Ploenchit Fair is a fund-raising fair for charity projects throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. Ploenchit Fair is managed by the British Community in Thailand Foundation For The Needy (BCTFN), previously known as The United Kingdom Commission for Thai Charities (UKCTC). BCTFN is a registered Thai Charity Foundation.
Contents
History
UKCTC was established in 1968 and BCTFN was established as a full charity foundation under Thai legislation, in 1999. The first official Ploenchit Fair took place in 1957, in the grounds of the British Embassy in Bangkok (which is located on Ploenchit Road). Prior to 1968, Ploenchit Fair was run by various Committees of concerned individuals – mostly from the British community and living and working in Thailand. UKCTC and BCTFN developed out of the British War Charities efforts during the Second World War.
International Charity Fair
Ploenchit Fair, although staffed and managed by Thais and by members of the British community living in Thailand, has always been an international event of some importance on the social calendar in Thailand. Nowadays, Ploenchit Fair, while based loosely on the English “village fair” concept, is a cosmopolitan event, with attendees and stallholders coming from all over Asia and from all other continents.
Ploenchit Fair and BCTFN Committee
The patron of the BCTFN is the British Ambassador to Thailand and his wife is the honorary president. Committee members are unpaid volunteers who work and live in Thailand.
Ploenchit Fair Locations
From 1957 until 2001: British Embassy Grounds
2001: Suan Amphorn Grounds
2003: Due to venue related problems, the Ploenchit Fair was not held this year
2004 - 2006: Bec Tero Hall & Grounds, Suan Lum
2007: Shrewsbury International School Grounds 2011: Bangkok Patana School, Soi La Salle
Ploenchit Fair Logistics
Ploenchit Fair is one of the largest charity fair events held in Asia. Every year approximately 2000 volunteers assemble to help put on the Ploenchit Fair. Over 250 Corporate Sponsors are involved. Since 2007, it has been held in the grounds of Shrewsbury International School on Charoen Krung road, by the River Chao Phraya.
Funds Raised
Funds raised at Ploenchit Fair have helped hundreds of Thai Charities over the years. The level of funds donated in 1957 was 31,000 Thai Baht, a respectable sum for those days. However, since the year 2000, over 40 million Baht has been raised at Ploenchit Fairs for distribution by BCTFN to Thai Charities. Standard Chartered Bank maintains a “branch” at the Ploenchit Fair to ensure that takings are well looked after. Ploenchit Fair is the main source of funds raised by BCTFN but BCTFN does receive funds from other sources such as donations, legacies and the proceeds from social events.
Funds from Ploenchit Fair (and from other sources) are carefully applied to charity projects which are scrutinized in considerable detail by the Committee before funds are released. The project itself is monitored by a Committee Member and a Final report with photographs is presented by the charity group which has received the funds. BCTFN focuses on sustainable projects, where the funds provided help establish a new project or maintain an ongoing project which, with help, might become less and less dependent on charity funding in the future. Ploenchit Fair is essential to provide the funds for these excellent and very worthwhile humanitarian projects.
Supported Charity Groups
Some of the recipients of funds raised from Ploenchit Fair include:
....and many others
Supported Charity Projects
...and other Charity Projects