Mae Sot Day 1

January 12, 2011 19:51 Thai time

(Photos will be added once I am back in Chiang Mai. Check back I have many photos from the Thai/Burma border.)

Mae Sot Day 1

Art work produced by the children in the refugee camp

Sol Mort giving a presentation on Burma Issues works

Staff at Burma Issues answering our questions

The gang listening to the presentation

Our picture with the Burma Issues staff.

Taking the picture of Jason Tamthai taking a picture of us

We start the day with traditional Thai breakfast.  There was sautéed Kale, rice, some type of soup and a fish dish.  It was good.  This restaurant also has wheat bread for toast.  This is the first time we have run into wheat bread since we have been here.  We all rejoiced.

After breakfast we load our two vans and head off to the Burma Issues Office.  We meet with staff who discuss with work that they complete for refugees, migrant workers and those in Thailand in illegally.    They gave us a presentation on their work.  Here is their website http://www.burmaissues.org/En/index.html.  You can read more about their valuable organization here.  These folks enter Burma to help the disenfranchised citizens.  Actually they have to sneak into the country to do their work.  It was quite amazing. 

We next visit a clinic that treats the Burmese people.  This clinic was set up to help migrant workers and those who cross the border (which is about 2 kilometers away) whether they cross legally or illegally.  This clinic treats many types of issues from an eye clinic to delivering babies to make prosthetic devices.  This clinic helps with treating people so that the hospital in Mae Sot is not overwhelmed with patients.

At clinic listening to history of the clinic

Donors of the clinic

Grounds around the clinic

Standing in Thailand looking over river at Burma.

Next three pictures show people illegally crossing the river to go back and forth from Thailand and Burma using rafts.  What is so amazing is that I am standing less than 40 feet from a police officer.  The legal way to enter the country is to cross the bridge that is to the right of this picture.  People do this if they don't have papers.  They cross to work or buy goods and services.

After this we visited a market on the Thai/Burma border.  Words cannot adequately describe what we saw.  These images are powerful.

Lastly,  I fed an elephant today. The elephant walked right up to me and handed my its food.  I had to pay for the food but how could you turn that down.  The outside of an elephants truck is rough but the inside is very soft.  That was so much fun.  I can't wait until we ride elephant on next week.

After dinner.  We at Burmese food. It was awesome.

Sorry for such a short entry.  I am still trying to process this experience.  Tomorrow we are off to a refugee camp.  We have to leave really early in the morning.  I think my next post may be after we get back in Chiang Mai.  We should get back there tomorrow evening.