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There are two 'Thailands', the apparent affluence of the big cities and the poverty of the country. Rural poverty, inadequate local employment and harsh environmental conditions have resulted in high levels of migration and widening gaps between rich, urbanised residents and their poor rural cousins. TBIRD projects try to reduce this disparity. |
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| Despite the government's heavy investments and achievements in national infrastructure, it is clear that good roads, electricity, literacy and access to health facilities do not necessarily raise incomes. Established in 1988 by PDA, TBIRD enables villagers to acquire the skills and resources needed to launch and sustain income generating activities in their own communities. TBIRD was created with the following objectives in mind: |
  to encourage
successful businesses to help improve the quality of life
of rural people |
| to transfer
business skills to the villagers |
| to establish
income generating activities for the rural poor |
| to reduce
migration and encourage rural migrants to return home |
Villagers gain not only through improvements in income and quality of life, but also through the chance to learn new knowledge and skills from the business sector. Through TBIRD villagers learn four skills essential to their economic security: to organise; to finance; to produce and to market.
Entire communities benefit from TBIRD activities through school improvements and environmental enhancement. TBIRD projects also pump new energy into local economies through higher village incomes, new small enterprises and job opportunities. In many cases the tide of migration has stopped, and sometimes even reversed.
The business community continues to gain from the country's economic growth, and businesses possess the four skills needed by the villagers in order for them to sustain themselves. Involvement in TBIRD gives employees first hand experience of rural realities, increases morale and improves the company's public image, as well as reducing production costs. In addition, all project contributions to TBIRD are tax-deductible.
By alleviating poverty in Thailand's poorest regions, TBIRD helps to distribute opportunity, boost local economies and stem the flow of migrants to urban areas. As more rural families become able to support their children's continued schooling the skill level and literacy will rise fuelling long term growth. Projects also enable families to remain intact, thereby protecting the heart of rural Thai culture and society.
| Follow these links to discover how successful the TBIRD program has been. There are many other successful business investments in rural Thailand detailed in the TBIRD Annual Reports, unfortunately they all cannot be mentioned here. However, these companies have interesting stories to tell. |
Projects include a wide range of activities based on the needs of the villagers. The projects aim to provide relief from poverty and to teach basic business skills, and to improve education and the village environment. Sponsors can directly apply their business skills in small areas or support village based activities through funding
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Small to medium scale manufacturing operations can provide local job opportunities. Production of traditional handicrafts and foodstuffs and other home industries enable villagers to increase their income by direct participation in the larger market economy. Villagers can greatly increase family incomes through organic vegetables and flower growing, raising ornamental and fruit trees, and small scale animal husbandry.
By improving the standard of educational opportunities an investment in the future of the community is made. Increasing the skills of the local labour pool will help perpetuate economic growth of the region. Sponsors can help schools produce their own food for school lunches, provide scholarships or contribute equipment.
Projects which help improve the environment, such as re-afforestation, sanitation or clean-up projects significantly improve the standard of living in a community at relatively low cost.
Strengthening Local InstitutionsWork done in the projects can assist in the development of local institutions such as temples and sub-district councils or cooperatives through training business skills. By including these institutions as partners in the development process a greater proportion of the community can benefit from the activities. |
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TBIRD projects provide opportunities for businesses and other organisations to help improve the living standards in rural communities of the elderly, the handicapped and orphans while doing business. This creates a larger sense of community and greater opportunities in rural areas.
Sponsoring a village or project need not be an expensive undertaking, a range of options are available ranging from comprehensive sponsorship of a village, through sponsoring a specific project, to donating to support and existing project.
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Businesses and organisations, both local and International, can be actively involved in the development of rural Thailand through a new or existing TBIRD project. The aim of the sponsorship is active involvement, and PDA facilitates the process by introducing the company to a village and supporting the project for the first six months after the company joins TBIRD. New sponsors are being sought constantly, why not participate? Follow this link to discover the process to sponsorship. |
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With over 20 years experience in grassroots rural
development PDA has pioneered some of the most effective
integrated community-based development. This has been
done on the principle that local participation and
initiative are essential for self-reliant growth. PDA
lends assistance in three ways:
Experience has given PDA a wealth of technical expertise and development knowledge that are vital to the success of TBIRD projects. |
TBIRD project areas |
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For further information on the activities of TBIRD, please contact the TBIRD Bureau in writing or by fax at the address shown on the Home Page. PDA can also be contacted by email at pda@mozart.inet.co.th, mark the email for the attention of the Bureau.
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This page forms part of the Home Pages of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) Thailand. The site has been created by Cliff Ogleby with the assistance of many of the PDA staff and volunteers.
