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You'd think turtles get all the protection they need from those tough shells, but teenage brother and sister Schwin and Paviya Chiara-vanont know better.

They were appalled when they saw temple visitors buying captive turtles to release into a putrid pond. The water teemed with turtles, many of which were obviously in bad health.

Turtles can live as long as 100 years, they knew, so these creatures were destined to suffer a very long time.

"Most people want to live as long as possible," Schwin says, "but if life is full of pain and misery, longevity is probably not worth wishing for."

So the youngsters prodded their parents - who own the CP Group - to help them help the turtles. The Love Turtle Club cleans ponds and nurses sick turtles back to health and meets to hear experts' advice.

The activities are funded by donations - people who release turtles at temples "for good luck" regularly chip in for the club as well - and the sale of mugs and T-shirts that Paviya designs.

Schwin, 17, and Paviya, 15, learned a great deal from their conservation-minded parents, and one of the club members is a veterinarian and turtle specialist.

Meanwhile the Love Turtle Club holds outdoor activities that bring families together and help people realise that they can affect the environment both positively and negatively.

Schwin notes that even well-meaning people can harm the environment when they ignore the consequences of their actions.

Rescuing turtles and cleaning the trash from the ponds gives people a greater appreciation for other living creatures, he says. They come to realise how all species contribute to nature's delicate balance.