Thailand

Context at a glance

Habitat homeowner Jood and his wife stand in front of their new Habitat house

Thailand is only now recovering from the sharp downturn of 1997 when a local financial crisis had a knock-on effect across Asia.

The government's National Housing Authority estimates some 8.2 million people live in substandard housing. Problems are particularly acute in Bangkok, as the capital has grown into a major metropolis, dwarfing other cities in the country. Migration from rural areas has placed a strain upon the supply of affordable land. Migrants face high rents for small rooms and often live in overcrowded areas with no sanitation facilities. Squatter settlements are commonly seen along railway lines or near port and industrial areas. As a result of the December 2004 tsunami, the government estimates 5,000 to 6,000 families are in need of housing.

Habitat for Humanity programme

Habitat for Humanity Thailand began in 1998 in Udon Thani, in northeast Thailand. There are three other affiliates in Chiang Mai, Nakhon Racha Sima (also known as Korat) and Lampang. New affiliates were recently formed in Bangkok and Chiang Rai. HFH Thailand's tsunami recovery programmes are located in Phang Nga and Krabi in the south.

HFH Thailand both builds and renovates homes. The Udon Thani affiliate pioneered the "Building in Stages" concept in which Habitat homeowners start by constructing a two-room "core" house with an open space, built on a cement foundation. Additional rooms and walls are built after three years or once a certain amount of the initial mortgage is repaid.

House construction normally takes about 15 days and involves concrete blocks, C-bar roof trusses and sheet roofing. Average monthly repayments are approximately £10.

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