On 17th March, we joined the Rotary Club of Sarapee to inaugurate the refurbishment of a clean drinking water system at Wat Ban Lao School in Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai. The project restores access to safe drinking water for 140 students, most of whom are from minority hilltribe communities, replacing worn components in a system originally installed seven years earlier.
The refurbishment was generously sponsored by C&C Travel of Copenhagen, continuing their long-standing support for the school and its students.
On 17th March, Past President John Quarmby and Past President Chiemi Svensson, together with partners from the Rotary Club of Sarapee in Chiang Mai, inaugurated the refurbished Clean Drinking Water System at Wat Ban Lao School in Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai Province.
The refurbishment was sponsored by C&C Travel of Copenhagen, who had also funded the original installation seven years earlier. Their continued support has ensured the school maintains access to safe and reliable drinking water.
Wat Ban Lao School provides education from Kindergarten through to Junior High (M1–M3) and serves approximately 140 students, the vast majority of whom come from minority hilltribe communities.
The school's location presents ongoing challenges. The site is exposed and subject to significant wear and tear, while the raw water supply comes from nearby mountain streams and contains high levels of coliform bacteria and E. coli. Over time, this had degraded the effectiveness of the original system.
The Rotary Club of Sarapee, which installed the initial system, carried out the refurbishment by replacing worn components. Assistant Governor Krissada and his team attended the inauguration and will continue to support the school going forward.
Due to the ongoing air transport crisis at the time, representatives from C&C Travel were unable to attend the ceremony.
The visit also noted the benefit of strong school management, which has helped attract continued external support and investment.
Following the inauguration, the group visited a scenic viewpoint overlooking the surrounding tea plantations before concluding the day with dinner in Chiang Mai alongside the Rotary Club of Sarapee team.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4qiP8rK1nYJ2188Q7?g_st=am
Photo Album: https://rotarybangkok.org/PhotoAlbums/water-purification-handover-wat-ban-lao-chiang-mai-17-march-2026