The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Digital Traveler ~ Asia Pacific eNewsletter, December 2005

www.ecotourism.org

"Share Life in our community after the Tsunami": A CBT pilot tour in 3 tsunami-affected
communities in Southern Thailand

By Potjana Suansri and Peter Richards, REST Project, Thailand

8 months of rain and then 4 months of sun. In southern Thailand, this pattern is woven into the
lives of each generation of local fishers. The sea sustains their families, communities, and way of
life. In December, the end of the rainy season is welcomed as it ushers in the end of storms and a
period of calm. On December 26, 2004, however, the sea rose up towards the clear sky and swept
violently up the coast, laying waste to entire villages. The tidal wave destroyed lives and
pulverized fishing equipment essential to local livelihoods.

Talay Nork Community, Ranong province, lost 42 hearts and 21 homes.

Pak Drium Community, Pang Nga province, lost 2 hearts and 27 homes.

Tung Nang Dum Community, Pang Nga province, fishing equipment that supported their lives,
their hopes and their children's education.

These three villages, despite the depression

following the tsunami, refused to give up. Assisted
by each other and by donations from around the
world, local people worked together to overcome
tragedy and rebuild their communities. They chose
to develop community-based tourism (CBT) in
order to communicate how their lives had changed
after the tsunami, and to share their inspiring
efforts to win over challenge and get back to life.

To help these communities use tourism as a bridge

to share their stories with the outside world, the
Responsible Ecological Social Tours Project (REST) introduced the concept of CBT through a
study tour, and worked with community members to develop activities and services for guests.

By the start of December 2005, it was once again

the end of the rainy season. The skies had cleared,
marking the transition of the seasons and the
coming anniversary of the tsunami. Working
together with local NGO's - including the North
Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR), the Wild
Animal Rescue and Education Center (WARED)
and the Rak Thai Foundation (RTF) - REST
organized a pilot CBT tour for 40 guests on
December 3-5.

Sponsored by the International Labor

Organization (ILO), this pilot tour allowed the community members to test their new skills, and
provided their guests with opportunities to experience local life, through participating in daily
activities with their homestay families, learning about the relationship between the small fishers

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 The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Digital Traveler ~ Asia Pacific eNewsletter, December 2005
www.ecotourism.org

and the sea, mangroves and coral reef, interacting with local guides, tasting delicious local food,
and enjoying fun activities like trekking, snorkeling, and relaxing on the beach.

The messages the guests heard from the local people rang with a common optimism:

"Without the Tsunami, we may never have

worked together to develop new groups, skills
and ideas."

The people of Ban Talay Nork tell guests that

they experienced 3 waves. The first came from
the Andaman Sea. The second was a wave of
compassion, as thousands rushed to send money
and life essentials to the south. The final wave
was the machinery of aid, as local and
international governments and NGOs made
gargantuan, disjointed and sometimes conflicting
efforts to provide relief. At the height of this final wave of aid, Ban Talay Nork, previously an
unknown community, became a Tsunami celebrity. The local people asserted themselves and
began to carefully select which projects to take part in. They are proud of many of the
achievements of their tsunami groups.

"Without the tsunami, we may never have known the power of our community."

Pak Drium community members show their guests a flooded wasteland where only a single house
now remains standing. For visitors, the contrast between 'old' and 'new' Pak Drium is astonishing.
The surviving families have worked together for months to design a completely new community
which is "harmonious with our lifestyle and values." Assisted by volunteers from Thailand and
overseas, Pak Drium families have fairly divided the new land granted by the government, and
built 23 new homes, a children's play area, and a mosque.

"Without the tsunami, we would never have been able to welcome guests to learn about our
way of life."

Ban Tung Nam Dum's local guides explain to their guests that the tsunami was a turning point in
their sense of community. The founding families of the village had migrated from many different
parts of Thailand. Neighbors had enjoyed cordial relationships, but working alone at sea, many
families had never been truly close. Due to the remote location of Tung Nang Dum, tsunami aid
arrived slowly. The once insular families got together to discuss their problems and decided to
work together to rebuild their community.

The pilot tour created pride among local people that they had turned crisis and sadness into
opportunity and hope. Guests understood that tourism can truly be a tool for cultural exchange
and supporting local identity. Above all, visitors left these communities with the message that
hope, unity and resilience are among the core ingredients of a happy life.

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 The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Digital Traveler ~ Asia Pacific eNewsletter, December 2005
www.ecotourism.org

The REST team has worked for over a decade to assist local Thai communities to develop their
own small-scale tourism projects which aim to develop the skills and confidence of local
community members, create an opportunity for host communities and their guests to share their
knowledge and experiences, and develop their commitment to protect the natural environment.
Among many other programs, REST provides a training program for local guides on Safety,
Meaning, Service (SMS). For more information on REST, please visit www.rest.or.th or contact:

Responsible Ecological Social Tours: REST

318/116 Building D, Phraya Pirom-Rachada 2, Soi Rachada 36,
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Email: rest@asiaaccess.net.th
Website: www.rest.or.th/