
Since August, Thailand has been devastated by flooding, the most severe in five decades. Of the country's 28 provinces, eight are inundated by water. In many places, it has remained for three months and shows no sign of receding. The flooded area includes much of the capital city of Bangkok; thousands have evacuated from their homes, while others are living on upper floors with the rest of the house covered in water. From September 24, Tzu Chi volunteers have been providing cooked food and comfort to the survivors.


On November 6, the group held a special meeting in Bangkok with local volunteers, business people and leaders of large companies to discuss how best to provide the aid. Chen Chao-hai, director of the foundation in Thailand, told the meeting: "after the flooding, the waters will slowly recede. How should we do the reconstruction work? What will the most appropriate way to help?" Such flooding has occurred in other countries, providing examples of what to do. These include Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan in August 2009, after which the entire country was mobilized to help, and Typhoon Ketsana in September 2009 in the Philippines; the foundation organized a work relief program under which 10,000 people gathered to clean up their neighborhood.
Alfredo Li, director of the foundation in the Philippines, said: "At that time I asked Master Cheng Yen how we should manage the people. She said in a relaxed way 'you should believe them. You do not need to supervise them, it is their home. They will certainly do all they can to clean their own home.'" Cai Sheng-hang, a volunteer who played an important role in the program, said: "At that time, we had a very simple idea, wanting to mobilize them in the shortest possible time. Master Cheng Yen said that, if we did not do the cleaning job very quickly, we could have been faced with burying the dead and it would not only have been a question of medical expenses."

Now is the time for everyone to work together, gathering the energy and concern of everyone. Her Su-chen, a Taiwan businesswoman who has been in Thailand for 40 years, said that this was the most serious flooding she had ever seen in the country. "I strongly support the idea of a work relief program. This gives me hope. I believe that Tzu Chi can help Thailand," she said.
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