October 26, 1999
Toy Story A closer bond. Grandpa Peng, 87, teaches a ten-year-old boy how to play with an old-fashioned toy he used to play with during his childhood. _ SOMKID CHAIJITVANIT Toys are fun and educational and they teach cultural, social and environmental lessons. They are also helping to bridge the generation gap between youngsters and older people in a Chiang Rai community Karnjariya Sukrung Having a toy factory in the neighbourhood must be every child's dream-and so the dreams of boys and girls of Padaad sub-district in Chiang Rai province have come true. There is a toy "factory" in every child's home-and the artisans are willing to impart the secrets of their trade. For the past year, the Group for the Development of Older People has been encouraging elderly villagers in the northern community to use their pastime to help bridge the generation gap. "Before I played with expensive racing cars my parents bought from the market. But I got bored of them. Now we play with toys made by our grandparents. They are fun and free," said 10-year-old Yuthana Chareongwong, snuggling up to his grandpa. "Whenever I want new toys, I ask my grandparents or other village elders I know can make them," he said. These days, the children rarely beg their parents for expensive toys. Instead they turn to their grandparents. Chuen Oonroen, 68, said: "I'm happy to know I'm still wanted! I love making toys and seeing the children have fun with them. We usually have a great time together." The group's project manager, Weerapong Kangwanawakul, 27, said: "To improve elderly people's quality of life, we have to help them become independent. They need to have pride in themselves, and the knowledge they can do something which people appreciate. Then good health will follow." In the past, he said, older people would often kill time by sitting idly or sleeping. "But in spite of their age, they still have potential to develop and contribute to the community," he added. In a bid to involve elderly people, Mr Weerapong asked them what they would like to do, and the common answer was making toys. "I hadn't seen the toys I used to play with when I was a kid for a long time," said former local musician, Mr Peng, 87. "In the old days, if we wanted toys, we made them ourselves." And so the project began with the memories of the oldest man in the village. He taught his peers how to make long-forgotten playthings. "It was like revisiting my childhood! I made the toys and played with them with my grandchildren," said Mr Peng. From an initial repertoire of 10 toys, the older people can now make 50 different items. The toys fire the children's imaginations, as they make up stories while playing with carved wooden animals. Other toys improve their motor skills, like flying fans. And the puzzles have the youngsters racking their brains to work out how to release wood from two knots-without using a pair of scissors! Weerapong Kangwanawakul "These toys do many things. They help the elders spend their time more usefully, it gives them a chance to exercise through their work, and it may also provide a new source of income for them," said Mr Weerapong. Every day, Mr Peng sits in his low-elevated shack, which is his toy workshop. He chops, slices, and shapes bamboo stalks into toys. Other elders often join in-sharing conversation and laughter as well as a common endeavour. Some of the toys have complicated mechanisms and techniques, which Mr Peng said reflects the ingenuity of the ancestors. For example, there are whistles that mimic birds singing, wooden fans which spin by pulling strings, and dolls that do acrobatic tricks. Most of the toys are largely made of bamboo-still in abundance in the village. "Conventional toys may pose health hazards to these elders, through electrical wiring, chemical colours and coated materials. But all the toys they make are hand-made and safe. And they are environmentally friendly as the raw material is biodegradable," said Mr Weerapong. The toys are both fun and educational. And the fact traditional toys usually require youngsters to play in a group promotes their social skills. "Playing in a group teaches children about respect and complying with the rules of the game. It also encourages team work as they can pool ideas to create their own games," said Mr Weerapong. For example, the children decided whoever got the "flying fan"-a stick with two fans-to fly highest and stay longest in the air would be declared the winner. Also the youngsters get to absorb the culture passed down to them from the elders, and the generation gap is bridged. "Children are closer to their grandparents than before. They watch them make the toys. I hope this will help conserve the art for future generations," said Mr Weerapong. The children also learn about their ancestors' ways of lives from miniature carvings, such as the ones created by Yueng Promyakang, 64. The former mechanic depicts old rustic scenes, from rice pounding to weaving and fishing, in his miniature works. Mr Weerapong said the children learn about environmental degradation through the seemingly "playful" things. They learn how some toys are on the verge of extinction, as the raw materials become scarce. Mr Weerapong cited an example of Yok Yong, a bunch of small bamboo tubes tied together, that create a variety of sounds when thrown in the air. "This toy is rarely made now as it needs material found only in lush forests," Mr Weerapong said. Though the toy project has revived many playthings from the past, Mr Weerapong is concerned about its long-term future. "When the elders are gone, these toys may be lost forever. I would like to create a systematic and comprehensive database for all these toys with information on their historical background, and the specific techniques used to make them." In the near future, the group will put their work on permanent display in the community's first toy museum. "We've already collected the exhibits and obtained permission from the abbot to use an empty sala as the museum. The villagers will help clean, renovate and decorate the hall. "This museum will be a touch and play one, where children can have fun without having to worry about breaking things. We have our own repairmen in the village," smiled Mr Weerapong. But the museum and database will have to wait for the moment as the start-up fund _so far dependent on the sale of toys-is still insufficient. Though originally made for local consumption, many of the toys are now sold in the market to generate additional income for the elders. The money raised is still pretty meagre. On average, each toy-maker earns 500-1,200 baht a month for making between 200 and 500 small toys. Typically, prices range from five to 30 baht-but some can go as high as 300 baht. Unfortunately, with limited outlets sales are slow. With only three coordinators working for the group and basically no funding, they cannot hire professional distributors. The customers are mostly Mr Weerapong's friends and associates. Also, some toys are sent to the Thai Holistic Health Foundation and sold at some cultural fairs. "Perhaps they are not eye-catching and the prices look so low that people may underestimate or look down on the products. Besides, we don't want to turn this into a large-scale business," said Mr Weerapong. Regardless of how much money the toys will bring in, what's important is the meticulous and intimate care the artisans put into them. Mr Peng said many of the toys originated from children who raised buffaloes in the rice fields. With lots of free time on their hands, they learned to make toys from the world around them." "Some of the playthings are also meaningful," said Mr Weerapong. "Take the Pla Tapien mobile for example. It is used on auspicious occasions, so the elderly consider it a souvenir that will bring good luck." "Every toy has its story," Mr Weerapong concluded. Old hands provide a good example Apart from making toys, the elderly people in Padaad sub-district are engaged in a number of other activities. "They have different interests and we love to find different channels so they can use their potential to benefit their community," said Weerapong Kangwanawakul. Those who are not into making toys can choose to join in a traditional medicine, traditional music, or local food group. Almost all of the 60 elderly people in the 200 household village are involved in something. Some of the older people are keen at massage and others at herbal medicine, and they open their homes to share their skills in these areas. "The local hospital cannot accommodate all the patients. So this group can give the community at least basic health care like physical therapy from massage or health promotion through herbs," said Mr Weerapong. It's mostly the women who join the traditional music group. They sing old songs and lullabies and perform shows. Others who love cooking have joined the traditional food club. Mr Weerapong is working with schools so the older people might lead some classes. For example, Mrs Pan is a good cook and could teach children about using herbs and local plants in cooking. These gatherings of old folk has inspired others in the village to form their own teams. Children in the elementary schools teamed up in a Kids' Bicycle Club. The children, aged between six and 12 years, spend their weekends and holidays on such activities as cycling to collect garbage, or to visit elderly people who have no youngsters in their families, or cycling to plant trees. Teenagers, meanwhile, gathered in the Rice Seedling Youth Club. Together with the Kids' Bicycle Club they collected books for a mobile library, launched an anti-drugs campaign and announced news and information over the community loudspeakers. Housewives formed a cooking team to make traditional desserts and vegetarian culinary plates to sell in the community. "The elderly have been pioneers in showing what can be achieved when people work together and they have inspired others in the community to join forces. They learn to work in their own ways and to benefit one another. This is how I view the sustainable village-where people communicate, collaborate and live in a mutual relationships," said Mr Weerapong. Info for donations: Name: The Group for the Development of Older People Contact person: Weerapong Kangwanawakul Address: 268 Moo 3, Padaad sub-district, Mae Suay district, Chiang Rai 57180 Tel: (053) 708-070 Account name: The Development of Older People Group Account number: Savings account 539-1-17436-8 Bank: Krung Thai Bank, Ha Yaek Por Khun Meng Rai		Current Issues in Thailand Bangkok Post Year-end Economic Review NEW! Database 10 yrs Thailand Tatler Magazine Classifieds Jobs Property Entertainment Investment Education Travel Sales Learn English Weekly Database Horizons NiteOwl Student Weekly Real Time Motoring Special We Care NEW! Phudhong Foundation leper colony Back Issues Company Servcies Subscriptions Advertising Annual Report
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