Mae Kham Phong _shuling

继续奉上程淑玲在清迈的生活学习动态。 这一期是关于程淑玲在Mae Kham Phong关于社区发展与建设的一些学习、感悟。国外的一些社区、村庄的发展模式，也给了我们很大的启发。

On Tuesday, we went to Mae Kham Phong, a village located in in Lampang, Northern Thailand. This village, include the landscape and buildings, is very beautiful. We learned about community development; I think the people in Mae Kham Phong are very smart.
 
Once, maybe this village was like other ordinary villages, but they did something to make themselves very special. Thirty years ago, they built a micro-hydro power project by themselves, and it can provide the enough electricity to residents. I think it is a good project for the community, because they build the micro dam together, and they try to protect the forest around the dam to make sure that they have enough water to make electricity. This project let them have the common consciousness.
 
I am very interested in their community development; I like their idea to save money in the bank and share benefits among the villagers. They also take care for old people, students, and sick people. I want to know how they got this idea; Phomin Huang Mala said he felt it was better to save money than share it at first. I’m not sure about the answer. I want to know if this idea just came from Phomin Huang Mala or if the decision from the villagers. Did the villagers all participate in the discussion, or did they have the village commit? I think the process of community development is very importation.
 
In 2010, I went to Taiwan province to visit Taomi village; they did good community work. They rebuilt their village after the earthquake. They found that the ecology in the area was very good, and they tried to use this point; then some villagers made a commitment, and had many ideas to rebuild the village. They designed a good sewage and garbage disposal system. They tried to make their houses and public buildings very harmonious with nature. There were many kinds of frog and other wildlife in the community, so they had an idea to develop ecological tourism. It was very attractive for the citizens. But I think the important thing for them is that every villager can participate in the process and share the benefits.
 
Phomin Huang Mala said they just have two student come back to work; but in Taomi village, many students and residents went back to work, I think maybe they can operate the tourism by themselves, and they have many job opportunities. In Mae Kham Phong, there is a tourism company that is operated by outside people; they share some benefits with the villagers, but maybe it is not fair. If the village can participate in tourism, they can share the benefit better than before.
 
Mae Kham Phong is a good village; they can operate the mirco-hydro power together. They care for their community development, but do not only want to make money for themselves. I hope they will have a better life in future.