This is an update on the tsunami appeal for the Moken sea gypsies of Thailand. For more info on their Tsunami survival, please visit the links below.
170 Moken have now returned to Ko Surin and are busy building a new village. From the generous donations you have provived we have so far purchased one boat and engine (see picture), for the bargain price of 45.000 Baht (ca. 950 Euro). The normal price is 60.000, but the man who sold us the boat lost most of his family to the Tsunami and is moving inland. Boat prices are currently horrendous – a boat mafia has sprung up along the coast charging fortunes for the few remaining vessels on the market. It will take some time to find enough boats for the Moken (providing we continue to receive donations).
We have also bought basic tools – hammers and nails. The Moken have had clothes donations and the park has permitted them to take wood from the forest for their huts.
Dr Narumon of the Andaman Pilot Project has been visiting the Moken in the last days with Aroon. The Moken are staying in tents in front of the park headquarters. Every morning the adults use some park boat to get across to their new village to build more houses. Yesterday 18 houses were almost completed. In another couple of weeks the village will be up and running. The Moken seem to have survived the refugee camp OK, though since returning from the mainland one child got sick and died. Local authorities have advided the Moken to build their houses where beach and jungle meet. Traditionally the Moken build their homes right into the surf, but the local government is worried about another wave.
Just two days ago a group of Moken from Burma showed up on their kabang (housebats) to check up on their relatives. The Burmese Moken had hardly a problem from the wave but have recently been forced into slave labour by the Burmese Army (again). Anyway, the two kabang were very welcome on Surin.
The National Park will reopen for tourist business in a couple of weeks. The Moken will get their park jobs back (2 Euro a day plus food), which won’t bring them any closer to owning their own boats. We hope that they will build a few kabang eventually, but right now, for survival more Thai longtails are needed.
Many thanks,
Tom
Images by Aroon Thaewchatturat

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