Tit - This Is Thailand

[Mobi]

When I use the expression TIT in this forum, I am often flamed and insulted for offering such a flippant explanation to the farang wingers and complainers who abound in LOS.

Well it would seem that farangs are not the only ones who use this expression to express despair and despondency about the state of the Nation.

The following Commentary by the excellent Sanitsuda Ekachai of the Bangkok Post, is so sad, yet so illustrative of the current state of affairs. TIT indeed.

Fisherfolk losing out to new resorts

Sanitsuda Ekachai

When a group of ethnic Muslim fishermen were counting their catch on the beach with their wives sitting nearby in the gentle sunlight of early morning to give a helping hand, time seemed at a standstill at Koh Lanta, a new paradise island in Krabi. Ask the fishermen, however, and they'll say that times are changing fast in their island home. Much too fast, probably.

''This beach used to be full of fishing boats. Now you can see there are not many of us left,'' said one fisherman.

Not only could you count the boats on your fingers, some of them were just skeletons of what they once were, now left on the shore unattended.

Ask why, and the fishermen have more stories to tell.

Commercial trawlers have been invading their coastal seas for decades and their outcries against the illegal activity have been only meaningless noise to the authorities' ears.

It is the same story in every fishing village in the country.

As their catches become more scarce and their children no longer want to pursue their forefathers' ways because it no longer pays, many Lanta fishermen bitterly find they have become strangers in their own homeland.

Imagine their resentment when they were told one fine day by resort developers to move their fishing boats from the beach, or face dire consequences.

Then the whole stretch of their beach was bought up by resort developers. After a long fight, the fishermen were allowed to use a very narrow strip to transport their boats and catch to their village.

Of the two beach resorts there, one allows the fishermen to use a small area on the beach.

The other, bigger resort, meanwhile, has angered the locals further by bulldozing the underwater rocks in front of the estate to build a bridge, wherefrom their clients can embark on speed boats to go diving or snorkelling around the islands nearby.

''In the old days, we didn't have to go very far into the sea to fish because these rocks were home to many fishes,'' one fisherman recalled.

''Now the rocks are gone and so are the fish.''

Again, their outcry against the illegal bulldozing of undersea rocks was dismissed by the local authorities.

What is happening at Koh Lanta has happened before in Phuket and other coastal communities, where the locals are helplessly edged to the fringes as big-time investors move in to take control of their seas and their lands.

Why can't we stop this destructive wheel from ravaging communities along the way?

''Because the law doesn't work. Only money and dark powers do,'' the same fisherman said bitterly. ''Because this is Thailand.''

His sarcasm stirred in me many questions. What is it that keeps this corrupt system intact when we already have many good laws? What should we do to change the power equation so that small people count? Can the new charter bring anything significant to make justice work? If not, what is the use of the post-coup charter-drafting ritual, except to create the guise of democracy?

His sarcasm also made me question my career in journalism. What is its use to larger society, when the problems I saw in my rookie years have all turned disastrous as my hair turned grey and my spirit became dampened by the country's gloomy future?

What is the use of calling for the rule of law when the necessary mechanisms to create equity _ be they land reform, community rights to take control of local governance and natural resources and the undoing of ethno-centric nationalism remain denied by the powers-that-be?

I first visited Phuket when I was about the same age as my little girl. Then it was as pristine as Koh Lanta is now.

With our unequal and corrupt system intact, it is obvious where Koh Lanta and the whole of our country is heading.

We should all fear for our children's future.

[PhilHarries]

That is sad beyond the scope of words to describe.

[Jet Gorgon]

Thanks for the update, Mob. I've seen it happen on Samui, too. Fishermen and their shacks pushed further along the beach until there is no beach left and nowhere to pull their boats ashore. Thought the beaches belong to HM the King...

I remember the fisherfolk waving hello when I walked my dogs and inviting me to stop for a bite of beach bbq. I shared my smokes, they shared the grill. Lovely people. Guess if all us farang didn't want beachfront, they would be OK.

Forgot, did you ever see them cast their nets near shore and then go out in the boat and beat the water with their paddles to attact the fish? They USED to catch alot that way.

Edited April 13, 2007 by Jet Gorgon

[ourmanflint]

Very, very sad and spot on report. I wonder how many Thais feel that impotent when it comes to changing things for ordinary people?

I don't think the problem is tourism per se. If the will was there it would be asy enough to restrict any developments to be empathetic to the locals and surroundings. Something tourists actually respond to and actively look for.

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

What happened to the 'War on dark influences'

Anyone else recall that brief interlude.

With this case though, if you buy a piece of land, then of course you want to evict those without legal title. If there was a topic about how one of us whities bought some seafront land and couldn't secure the perimeter, we'd feel sympathy. I'm mindful that land rights issues have been a catalyst in the 3 southern provinces too.

Edited April 13, 2007 by Barney_the_Dinosaur

[sukanyacondo]

My Wife (Thai) often talks to me about "why they do this" she is very angry that Thai people are not good now.

We have a problem with renting out car park spaces at our condo because of these "dark forces" seems they want to control it all.

Ok its not our country but I hope in my lifetime the masses rise up and stop the all peowerful people with money from doing what they want when they want to whoever they want.

Buddhism here for many seems a joke, and when I see those gleaming temples full of people giving money so they can have a better temple instead of taking care of the poor and sick people it amazes me???

Edited April 13, 2007 by sbk
references to HM not allowed