The Listening Project - Field Visit Report Thailand

The Listening Project organized a listening exercise in Thailand in March 2007 with the help of the American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Thai Red Cross, Disaster Tracking and Recovery Center (D-TRAC), Plan International Thailand, World Concern, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperative (BAAC) and RaksThai (a member of CARE International). These organizations provided funds, staff, and other in-kind support (hospitality, transportation, etc.) to the effort, and CDA sent one staff and two outside consultants to facilitate this listening exercise. A collaborative learning process such as the Listening Project depends entirely on the involvement and significant contributions of participating agencies, and those involved in the Thailand listening exercise deserve great appreciation for their generous logistical support and the dedication of the staff that participated in and supported the effort.

Three regions of Thailand were visited during the listening exercise: 1) the tsunami-affected areas in Phang Nga Province; 2) districts around Khon Kaen in the northeast; and 3) the southeast province of Si Sa Ket. The regions were selected by the participating agencies in consultation with CDA, with the intention of visiting communities that have experienced different kinds of international assistance over a range of time.