Phuket’s Vanderbilt Estate opens for local charity

The financial impact of Covid has been felt all around the world, with charities hit the hardest. Phuket Has Been Good To Us, who teach English for free to disadvantaged Thai children, is no exception.

Desperately in need of funds, they were hugely thankful when friends of the Foundation Mohan Murjani and Sukanya Panyalert (Khun Yui) offered to open the Vanderbilt Estate in central Phuket for a charity event. The Vanderbilt Estate has been built as a reflection of the Vanderbilt mansions built for the American family dynasty over a century ago in and around New York.

Read a bit about the Vanderbilt family and Phuket resident Mohan Murjani’s association HERE.

On Saturday March 26, 80 VIP guests enjoyed an exquisite afternoon tea on the spectacular lawns of the Vanderbilt Estate, with all proceeds donated to Phuket Has Been Good To Us. Beautiful artwork and fabulous boat cruises were kindly donated for live auction and a matching grant of 300,000 baht was received from Living Waters Phuket Foundation, resulting in the party raising 800,000 baht.

The money raised was almost sufficient funds for PHBGTU to employ two qualified, fluent English speakers for a year, and ensures that the charity will be there for the underprivileged children when this pandemic is behind us.

PHOTOS: Jessi Cotterill Photography