Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

With widespread flooding since late July, Thailand is faced with a shortage of clean drinking water in the affected areas. Tzu Chi Kuala Lumpur & Selangor helped raise 3 truck-loads of bottled water, which were loaded on November 3 and were expected to reach the Thai border on November 4, 2011.

Master Cheng Yen has been monitoring the Thai flood closely since it began 3 months ago. On November 1, 2011, when the Master went on-line with Tzu Chi volunteers in Thailand, she was informed that the survivors and the soldiers rendering help at the disaster zones, were short of clean drinking water. Upon hearing that, the Master requested Tzu Chi Malaysia to supply some of the required relief items, such as, drinking water. David Liu, CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore, who was present at the meeting then contacted Tzu Chi Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Office that same evening to make arrangements.

Upon receiving the request, the administrative staff immediately went into action. By the afternoon of November 3, the first batch of 5,000 cartons (24 bottles x 500 ml/cartoon) of drinking water were ready for shipment.

After careful comparison, it was found that it is cheaper and faster to ship the item by road. At 2 pm, two Tzu Chi staff visited Nippon Express, the transportation company responsible for the shipment, to finalize the shipping arrangement with the Manager, who was very cooperative. By 3 pm, three 40-ft cargo-trucks arrived, one after another, at the premises of R.O Water Sdn Bhd, the water supplier.

With help from more than ten community volunteers and staff of the water supplier, the cargo of bottled water was loaded by 7 pm.

Mr. Mohd Fadli who works in the office helped to drive the forklift. He said, "Thailand's flood is serious. Their people suffer greatly. I feel sad but am very happy to help in a small way."

With the cargo expected to arrive at the Thai border by early morning of November 4, and hopefully to clear customs without any delay, this essential item could reach the survivors in the shortest possible time.