Christian churches reach out to Thai community

"It's hard for most people to understand the pressure and depression endured by Thai workers, who are so far away from home for a long period of time."

Wu Ching-hua, a staff member of the Friends of Thai Workers Church

Christian around Taiwan are working together in an attempt to give Thai workers comfort and peace of mind over the Lunar New Year holiday, a staff member of a Christian church said.

The Friends of Thai Workers Church (FTWC), which is located in Taoyuan County, is a part of a network of Christian churches that try to "make all Thai workers feel at home" by proselytizing, organizing events, providing consultation and orientation and helping them to deal with different problems in life, said Wu Ching-hua, the only full-time staff member of the FTWC. The vast majority of Thai people are Buddhist.

"It's hard for most people to understand the pressure and depression endured by Thai workers, who are so far away from home for a long period of time," said Wu, who has a Taiwanese father and a Thai mother and has been living in Taiwan for 20 years.

That's why FTWC is organizing a sight-seeing tour to Taichung City during the Lunar New Year break.

"We hope it can help them to relax and enjoy a rare vacation after a year of hard work," Wu said.

About Thai workers are expected to go on the tour.

FTWC also organizes singing competitions from time to time.

"Thai people love singing," Wu claimed.

Various are also held on Thai holidays like Songkran Festival (Thailand's New Year), the birthdays of the king and queen, and Christmas Day.

FTWC pastors from different churches in Chiayi and Hualien have formed a network that offers help to each other when needed.

But there's only so much a church can do, Wu said.

"The biggest problem for Thai workers is being overcharged by manpower agencies, which charge as much as NT$200,000 (US$6,260) for placement fees," Wu said. "The authorities know about it, but the problem remains."

"Being overcharged means a Thai worker will have to pay almost all his salary for the first year -- sometimes the first year and a half -- to the agencies," Wu added. "It's where their frustration comes from and why you see a lot of them with drinking problems and even committing crimes."

Over 60 Thai workers are serving sentences in Taipei Prison, where FTWC provides counselling services.

"We are short of Bibles and we also need computers and projectors as FTWC wants to launch a computer program for Thai workers. As a small church, we need help with everything from funding to personnel," Wu said.