Scouting for a party!

Lying beneath the stars on a golden sandy beach is not the traditional start to Christmas for many of us in this country.

But it is the Yuletide that more than 100 Hampshire youngsters will be sampling as they prepare for a Scouting feast.

They are among the 3,500-strong British contingent taking part in the 20th World Scout Jamboree in Thailand from December 28 to January 7.

The jamboree takes place every four years and, for ten days, about 30,000 Scouts from more than 100 countries will join together for what is the greatest Scouting show on earth.

Russell Parke, Hampshire' assistant county commissioner for expeditions and events, says: "If they grab the opportunity with both hands it will be an experience of a lifetime."

With an 105-strong group of Explorer Scouts, aged 14 to 18, and leaders, Hampshire is taking its biggest-ever jamboree contingent.

They will not have much time to get over their jet lag as they throw themselves into the Christmas celebrations Thai-style.

The British Scouts, along with their American counterparts, will be staying for three days in a Bangkok hotel before moving onto the jamboree site.

While we are shivering at home, waiting to tuck into the Christmas turkey and pud, Hampshire's Scouts will be slipping into something cool and taking to the beach to see in the festive season.

On Christmas Eve they will be taking part in a multinational service under the starry sky of a balmy night.

The jamboree will be held on a specially-constructed site on the beach in Sattahip, about 120 miles south of Bangkok.

Originally a naval base, the site has been used recently for a smaller local jamboree for only 6,000 Scouts.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Bali and incidents in the Philippines, security measures are being stepped up to protect the

jamboree site.

Leader for the British Scouts David Bull says: "The advice from the World Scout Bureau and the National Scout Organisation of Thailand is that no specific threat to the jamboree has been detected."

However, the Thai government has drafted an extra 1,000 military personnel into the security team during the global gathering of the world's Scouting community.

Mr Bull said they had taken advice from an international consultancy company, which specialises in political security risks, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

But he said: "We shall be continuing to review our security measures with independent advice and stay in contact with the host Scout associations for home hospitality countries."

Mr Bull said they would publishing strict guidance for all the British Scouts taking part.

But it is hoped that peace will reign over the 20th World Scout Jamboree, which has the theme 'Share our world, share our cultures'.

A Scout Association spokesman said: "This is a unique opportunity for young people from all around the world to take part in this world event in the Scouting spirit of sharing, living and learning about our cultural diversity."

One of the main focus points of the

massive jamboree complex will be the Crossroads of Culture, where Scouts will gather to share worldwide cultures in the form of handicrafts, performing arts, visual arts, literature, culinary art and costumes.

The Global Development Village will be a major activity centre with the emphasis on health, the environment, human rights, peace and inter-cultural understanding.

Hampshire's preparations for the World Jamboree started back in July 2001 and there have been ten rigorous training sessions covering team-work, cooking, first aid, health and hygiene and campcraft.

They have been taught survival skills and make everyday objects out of rope and bamboo.

And the jamboree-bound Scouts have also been doing their homework and gathering information about Thailand.

On top of all the training, the Scouts have also had to do their own fundraising to get them on the plane to Thailand.

Each Scout has had to raise £2,500 from a variety of sources, ranging from from paper rounds to running raffles.

Marwell Zoological Park was also involved in the fundraising. In a 24-hour sponsored event, a camp was built in the trees opposite the giraffe house.

Still, it will be all have been worth it for those Hampshire Scouts as they stand on the moonlit Thai beach singing Christmas carols.

And even then, the razzmatazz of the closing ceremony will spell the end of the jamboree story for the Hampshire Scouts.

Before returning home, the Scouts will be experiencing the 'Share our culture' theme first hand when they stay for a week in homes of other Scouts from Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines.

FACTFILE:

THE FIRST World Scout Jamboree was held in Olympia, London in 1920.

Since then World Scout Jamborees have been held about every four years, except during the Second World War and immediately following the revolution in Iran.

Today's jamboree attracts some 30,000 and include representatives from as many countries and territories with Scouting as possible.

That means the jamboree outstrips even the Olympic Games, having 17 more countries represented and nearly three times as many participants.

Only about one Scout in 1,000 is likely to have a chance to go to a jamboree.

In Thailand there will be contingents from more than 100 countries, ranging from Brazil to Poland and from The Gambia to Japan.

The United Kingdom party of 3,000 Scouts is one of the largest.

Scouting is the world's largest mixed youth organisation and nearly every country in the world is active in Scouting.

The world jamboree is the biggest regular international gathering of youth.

The last jamboree was in Chile and the next one will in the United Kingdom in 2007 to celebrate 100 years of Scouting.