Matt Owens Rees

Soldiers at Khun Yai’s House. It was only a few days ago that a fire destroyed eighty-three-year-old Khun Yai’s home. Today’s story in the Beyond the Bamboo Curtain series reveals the remarkable progress made in rebuilding her home –far more than I expected.

Neighbours and other villagers have raised two hundred thousand baht so far to rebuild Khun Yai’s house. Friends are forever popping round during the day or early evening to chat with her. They bring food. They bring clothing to replace that destroyed in the fire.

There’s a communal cooking pot with very spicy food on the stove all day long if people are a little hungry.



Everyone who visits or is just passing puts a few baht in the small donation box at the gate.

The pooyaibaan (village headman) has requested some money from local government funds. And, the army sent some soldiers to remove the charred remains of the fire. The Royal Project contributed architectural plans for the rebuild.

So many people turn up each day.

Everyone will continue to pitch in during the construction. 

Khun Yai’s grand-daughter gently changed the bandages on her burned legs while neighbours prepared some food. They were there to show support. They wanted to be together as a community rather than staying in their own homes. Khun Yai’s neighbour’s chat about everything under the sun and don’t gloat on her misfortune.

Strangers might have thought it was simply a garden party.

Soldiers at khun Yai’s house. But the monks are there too.

Monks give blankets – Matt Owens Rees

The American army sometimes helps in disasters in Thai communities. But, that’s not the prime reason for their presence in Thailand. Just click on the link below.

It’s strange that, in searching for an article on help given by Thai soldiers, I can only find this article on American involvement. As we’ve seen at khun Yai’s home, Thai soldiers DO offer help in local communities when disaster strikes.

us army support thailand – Search