Back in June 2015 a showdown was looming between the residents of a Pattaya community in Nong Prue and an HIV/AIDS shelter. Locals were demanding infected patients move out whilst hospice executives vowed to stay. Glory Hut has been engaged in a battle with residents of the Lang Nern. In their campaign to evict the charity the community cited everything from the fear of children being infected with AIDS to ghosts. Residents of Lang Nern votee 131-30 to evict the Glory Hut and the foundation was given 6 months to find a new location. In the intervening months, Nong Prue Sub-district officials and even the National Human Rights Commission tried to reason with locals, all to no avail.
The sub-district suggested the hospice move to Tungkomtan-Man. However over 5 million baht was needed to acquire land, construct facilities and relocate operations. Almost one year later two temples helped Nong Prue sub-district raise more than 2.5 million baht to relocate an embattled AIDS hospice to a more-welcoming neighbourhood with a robes-offering ceremony on the 28th April 2016.
The ceremony for the Glory Hut Foundation, led by Udom Prachatorn of Phrabat Nam Phu Temple in Lopburi Province and Pailin Siriwatchano from Sangkatan Wangpai Temple in Nonthaburi, saw Buddhist believers congregate all day at the Nong Prue municipal building for prayers, chanting and the distribution of amulets. Abbot Udom of the Lopburi temple led a parade and travelled by foot to various locations to spread the word about pha pa activities taking place in Nong Prue. In all, 2.52 million baht was raised for the embattled shelter, leaving the charity only 800,000 baht short of its 5-million-baht goal to purchase s new plot of 2.2 rai of land on Soi 16 in Tungkomtan-Man Moo 7 village near Horseshoe Point.
The donations continued to roll in for an embattled Pattaya AIDS hospice, with charity organizations and individuals putting up cash to fund its relocation.The Red Cross of Banglamung, and the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center with Tara Sauna added 234,000 baht for the Glory Hut Foundation. Then in June 2017 Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard met with the Glory Hut together with Tony Sale of LBWVB (Lady Boy Water Volley Ball) contest. The Glory Hut was further informed that Bexhill Rotary Club in the UK would like to help as their then president Paul Frostick had reported back after a visit to them in 2015. Rotary Club Bexhill, Sussex in the UK, therefore agreed to sponsor to the tune of 50,000 THB. Past president Rodney James Charman of RCES visited the Bexhill RC and collected a 50,000 THB cheque from President Brian Songhurst.
The funds were used to sponsor the annual Lady Boy Water Volleyball Competition resulting in The Glory Hut receiving a final figure of about 200.000 THB with which to purchase beds, mattresses, pillows etc.
AIDS activist and monk Alongkot Dikkapanyo led alms-giving ceremonies to raise more funds for the relocation of an AIDS hospice evicted from its Pattaya neighbourhood by intolerant neighbours.Luang Phu Alongkot, as he is known, is the abbot of Phra Baht Nam Phu Temple in Lopburi, which has been caring for AIDS patients since 1992 filling in the gap between government and private sectors ,allowing HIV patients to die with dignity. Alongkot led monks in receiving donations during ceremonies at Nong Prue Health Park on Dec. 1 and 2. The first day he also led an alms procession from Mike Shopping Mall to Wat Chaimongkol Market, the Grand Hall Market and Big C South Pattaya.
Everyone who contributed to the cause got more than just satisfaction of helping the cause. Those who gave 1,000 baht or more received Phra Baht Nam Phu 25th anniversary coins. Donors of 500 baht received a smaller coin while 300-baht donors received a t-shirt.
The goal was to help Nong Prue collect the last 500,000 baht of the 2.4-million-baht budget to finally build Glory Hut’s new home on two rai of land in the Nong Maikaew Community. The sub-district paid for one rai and the NGO for the other. The Mayor of Nong Prue declared on the 28th November that the facility was 90 percent complete with only interior decoration needing finished.
The main home being able to accommodate 40 patients in sections segregated by sex. A second two-story building housing the cafeteria, kitchen and staff accommodations.
On the 30th November 2017 Rodney, Kevin, Tony and Bell placef the order for new beds, mattress, side units, pillows plus for the new Glory Hut. The order for 10 Bunk beds at 4,800 each (48,000) 20 Single at 2,500 each (50,000) 40 Single mattress at 1,400 each (56,000) 10 four door side units with key and lock at 800 (8,000) and 40 Nuti Nai Pillows at 100 each (4,000)40 single sets of bedding @ 275 each (111,000) Total Cost 177,000 THB
Fast forward to this year and on the 15th January 2018 John Copper from Bexhill Rotary Sussex UK arrived at the Glory Hut whiles on holiday in Thailand came to see the progress and was met by Khun Amy Nong Prue Social Services, Khun Ponsawan Glory Hut Director, P P Rodney James Charman RCES and Kevin Maguire a friend of RC Bexhill John was very impressed with what he saw and returned to the UK with a glowing report on the project.
As a result Bexhill Rotary Club donated a further 44,000 THB to add to the 23,000 baht remaining from the beds and lockers purchase, with which to buy mosquito nets screens and a possible water pump.
On the 4th February 2018 the beds were delivered and the staff of Tommy Furniture assembled them just in time for the 40 mattresses that arrived from Bangkok that afternoon !
Ten days later the grounds were cleared , trees planted, water tanks installed and fencing put in place ready for the grand opening .
Welcome speeches were held by Mr. Mayai Chaiyan (Mayor of Nong Prue) and the Governor of Chonburi, Mr Pakarathon Tienchai who spoke about the history of the Glory Hut and how this 11.5 million THB project The head monk Alongkot Dikkapanyo of Wat Phra Bat Namphu Lopoburi and Governor of Chonburi, Mr Pakarathon Tienchai officially open the new center.
Many VIP including President Brian Songhurst and Local Community Projects Director IPP Rodney James Charman, with several members of Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard and a represented for Bexhill Rotary Club attended the opening ceremony of the new Glory Hut rehabilitation facility for HIV/AIDS patients.In the morning there were blessing ceremonies and after the introduction speeches the unveiling of the signage of the building. A tree was also planted to commemorate the occasion