The city of Chiang Rai is the capital of Chiang Rai province in Northern Thailand. The province, which borders Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, is one of the poorest parts of Thailand. Traditionally, the people have lived mainly on the cultivation of poppy for the production of opium, using slash-and-burn techniques. Although now illegal, this form of cultivation is still practised. Apart from drug-related problems, it causes deforestation, which increases the risk and impact of ecological disasters, such as floods and landslides. However, due to the remoteness of the area and the lack of mineral resources, the population has hardly any alternatives of making a living.

Driven by poverty and malnutrition, scores of children cross the Thai-Burmese border every day. Most of these migrant children have never attended school, since there are only very few schools in the border area of Myanmar (Burma), most of them with fees the poor cannot afford. Therefore these children are forced to earn their living by taking any job they can get. Many of them do not speak the Thai language, so they end up doing menial work in tea parlours, restaurants or hotels. Many youngsters move to the large cities in the South, where they hope to find a better life.

The Thai government has launched a number of projects to help those children but there is still a great need for long-term family-based care. Therefore, SOS Children's Villages Thailand started a fund-raising campaign inside the country and managed to raise the money needed to buy a piece of land for a new SOS Children's Village.

SOS Children's Village Chiang Rai is located on the main road from Bangkok to the North (highway number one) at a distance of about 12 km from Chiang Rai International Airport. A hospital, a market, schools, a college and a university are all within a radius of about 12 km. The SOS Children's Village consists of twelve family homes, a community house, staff accommodation, and the necessary administrative buildings.

There is also an SOS Kindergarten for about 100 children, both from the SOS Children's Village and from the local community. For poor families, especially for single mothers, it is very important to have a place where their children are looked after during the day. Children receive a hot meal at the kindergarten every day.

Two of the SOS Children's Village's family homes have been converted into a temporary SOS Social Centre. Children who suffer from malnutrition are admitted to these houses and they are treated there. This programme will be run until it is no longer necessary. Then the two houses will be turned into family homes again.

SOS Children`s Villages take action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organisation. We respect varying religions and cultures, and we work in countries and communities where our mission can contribute to development. We work in the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we promote these rights around the world.

Our Vision:

Every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security.

We want for the world's children

• Every child belongs to a family
• Every child grows with love
• Every child grows with respect
• Every child grows with security

Our Mission:

We build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures and we share in the development of their communities.

What we do:

• We build families for children in need
• We help them shape their own futures
• We share in the development of their communities

Our Values:

• Courage-We take action.
• Commitment-We keep our promises.
• Trust-We believe in each other.
• Accountability-We are reliable partners.