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A day
at the Huay Pong for the boys at building A
Article written by Helle Rantsén
Welfare coordinator of Rayong Ladies Circle
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The Jesters on an inspection
visit at
Huay Pong (July 2002)
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For the 32
boys age 7 to 13 the day starts at 6 am. They are woken up
by one of the two housekeepers, who in turns are on duty 24
hours a day. The housekeepers do not have any special education
to take care of traumatized boys from broken homes, but are
given seminars at the institute about how to take care of
these children placed there by officials.
After a quick wash the boys will get ready to
do the morning excises led by the housekeeper. The excise
takes about half an hour. Then it is time to eat breakfast.
All the boys eat together in one big canteen. Everybody waits
outside the room until a signal is given and it is time to
go in. They site at long tables on wooden benches together
with their age group. They only eat when they are allowed
to. All waiting for the go ahead sign. A typical breakfast
at Huay Pong is boiled rice or macaroni soup.
At 8 am school begins. All the boys at building
A attend the school at the Huay Pong. There are 9 teachers
at the school all qualified. It is difficult to say how many
boys there are in each class, because it changes after the
different age groups at Huay Pong. But it can be between 10
to 50 pupils at any one time.
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A dream come true !!!!
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At 11.30 am to 1 p.m. it is time to eat lunch.
The lunch is eaten after the same principles as breakfast.
A typical lunch can be fish soup or omelet.
At 1 p.m. school starts again and there the
boys will stay until 3.30 p.m.
What do the boys do after school and in their
spare time??? There are not that many things to occupy them
and keep their minds busy. They can play some football or
basketball; an activity like a playgroup for the younger children
does not exist. There are no games like jigsaws. No real alternative
to just running around the ground and perhaps get into trouble
with other boys.
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Jesters watching boys at their daily
bathng ritual
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At 5 p.m. it is time for supper. Again after
the same principles as for breakfast and lunch. A typical
supper can be rice and pig fat.
The boys can then again play until 7 p.m. when
it is time to go back "home" where they sleep and
do their homework laying on the floor. Their “home”
consists of the 32 beds, a table, some cupbroads, and some
fans besides the 4 walls and the roof over their heads.
At 8 p.m. they pray and then continue making
homework, perhaps watch some television.
At 9.30 p.m. it is time to go to bed. At night
the housekeeper on duty will stay in the house to keep an
eye on the boys. Another day has past.
Huay Pong children performing
on stage for their dedicated supporter
- the Rayong Ladies Circle (RLC) - 
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