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My visit to the Moken Village on Koh Lao

The Moken, also known as Sea Gypsys, are a diverse ethnic group from Thailand and Myanmar and are considered a stateless people- not having citizenship within any country.

Taking a long boat from the pier took around 30 minutes to arrive at Koh Lao Island. Which is approximately 4 km's from the mainland and the township of Ranong in South Thailand. On arrival we were invited to have lunch with a local family. After a delicious meal which consisted mostly of different kinds of fish, the topic of conversation changed. It was translated to me by a member of 'The Mirror Foundation" that the Moken fishermen have to make dangerous journeys across the Andaman Ocean into Indian and Myanmar waters to earn a living and risking their lives by doing so. They are often fired upon by the Indian and Myanmar soldiers who also use explosives to destroy their boats (leaving people little option but to jump into the open ocean waters). The Moken fisherman told me of a time last year when 7 people survived 3 nights and 4 days at sea by clinging to petrol containers and some foam after their boat was destroyed by Myanmar soldiers. The men took turns using the containers and foam to float and rest upon after swimming in their attempt to make it back to land.

After lunch they showed me a photograph of a young boy who was killed by Indian soldiers near the Nicobar Islands just last year. If Moken fisherman are caught in Myanmar waters they are imprisoned for 7 to 10 years. Many are shot on the spot. Life is difficult and dangerous for the Moken fishermen to earn a living. Many boys accompanying them on their long trips at sea have been involved in explosion accidents. Explosives are used as a quick, but dangerous way in which to catch fish. As I was listening to his stories, I couldn't help to think how, perhaps for hundreds of years his ancestors had fished in these waters. Now generations later, fishermen must risk their lives to support their families. Our host showed me a 50 metre long rubber hose which he uses for diving and spear fishing. A pump is used on the boat to supply air while he dives down to 40 or 50 metres holding the hose in his mouth.

I am told how the Moken are excellent swimmers. Sometimes when the children of the village are refused permission to go by boat to visit Ranong, they sneak out at night and swim the 4 kilometres to the mainland, putting their clothes in a plastic bag keeping them dry. For generations the Moken have spent up to 80% of their lives living in their boats and on the ocean. So being able to swim well would be a prerequisite for survival. They also possess the secret of knowing exactly where the fish are without the use of electronic equipment or sonar.

After lunch I went for a walk around the peninsular where people are filling large containers with water from a natural spring which is only available during a certain period throughout the year. The women carry the containers weighing 10 to 15 kgs or more on their heads back to the village. There is rubbish littered everywhere along the beach and around the village. A lot of it comes from the Myanmar and Thailand port cities across from the island. Also some of it is thrown overboard from fishing boats. Though mostly there is no suitable waste removal or disposal system here. There is also a lot of broken glass creating a hazard for the children especially when most villagers don't wear shoes.

I walk past the 50 new houses that are currently in the process of being built. Construction began 3 months ago and was funded mostly by private donations. As funds are now depleted, to pay skilled labourers the men have been learning the necessary skills while working on the job. Not one family can move into a house until all the buildings are finished. There are about 300 people that are waiting desperately to move into their new homes. That is 50 to 70 families!

I am told of another village on the other side of the island which is predominately Thai and Muslim. It is more modern than the Moken village and this is where the children have been going to school. Although it is hard for the Moken children to attend regularly due to problems associated with the poverty they are submitted to. Most Moken families are quite large having 5 to 7 children each. Walking around the island the children smile at me curiously. They must be thinking "who is this strange looking man and why is he here?" Many of them have runny noses and colds. I see many mothers giving children cough syrup and treating the symptoms rather than the cause. Children need a proper nutritional diet and a healthy environment to live in. Boosting the immune system with more green vegetables and vitamins would seem more beneficial. I stop to watch 2 boys flying their home made kite.

There is also a Thai man living in the Moken community originally from Bangkok named Vichai. He has been residing here since the tsunami, distributing basic medicines. Even though Vichai is just one man he seems sincere and dedicated enough to stay on the island full time. In the past many NGO's have come and gone from here leaving people feeling disheartened. There are currently three NGO's helping here if you include Vichai. I was invited to visit by 'The Mirror Foundation' who seem to be doing much of the work here. They are also involved with larger projects on the nearby Islands of Koh Chang and Koh Payam.

Chickens, geese and dogs run freely around the village. There is a peaceful feeling here, even though the conditions are bad. People are friendly and accommodating. The old ramshackle huts balance precariously on stilts along the shore line. Built about 30 years ago, they now seem like they are about to fall into the ocean at any given moment. It is imperative that the new houses are built as soon as possible and things improve here for the health and benefit of the community. At night I hear the sounds of village life. I can also hear the waves crashing against the shoreline underneath me, the wind slapping the loosened iron sheet roofing against the walls, babies crying, dogs barking in the distance and right next to my ear a rooster is crowing! I awake in the morning with a new found appreciation for mattresses.

After consuming my breakfast, which consisted of a coffee and some fried bananas, I walk to a well situated about 800 metres behind the village. Here the women spend the mornings collecting water and washing clothes on the concrete slab surrounding the well in the jungle. Later in the day, I recognise many of the women sitting around relaxing and playing cards. I also notice that there is money being exchanged. Perhaps this is not just a friendly game of cards? Meanwhile, I sit and take some photos of the children playing. One of the babies is crawling through the rubbish naked. My initial worry is subdued when he is finally noticed by his mother and promptly retrieved.

The staff from 'The Mirror Foundation' are working on one of the houses so I spend a few hours helping as much as I can, which isn't that much at all! The day goes quickly attaching the timber framework to the concrete support blocks. It seems like such a haphazard process as everyone is learning along the way. It would be finished in a matter of weeks by qualified tradesmen but waiting for this to happen though would only delay construction even further. The few hours of work spent on the house seemed like a lot at the time but in reality it only made a dent in the workload. I heard that in two weeks from now a team of 10 people will be coming to help complete the project. For the sake of the families, I hope this is true. Looking out to the ocean from on top of the structure, I see both Myanmar to the left and Thailand on the right. As the Moken people have no citizenship for either country this seems a symbolic place to be, stuck in the middle!

In the evening, wandering around the village, I am struck again by the excessive amount of rubbish accumulating and can't help but wonder, that with the many animals that defecate around the village, there is bound to be problems with health and disease. The day was hot and overcast. Now, it is cooler and we play hackie sack, with a soccer ball. The social area where everyone is now gathered is at the back of the village and resembles a giant sandpit. There are many children playing games and there is much laughter as the sun slowly begins to set. I feel there is a strong sense of community amongst the villagers.

Afterwards I take a 'bath' from a drum of water and return to the hut for dinner. There is not much conversation due to the obvious language barrier but there are smiles and laughing and I am made to feel welcome along with my friend who is working with 'Mirror'. The fish curry is tasty as usually but I add a little too much chili and I launch into a barrage of hiccups, which everyone finds very amusing. There are nine family members living in this small two room hut, six children, the parents and the grandparents and not one mattress in sight!

After dinner there is a meeting in the village discussing the current financial situation. The funds are depleted, the houses remain unfinished and there are debts to be repaid. A man from the other NGO is suggesting they cut down the Mangrove trees on the island instead of buying new and expensive timber form Ranong. It seems people are desperate for solutions. So much could be done to improve the infrastructure here with just a few thousand dollars.

During the meeting the two new staff from 'Mirror' and myself are introduced to the bemused crowd. As I hesitantly take the microphone, I look down and see a tiny figure staring up at me with wide eyes. The little girl is still wondering "who is this strange looking man and why is he here?" I am introduced as the man from Australia, which is near Timor, and this seemed to bring a big laugh. I explain, in English, that I am happy to be here and to be welcomed by such friendly faces into their community and thank them very much. Everyone claps and laughs, of course, not understanding one word I had said! Luckily my friend translated what was said and people begin nodding their heads and laughing. I take this as a good sign. Perhaps they are just laughing at me, at this strange looking person that stands before them uttering incomprehensible words in an odd language! The meeting lasted for about two hours and I am not sure of the outcome but people seemed tired. I retire to the hut to sleep. During the night I have strange dreams interjected every hour or so with the startling loud announcements of my unwanted friend the rooster!

The night brought many sounds as did the previous night. Waking in the morning, I take a few moments to appreciate my surroundings. I cannot see how anyone can get a good night’s sleep on a mat covered hard wooden floor! But spending the past two nights here quickly made me realise just how hard life is for many people. Sharing time, meals and the floor with the family that were kind enough to let me stay here, has made me realise just how lucky most people in my country are to have such high standards of living.

It was raining the morning we left the island and I felt helpless. I have seen only a small aspect of Moken life here on Koh Lao but I felt that they deserve so much more. In the midst of cold hardship they expressed only warmth. I guess they are at the mercy of others. I will never forget the smiling faces of the children that perhaps aren't so aware of the social or political problems that their parents face. I wonder how long these smiles will last? We arrive back at Ranong thirty minutes later and we are soaking wet from the rain. Geographically, Koh Lao is not really that far from Ranong but in a way, it is a world apart. After saying good-bye to the staff from the Mirror Foundation, I walk along the streets in the rain back to my hotel. As I look back over the past few days, I try to come up with solutions to the Moken people’s predicament. Sadly, it seems I don't have any. Remembering the little girls look that seemed to question "who is this strange looking man and why is he here?" I answer to myself quietly ..."I honestly don't know". This must be how many people feel in response to seeing poverty and social conditions outside one’s own understanding. Feeling seemingly powerless and unable to change or contribute to the situation.

The Thailand government has apparently approved Koh Lao to be a permanent settlement for the Moken people but have issued only temporary five year visas. Without citizenship status though, the Moken still don't have many rights or hospital benefits making it difficult to afford much needed medicines. Before I went to Koh Lao, I knew absolutely nothing about the Mokens plight or culture. Everyone deserves the basic human rights that in some countries we take for granted, health care, clean drinking water, basic housing, electricity and the freedom to make a living to support a family. There are allegedly only 3,000 Moken inhabiting both Myanmar and Thailand. In Thailand there are only 700 living along the coastal islands from Ranong to Phuket. To date, only 70 people from the 700 have been granted citizenship.

"We must re-evaluate the relevance of indigenous knowledge to our spiritually and environmentally turbulent modern lives, and, in recognising its intrinsic value, take immediate actions to honour and protect Native cultures around the world."

Peter Knudtson & David Suzuki (Wisdom of the Elders)


For more information:
ActionAid Thailand: www.actionaid.org/thailand
Sustainable Developement Foundation: www.sdfthai.org
The Mirror Foundation: www.moken.org
Save Andaman Network: www.saape.org.np

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