to correspond with the constantly accelerating national development. Yet 124 today has proven it is not as snobbish as everyone thinks it is.
“I’ve never forgotten the day when I was a poor man.”
The familiar quote from Nimitz, our beloved boss, is often heard.
Nimitz has always been fond of sharing with us his tough childhood days. Frequently he would mention making donations to the temples and the needy country schools and would love us to gather and carry out the same activity.
Through the common giving hearts within 124 and generosity of our CFO, the educational support project has taken place in order to donate a substantial sum of money to a far away school. Furthermore, our MD’s initiative to pass such project as well as giving miscellaneous advice has also been a big help including personal financial support of Baht30,000 from our colleagues for academic purposes. Four vans hauling educational and sports items headed through entwined country roads to Nan province, the place where there can be no destination without determination, right at the Thai-Lao border.
Baan Huay Sa Tang, a community school in Amphur Thung Chang, in Nan province is situated in Kamu tribal village around the former turmoil among the Thai people of political discrepancies.
The school comprises 68 students, 5 teachers and 7 study rooms with a government-supported budget of only Baht60,000 that is supposedly meant to cover lunch expense, utility cost, educational and sports items, and any other daily necessities.
…Needless to say, the idea of sufficiency living may sometimes cause insufficiency…
Principal Somkuan Moonkam, together with the school teachers and villagers, gave us such a wholeheartedly warm welcome. It might not be as often for the kids to get to welcome people with unfamiliar faces since they got so excited that they not only escorted us on school excursion through the hallway decorated with their knowledgeably artful pieces of work but also gave us some enjoyable moments of picture taking with their naïve poses.
The day began with a traditionally well-choreographed performance by the Kamu kids whose origin was that of Mon. It is believed that the Mon have long been situated along the Khong river on Thai-Lao border. Kru Ae, one of the nicest school teachers we have ever met, shared with us that the kids live peacefully as brothers and sisters. Regardless of seniority, they are fond of doing
extracurricular activities together. Additionally, it is common that the Kamu-oriented people use an identical last name, 40 kids with one last name as “Pang Kum Sai” in this case, as they were originally born of the same root.
There followed the ceremonial procedure of giving out the donation and the collection of educational items. Later, we all joined in for delightful lunch which was tastefully prepared by the school.
What a blissfully blissful peace of mind!
In fact, 750 kilometers of road path and 13 hours of traveling time turned out to be quite a fine journey for we were allowed a day off which offered us a lifelong meaningfulness.
We did get to give some value to the society…
We did get to help those in need…
We did get to realize the affliction present in the life of our country friends…
We did get to appreciate the existing devotion and hospitality of individuals…
We did get to refresh ourselves in the cheer of nature…
We, also, did get to spend pleasurable time together. Easy conversations, pleasant smiles, joyful laughs and heavenly singings were made simply to strengthen our mind ready for the turbulence of economy and society which may strike us anytime.
Thank you, everyone, for coming to share these overjoyed moments together.