been assisting in cooking and packing food, moving beddings and helping
relocation efforts, besides offering donations in the form of cash and
supplies.“There are lots of volunteers from all countries, and AIT students have
been active in participating in the relief operations at Thammasat
University,” said Ms. Nisha Onta, a doctoral student from AIT who has
been closely involved with the relief work. “There are so many things
to be done, like unpacking and packing clothes, food and other items,
apart from arranging donations,” she added, while describing the range
of activities where volunteers can help.A group of students from the Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and
Management (DPMM) field of study of AIT’s School of Environment,
Resources and Development (SERD) also went to the relief center at
Thammasat on 13 October 2011. The day being International Disaster
Reduction Risk Reduction Day, DPMM students were engaged in conducting
a survey of the situation. Ms. Nattakarn Noree, a student of DPMM, has
been working with the flood victims for a few months now. On 11
October, Prof. Jayant Kumar Routray, Coordinator, DPMM field of study;
Ms. Vineeta Thapa, Program Officer, DPMM and Ms. Noree had also visited
the evacuation shelter at Thammsat University.
While commending the initiative of the AIT community, President Said
Irandoust also asked everyone to coordinate with the Contract
Management Office (CMO) to foster better cooperation with Thammasat
University and NSTDA in order to maintain vigil at various vantage
points to ensure the safety of all the three institutions. Prof.
Irandoust along with other senior officials of AIT including Prof.
Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, Vice President-Resource Development; Dr. Sutat
Weesakul and Dr. Noppadol Phien-wej of School of Engineering and
Technology; Dr. Sun Sayamipuk, Head-Contract Management Office (CMO);
and Mr. Stephen Andrews, Sodexo Operations Director at AIT, toured the
embankment area on 13 October 2011 and expressed full confidence at the
flood protection preparations.
AIT volunteers helping in relief operations
at the Thammasat University relief camp.