Heart-warming support from the people of Koh PhaNgan
October 30th 2008

PAC’s case was initially investigated by Surat Thani police on August 8th, but assigned to local (Koh PhaNgan) police for follow-up. Koh PhaNgan police met with Shevaun & Por on the 26th of September to share the details of the report from Surat Thani, which stated that, indeed, the fire was started by a person, and was NOT an accident.

We decided therefore, that we had 3 options open to us if we wanted to remain in our new premises:

Option 1: Requires arrest and prosecution.
Unfortunately, the Koh PhaNgan police stated that they could not do anything if we didn’t know who did it.  No statements were taken from any witnesses or suspects, and PAC was told we must publicly choose who we wanted brought in for questioning – a process that could only damage our public image. We had to accept that there would be no further police investigation or follow-up of this case.

Option 2: Requires the culprit to admit liability.
It was generally agreed that this would not happen and could be dangerous to pursue.

Option 3: Requires good PR, both locally and nationally.
The idea is that if others publicly stand with PAC, then to attack again would not attack only PAC, but also everyone who stood with us.

We chose to follow Option 3: to seek protection from the local community, by publishing the full story of PAC and spreading it through the temples, Village Heads (Phu Yai’s) and local radio. Our intent isclarify PAC’s work, finances, current situation and plan for future operation, to ensure no misunderstandings AND request signatures from everyone who ‘votes’ to have PAC’s future plan for Koh PhaNgan

So:
PAC’s story was illustrated in Power Point (view in web or download file (powerpoint)), translated into Thai by Ms Wanna Leungmekul (PAC’s excellent and exceedingly generous long-term translator, based at the Thai Consulate in Hong Kong) and edited by Ms Ruchapha Tantrakul (from PhaNgan.Info magazine) (download Thai version (powerpoint file)).

And then the talking began …

Shevaun and Por visited each of the 11 temples on the island, explaining our plan and distributing the story and ‘vote’ papers (while also treating any animals in need and recording any animals requiring neutering).

On the 3rd of October, we attended the District Office monthly meeting of all island government personnel, where we spoke & distributed 16 stories with ‘vote’ papers.

Seven copies were given to individual supporters of PAC as well as one each to PhaNgan Radio and Bangrak Radio both of whom agreed to announce the story free of charge.

All PAC supporters were visited to explain the story and request help with gathering support, and 15 signs, with the colour-illustrated story were placed in various locations around the island.

In each and every encounter, we were consistently met with deep respect, gratitude, unconditional support and enthusiasm for the ‘vote’ from the local people. Every meeting with every individual helped to restore the energy we had lost in the arson attack - and more!

The signatures will be collected in early November, after which Kuhn Nira (the legal holder of the land title), her family, Por and PAC’s staff (Avril & Carly) will meet to decide if they feel safe to stay on the premises. Shevaun has decided not to vote on this decision, as she is ordinarily resident in Hong Kong and therefore safe from any danger.

If the PAC team chooses to stay, the ground work is completed for PAC to become a permanent part of Koh PhaNgan, providing long-term care for the island’s stray animals.

In addition, during this month PAC:
- completed all building works on the new clinic and organized all remaining stock (Building progress)
- formally restarted work, with the decision that from now on, we only treat stray animals, as PAC had originally intended (view details or download powerpoint presentation), with a focus on on-site care
- continues to provide telephone advice to any animal owners in need
- entered negotiations with a Thai vet to rent premises from us, to start their own, private business, taking care of the island’s owned animals
- performed 5 surgery days in October, neutering all remaining, un-spayed female temple dogs and cats (26 in total)
- cared for 8 hospitalized stray patients (2 with Distemper in our new Isolation Ward – 50% recovery so far) and 15 on-site – 100% recovery so far (formal house call rounds don’t start until November)
- started a vaccination programme in all the temples in an effort to control disease spread (Koh PhaNgan is currently suffering from another outbreak of Canine Distemper Virus).

It has been an exciting month and we are looking forward to seeing what happens next!