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Case Study: Sakchai Makao

Sakchai Makao came to live in Shetland in 1994. He is a lifeguard at the islands’ largest swimming pool and a noted local athlete. Had the intentions of the British Home Office been fulfilled, he would have been deported to Thailand in 2006 – a country with which he no longer had any real connection. However, the people of Shetland rose en masse to prevent his deportation and the campaign won an award. You can read more about the case on the BBC News website.

Sakchai Makao Enlarge photo

My family had lots of friends who had lived in Shetland for quite some time, so they knew what it was like. They told us that it was a nice, easy-going place where people knew each other very well and were kind to everybody.

When I arrived in Shetland for the first time, it was at Christmas. The islands seemed small and the countryside was a nice contrast to Drumchapel in Glasgow, where we had lived for the previous 8 months.

I feel that the local Shetland community has accepted me as one of their own. They came together in the Shetland for Sakchai campaign to save me from being sent back to Thailand and we won because of them. No one is an outcast in Shetland.

There are many positive aspects to living in Shetland. You’re always welcome and people are kind. Because it’s compact, you always know what’s going on. The fact that people know each other makes work very pleasant and great fun; people know me well and trust me with their children when I’m teaching them to swim. Shetland also has lots of nice places that you can visit; I know, because I’ve been to most of them. The only negative thing about the islands is the cost of living. I love buying clothes and they’re expensive here.

I would recommend Shetland as a place to live. It’s stress free, there’s no traffic and people are friendly. It’s a good place to bring up a family because Shetland is a safer environment than many places. With such a tightly-knit community, it’s like one big family in which everyone looks out for each other.

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