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Koh Phayam, Thailandstory

A New Roof and a Field Made Ready

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The Moken church freshly painted bright blue, with its new blue corrugated roof, arched windows and a cross, among palm trees and sandy ground

The first weeks of 2026 brought building news on two fronts: one for the church and one for the soccer field.

On 7 January Philip shared photos of the Moken church after a visit from friends from Kauai, USA. They helped replace the roof and painted the whole church. "What a privilege!" he wrote. "Thank you for a great time and great job. It was an amazing time!" You can read more about these friends on the partners page.

At the end of the month, on 31 January, there was news from the soccer field. Bathrooms and a road were built, and the erosion from the previous season was repaired. "Now it's just the challenge of the grass," Philip wrote.

And in case anyone wondered what Philip does every other Saturday, he explained on 28 January: he is a commentator at the Thai-boxing evenings on the island.

Photo Gallery

The volunteers from Kauai and local men posing together inside the church during the renovation, under the exposed timber roof trusses
The church interior freshly painted light blue, with two white tile crosses, arched windows and ladders still against the walls
A small white bathroom block beside the sandy soccer field, with the tall white poles for the perimeter netting
The newly built dirt road to the soccer field, running beside a stream through the bush under a clear blue sky
The sandy soccer field with its white netting poles, goal frames and new bathroom block, with two men working on site
Officials in matching shirts in a Muay Thai ring with two garlanded fighters, as one man reads an announcement into a microphone