In cooperation with CARE Austria, the Weltmuseum Wien presents “Experience Thailand”, a collection of selected works by photographer Alexander von Wiedenbeck. This photo series is the outcome of a successful collaboration between the engaged artist and CARE over the past few years.

His pictures show life in Thailand off the beaten track, and give unique insights into CARE’s project work. Alexander von Wiedenbeck’s pictures showcase stories of belonging and isolation, migration, empowerment, adaptation to a changing climate and hope of Thai minorities and people from Myanmar, who had to leave their country many years ago.

The work of CARE Thailand focuses on empowering women and girls. CARE Thailand also supports access to education and Thai language tuition for children of migrants, as well as health promotion and income generating projects with ethnic minorities in the north of Thailand.

This year marks 150 years since Austria and Thailand established diplomatic relations. It is an occasion for CARE as an international aid organization to take a closer look at the civil society and development work taking place in Thailand – a country mostly known as a holiday destination in Austria.

Education and school attendance cannot always be taken for granted. In Thailand, children of minorities and migrants from Myanmar, who left their homes years ago because they could barely survive, hardly ever go to school. But it is only with education that the next generation can escape a cycle of exploitation and exclusion. This is why CARE Thailand runs two schools, which take care of these children. CARE Austria supports one of these schools located in Samut Sakkhon, south of Bangkok, where children can take classes in their mother tongue, Burmese, but also learn Thai, English, mathematics and much more.

The Karen minority lives in the north of Thailand and is a predominantly farming community. As a result, it is severely affected by changing climatic conditions and is in urgent need of additional sources of income, such as the production and marketing of hand-woven textiles, which CARE has been supporting.

In order to adjust to changing rainfall patterns, CARE supports the construction of resilient dams to protect villages and fields. Water is collected and re-directed to the fields. The cultivation of tea, coffee and organic vegetables in kitchen gardens has been made possible, but is not yet widespread due to a lack of relevant knowledge and skills .

We invite you to come to the Weltmuseum Wien and gain some insights into CARE’s work in Thailand! The photo exhibition is accessible during museum opening hours and without an admission ticket.

Experience Thailand is located on the left through the hall of the museum and before you go up to the exhibition rooms of the museum.

If you are interested in supporting CARE projects in Thailand, and you are particularly drawn to one or more of the pictures on show, you are welcome to purchase an art print from the series EXPERIENCE THAILAND.