Palong Website

Those of you who have been reading about my Mission Trips to the Palong Village, North of Thailand. There is now opportunities for you to help these people.


You might or might not be able to go there but there are few things you can do... One, is to pray and two, you can contribute financially to support the children in the hostel who has to go to school - school supplies, uniforms, daily food and lodging. Among other things.


I have promised Pastor Suriya the pastor-in-charge of the Hostel to create a simple website. They need outsider help. Please do visit the simple blog which I have created for them. The information inside is useful to inform others of their needs and other stuffs about them.


Eventhough I am leaving by end February 2009 to return to Malaysia, I have agreed to help them update the blog from wherever I am.


Its really funny how the little talent that I have regards to the computer, God has multiplied it. I have no formal IT training but I love playing around with the computer. So, my blogging hasn't wasted time. It is helping others. I hope that God will help the Palong people.


So, please visit the website and if you would like to visit their village or make contribution, there are details included.

Introduction of The Palong Tribe

Our Mission Trip was mainly to visit the Palong tribe at Chiang Dao, which is about 1.30 hours from Chiang Mai.  A very small town.


To understand  more about the Palong tribe, we have to know their history....


The roots of the Palong people go back to the nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma).  They lived under the rule of Khun Sat, a famour drug warlord and military leader who forced them to serve as soldiers since their childhood.  They fought alongside the Thai Yai against the Burmese army.

When the Burmese army entered Palong villages and saw that the Palong had provided food for Khun Sat and the Thai Yai, they became very angry and set fire to the Palong villages, raped the women and forced the men to carry their ammunition.  The Thai Yai and soldiers of Khun Sat would find refuge in the homes of the Palong creating hardship for them.

Finally, the Palong moved into Thailand along the Thai-Burmese border as refugees because of the fighting.  Immense poverty resulted.

The Palong people began moving into Thailand more than 20 years ago and began waiting to obtain Thai citizenship, which has now been granted.  Although they were able to escape the persecutions of their former country they met other hardships in Thailand.  Because they did not have Thai citizenship they were not able to enrol in school to receive an education.  Initially, they were also unable to speak Thai fluently.  Living without Thai citizenship and lacking in the Thai language made it difficult, if not impossible, to find work to provide for the needs of their families.

Having obtained Thai citizenship there was still another hurdle to cross and that was finding a permanent place to live.  They had no money to purchase land and build homes.  This along with the lack of language skills and education produced poverty once again.