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Bann Na Mafeung: Real happiness on earth and in life
“Hello, please go to have some rest inside the room”. When we stepped into the public health center, we heard the voice and suddenly turned around. It’s the voice of Mr. Khamkong Amatmontri, the mayor of Na Mafeung Sub-District. All the villagers here know him as “Phor Khamkong of Na Mafeung Village”. This elderly man in about 50-60 years of age welcomes us with a big smile on his face at the front of Na Mafeung public health center. He seems overjoyed when visitors arrive and greets all with a cheerful “Hello” without waiting for guests to say it. He tells us with excitement about his work in development for over 5 years. It never crossed his mind that a group of city people would notice the few things that himself and the Na Mafeung villagers have developed in cooperation for a long time. Things were quite different in the past at Na Mafeung, there were many problems in the village; family problems, drinking problems and debt problems. But this man began to think about how to get rid of these long-rooted problems in the community. He came up with ideas and showed his own example to the villagers. This is the origin of the phrase “Making good things to the eyes of the young.” “If we want our children become good people in society, we must show our good example to them”. Phor Khamkong works as mayor under the principal “Benefit of the villagers is a priority. When they are happy, I will be happy too. I want them to have compassion. If everybody has good heart, they will express only good things. The first group of people they come into contace with all the time is their family. When they act well at home, it is reflected in doing good things to society.” He not only applies sufficient economy principles to his life but also uses good governance principles in his management. His accomplishments to the Bann Na Mafeung villagers makes us reflect at the capital city, a city that is called “civilized”. However, today’s social surrounding makes us realize that economic progress has replaced our ancestor’s good way of life. Whenever we think about it, we can’t help but feel envious at Na Mafeung descendants. This community not only has Phor Khamkong as a model kind elder, but also has many good villagers that it’s so difficult to mention every one of them. For example, a woman pioneer fruit vendor “Mae Dahla” of Bann Na Mafeung market tells us that the market has been around for a long time and she has worked as a vendor here for a long time as well. As a vendor, she works from morning till evening everyday and feels that she is a part of the market. In previous times, the market belonged to a private company. If anybody wished to sell, they were required to submit a tender. Because of the tender, all vendors had to pay rent to the company at about 600-700 baht per month. It made her felt uncomfortable. She told us with a sincerity in her eyes that made us feel and visualize the conditions. The atmosphere made us feel a sense of warmth and true sincerity from all the villagers. She said how she feels the market is her second home. She said she earned a very small living from selling fruits at the community and that if she had to pay an exepensive rental fee, she would be unable to survive. Unfortunately, the environment and public utility in the market should have been cleaner and better. She decided to assemble other vendors in the market and organized a meeting to seek ways to survive in the market by themselves. They appointed a community market committee selected from vendors in the market. The committee’s duties were to collect rental fees and manage the market by themselves. The collected rental fees would become a common fund and used to buy items for all the vendors. Every month, vendors will get new items from this common fund. For example, the committee buys brooms, mops, brushes and cleaning liquid etc. The happiness at the market which was initiated by Mae Dahla continues to grow. At the annual festival at the end of the year, the committee buys items for all vendors and they do a lucky draw. This is to cultivate relationships every year. There are many good things happening at Na Mafeung Village, for example, Children Council, Villagers Council, Elderly People Club, Aerobics Club, Organic Fertilizer Group, Solving Drinking Problem Club, Good Looking at the Front Door Project and many other projects, etc. There are countless activities and projects underway that a single community member cannot tell of all. But it can be felt by ourselves. We might say that all projects have been done by a cooperation from all sectors; government sector, private sectors and villagers. The most important thing is the spirit of Phor Khamkong, the mayor and villagers of Bann Na Mafeung, Na Mafeung Sub-District, Na Mafeung District, Nong Bua Lampoo province. As someone once said “In every performance, if we have a good leader, it will reflect and lead to good society”. |
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