UTOT (Unknown Temples of Thailand) Charity

 

There are lots of small temples in rural Thailand that are built from wood (some up to 200 years ago) and many are now in a state of decay and becoming structurally unsafe. The local communities in rural areas often don't have the funds to rebuild or refurbish their local temples, whereas the big temples which are tourist attractions in major cities get money from entrance fees, also money from donations given by tourists and from government grants. Typically, the small temples in rural villages are unknown to the tourist companies and don't get any external funding for repair or rebuilding. Yet they are just as important to the local communities they serve, as the large city temples are to the city people they serve.

Yim Siam Telecom and our Thai parent company Euro Thai Exchange Process Company Ltd. have set up a formal funding mechanism through our own charity called UTOT (Unknown Temples of Thailand). The Trustees are: Kanyarat Kottonglang, the managing director of Euro Thai Exchange Process Company and Brian Powell, country manager (UK) for Yim Siam Telecom.

In 2008 and 2009 UTOT raised over 400,000 Baht in donations to start the rebuilding of a structurally dangerous temple in Ban Lao, a small village in Maha Sarakham province. Pictures of the current stage of reconstruction can be seen below - there is much more to be done and Yim Siam Telecom has pledged to donate 1 penny per minute to the UTOT charity for every minute you talk on the phone making international calls via our network. Our target is to reach 250,000 minutes per month by 30th June 2010, thus generating £2,500 (Approx. 120,000 Thai Baht) per month, which is sufficient to start the next phase of the project. We are urging Yim Siam’s international callers to support our efforts and spread the word to their friends, family and business colleagues, so that we can exceed our monthly target and make even greater monthly donations, which will ultimately get the temple finished sooner.

The Trustees are not just performing the role of ‘trustees’ – they are also ‘champions of the cause’ having already donated 150,000 Baht from their own personal funds to build a small house for the Senior Monk to live in whilst the temple reconstruction is in progress (picture below).