Phuket Community Foundation

The board of the Phuket Community Foundation welcomes two new members, co-opted at its recent meeting. They are Chalermkiat Ongcharoen and Jitrarat Willaert.

Chalermkiat "Ko Chang" Ongcharoen

Chalermkiat, 62, better known as Ko Chang, is a veteran of social and charitable action. For the past eight years he has been President of the Kusoldharm Foundation. In 2004, under his presidency, the foundation was acclaimed as  an “Outstanding Foundation in Southern Region” and “Thailand’s Best Foundation”. The following year he received the “Phuket’s Best Volunteer Award”, and then “Thailand’s Best Volunteer Award”.

He is president of the Phuket Foundation League and the Phuket Social Welfare Fund, and vice-president of Phuket Private Coordination Organization and of the alumni of his old school, Prasartwittaya.

He is also a consultant to the Rachaprachanukroh Foundation, under the patronage of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and is on the boards of eight other not-for-profit organisations, helping the disabled and underprivileged; those facing difficulties after disasters; and providing coffins and transport home for the dead.

The PCF is delighted to have the benefit of his huge experience and wisdom.

Jitrarat "Tik" Willaert.

The other new board member, Jitrarat “Tik” Willaert, 36, currently works in the property industry but has always spent part of her spare time on charitable work. She gave invaluable help in the running of the PCF’s Race Day last November.

She also worked for two years for the Grandparents Group of Petchaburi, whose aim was to raise environmental awareness in the community, especially among young people. During this time she organised a variety of fund-raising activities, including designing and running projects with an eye on attracting sponsorship from international grant-makers, and promoted the various projects to the Thai and international press.

The PCF board looks forward very much to her input on exciting fund-raising events.

The PCF  also welcomes Jeerasak Thortip, 47, as an adviser to the board. Last November, Jeerasak was named “Outstanding Citizen” in Phuket for his work over thye past 10 years on preserving the traditional way of life in Bang Rong, a rubber tapping and fishing community on the east coast of Phuket.

In 2002 he led like-minded community members in establishing the Bang Rong Agrotourism project, the most prominent element being the Bang Rong Community Kitchen, a floating restaurant next to the quay from which many tourists take boats out to the islands.

Thirteen years ago he also helped to establish a local community savings fund which now has some 700 member and assets of B30 million.

With  Jeerasak’s help, the PCF hopes to reach much further and deeper into local communities on the island.