Hill Tribe Fund

The Sixes support is now important for much more than just cricket as with the blessing and support of Jenny and her duck-ladies and thanks to their tireless efforts in fund-raising the Hill Tribe Fund was created in 2010 to help under-privileged hill-tribe children have a better standard of life, continue with their education and to be able to play cricket.

Initially this was to help members of the Wat Don Chan cricket team move into a more comfortable and convenient hostel close to Gymkhana where they were able to practise regularly and their welfare requirements were looked after as well as their school expenses.

The next stage came a year later with the Hill Tribe Fund setting up their own accommodation for the boys in the so called Pinky House but in 2012 after Chris Dodd moved to Lamphun and began looking after three girls from Croston House Children’s Home, Nok, Dao and Aree, the three remaining boys also moved to Lamphun, and all six hill tribe children have been doing extremely well with their education as well as on the cricket field.

Hill Tribe Cricketers

Bunchuai has been the perfect role model as he was always top of his class before moving to college to take a business studies course one day a week while taking over the coaching duties from Chris having passed the ACC Level I coaching course. His cricket has also come on leaps and bounds as a batsman, wicket-keeper and leg-spin bowler, and having already played for Thailand U16s and U19s, a place in the senior squad is not far away.

Cher is training as an electrician as well as a cricket coach and Chanchai has a place on a mechanics course so all three boys will have a qualification to go with their cricket skills. Chanchai and Cher are both on the verge of playing for Thailand Under-19s, while of the girls Nok is the closest to the senior women’s squad, while Dao and Aree work so hard at their school work that they are dreaming of a future place at university. The San Miguel Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes has played a pivotal role in spreading the gospel of cricket in schools in Chiang Mai and Lamphun, giving the chance for children to move on from softball cricket to hard ball and to give them the benefit of top class coaching and the opportunity to play competitive cricket against their peers and with the best adult cricketers in Chiang Mai.

Many junior cricketers have taken part in the Sixes, with success for the junior team always welcomed with great delight, and every child has the chance to play for his or her province and for their country; but possibly most importantly of all a growing number of disadvantaged hill tribe children have been given the chance of a new life by living in a safe, clean and loved environment, they are able to continue with their education with hopes moving on to college or university, and they have become some of the best young cricketers in Thailand.