The Andaman Discoveries Blog Archive

In cooperation with Planeterra, Mangrove Action Project, and Naucrates, we are creating a comprehensive facility that conveys the meaning of life in Ban Lion, and is uniting the community through a common purpose. Outcomes: · Renovation and restoration · Termite control · Foundation reinforcement and septic tank installation · Painting · Furniture and equipment for meeting area and museums · Architectural design assessment and consulting Renovation and restoration Major renovations were undertaken to create a new Center from previously dilapidated structures. An aerial walkway was built to connect the upper level of Center, creating an integrated museum area on the [...]

Southern Thai Cooking In the past two months we've started a new fun event here in Kuraburi: a cooking class for willing volunteers to learn how to cook and present local Thai dishes! In this class volunteers learn how to make dishes such as Lab Tohu, Yam Kai Dao, Tom Yum goon and more. This class is set up to learn more about the Thai culture and the local people and gives volunteers the opportunity to cook Thai dishes back home. After eating delicious food at one of our classes recently, the volunteers had the option to visit the nearby [...]

New Garden at Southern Thailand OrphanageOne of our Southern Thailand orphanages has just sent us word about their great new garden. They plan to grow mushrooms of their own to eat and sell in the local market! The children helped build a small hut to provide shelter and humid conditions for the fungi to grow.Nipa palm leaves, a traditional Thai building material, were used to build the roof and walls of the hut. Nipa palm roofing is sustainable, cheap, durable, waterproof, and can last from three to five years. The children will be helping take care of the mushrooms, making [...]

Homegrown is betterVegetables and herbs are expensive in Ban Lions, as they are typically brought over from the mainland at high markup and transport cost. To demonstrate that locally grown gardens are feasible, over 20 villagers gathered together to clear and till the land for a community garden. Several bags of high-quality soil were brought in from the mainland and mixed in with the sandy local soil. A shade cover was erected to protect the plants from the harsh conditions of the dry season.The garden will provide herbs for the villagers and color sources for such as turmeric for the [...]

Volunteer activity developmentCommunity members have expressed a desire to host volunteers year-round, and requested help developing activities. At the mangrove study site, we set up a number of plots and transects and developed a detailed monitoring sheet for volunteers. These can be used by short-term visitors in cooperation with village guides. To ensure local understanding and participation, the forms include Thai and English. Thanks to Naucrates, Planeterra, and Mangrove Action Project for their partnership on this project.

Helping Students Stay in School At the end of April, our office was filled with families from nearby villages – parents bringing their children in for our yearly scholarship interviews. This year 14 students graduated high school and are now proceeding to study further for their future! Andaman Discoveries scholarships provide vital financial support for underprivileged children in the region, allowing them to stay in school. The scholarship helps offset expenses like school uniforms, transportation to school, extra books, and extra tuition for classes like computer studies. Below is a video from Wilarsinee Klatalay, who has been receiving a scholarship [...]

Action conservation with local youth groups Youth Network Meeting and Conservation Seminar, 10-11 OctoberSponsored by the Planeterra Foundation. To mark international environmental day on 10-10-2010, we convened 2-day seminar for 15 conservation groups including 66 youth, and another 24 community organizers. Participating youth groups came from Buddist, Muslim, Moken, and Burmese backgrounds, and the resulting intercultural exchange was richly rewarding for all. The seminar built pride and skills in the next generation of environmental champions.Local exchange visits and skills workshops Community Network Meeting and Conservation Tour, 4 October Sponsored by the Planeterra Foundation. 35 people from 9 community-based tourism groups [...]

In July, Andrew and Janice joined our summer study program ,for a month of experiential education and hands-on volunteering. The conservation-themed program included organic gardening in Ban Talae Nok, planting mangrove trees, helping control riverbank erosion, and helping with seagrass and turtle conservation at Ban Lion. Andrew and Janice have now returned to the University of California at Los Angeles, where they are sharing the knowledge and experience gained during their time with Andaman Discoveries. Thanks to them both for their enthusiasm and excellent community service.Janice's blog: " ... We had dinner inside. Then I “showered” by scooping water over [...]

by Judith SchneiderA few weeks ago, I had the chance to go to Ban Talae Nok, a close by village with who Andaman Discoveries does Homestays. I was staying over night with a very friendly family and again felt sorry that my Thai is not yet good enough for any type of proper conversation.. But we still were able to communicate - no language was needed to see how much I enjoyed the food and their hospitality. Also, P'Tui, AD's director was never far away to translate, staying with Janice and Andrew, the volunteers who spent the whole week there.We [...]

By Claudine Nagiah Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries. Tourist spending in developing countries is almost three times greater than the amount of international development assistance. The potential of tourism industry to contribute towards poverty reduction is enormous. Andaman Discoveries recently attended the launch of a new book on tourism and poverty reduction, written by Jonathon Mitchell and Caroline Ashley from the Overseas Development Institute in London. The book looks at the different ways that money from tourism impacts the local economy and local people in developing countries, and identifies three main pathways that tourism [...]

The Moken are an ancient sea people who have travelled among the islands of Thailand’s North Andaman coast for thousands of years. Traditionally nomadic, they would spend most of their time out at sea in their boat houses and moored in sheltered locations during the monsoon season. In recent years, the Moken have responded to growing socio-economic pressures by settling permanently in Ao Bon Bay.They have come to rely on selling handicrafts as an important source of income, but often have trouble communicating with visitors who wish to buy their woven baskets and hand-carved model boats. To help with this, [...]

Roliyah Chanchu, Muang Kluang Muslim HomestayRoliyah Chanchu, or Ja Ya as her friends call her, is a member of the Muslim Homestay group in Muang Kluang village. In the past, visitors to nearby Laem Son National Park would drive through Muang Kluang but did not have an opportunity to learn about the local communities or interact with them in any way. Concerned that an influx of park visitors may threaten or affect their local way of life, locals decided to offer homestay accommodation as a way to reach out to park visitors and generate mutual understanding. Members of the Homestay [...]