Last week I guided the WPI-Solar Home Sudy Group to Huey Som Poi Village located in the Doi Inthanon area. Last year I did a village Solar Home System survey for the KNCE.

200,000 SHS were provided by the PEA SHS Project costing the Thai taxpayer over $150,000,000 US dollars. This project is now about 2 years old and is failing because of crappy solar equipment, no organized maintenance program, and very little villager understanding of how to use and take of the SHS. The main contractor is a Thai company called “Solartron” remember that name (buddy-buddy with Thoxsin) , they screwed the villagers and the Thai people big time. The WPI SHS Study Group is from WPI College in Massachusetts, 3rd year students. They visited SHS households and conducted video interviews with village and Tombol Aw-Baw Taws. The group, Carolyn, Ben, and Gabe worked hard to help the Karens and hopfully get this project headed on the comeback trail. See this url for more info:

http://www.palangthai.org/docs/SHSReport6June06.doc

Carolyn, Ben, and Gabe

Huey Som Poi Village, Chom Thong

Good job you did! I've never been to North so maybe i'll need your help one day hehehe