PHUKET: Sea gypsies in southern Phuket pleaded with Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusud yesterday to preserve their centuries-old way of life.
The sea gypsies are battling with Bangkok individuals who now claim they own the land on which the traditional fisherfolk claim to have lived for 300 years.
The gypsies also say that marine park regulations are driving them further out to fish in more dangerous seas.
While tourism authorities have recognised the value of the unique culture of Phuket's sea gypsies, their survival is becoming increasingly perilous.
Traditional performers played, danced and sang and the governor looked on yesterday as sea gypsy Niran Thangpan explained that many fisherfolk were too poor to afford to pay fines or meet bail when they were arrested.
Although the sea gypsies continued to fish in their traditional places, the declaration of new marine parks had made their activities unlawful.
Khun Niran said that about 800 people lived in the sea gypsy village at Rawai and as many as 12,000 made their homes along the Andaman Sea coast of Phuket, Phang Nga, Satun, Trang and Krabi.
The sea gypsies are battling with Bangkok individuals who now claim they own the land on which the traditional fisherfolk claim to have lived for 300 years.
The gypsies also say that marine park regulations are driving them further out to fish in more dangerous seas.
While tourism authorities have recognised the value of the unique culture of Phuket's sea gypsies, their survival is becoming increasingly perilous.
Traditional performers played, danced and sang and the governor looked on yesterday as sea gypsy Niran Thangpan explained that many fisherfolk were too poor to afford to pay fines or meet bail when they were arrested.
Although the sea gypsies continued to fish in their traditional places, the declaration of new marine parks had made their activities unlawful.
Khun Niran said that about 800 people lived in the sea gypsy village at Rawai and as many as 12,000 made their homes along the Andaman Sea coast of Phuket, Phang Nga, Satun, Trang and Krabi.
Many times I hear the plea to preserve the traditional way of life from different groups of people, defended by the fact that it's they way they've been living for centuries.
I appreciate the value of cultural diversity and ethnic traditions but at the same everyone living on this planet needs to recognize the fact that it's very different from what it was centuries ago.
Above all the number of people is now near 7 billion, 7 times that of what it was just 200 years ago.
Many of the traditional ways simply are no longer enviromentally sustainable.
The centuries old slash and burn methods up in Chiang Mai are a good example of this.
This has of course nothing to do with their land title dispute but it would be difficult to deny the need for enviromental protection, including coral reefs, mangroves and yes, even traditional fishing grounds.
Posted by Andrew on November 23, 2012 18:05