Dateline ACT

South & south east Asia/Thailand - 04/05

By Eva Berglund, Church of Sweden/ACT International

Southern Thailand, April 14, 2005--Like the physical aspects of the December 26 tsunami, which caused damage not only to coastal areas, but inland areas as well as it moved in from the ocean, the economic consequences from the tsunami are now being felt in a second wave beyond those whose livelihoods were directly affected, such as fishermen.

Bootnoi Hantale runs an eating house in the small island village of Lam-Sai, 75 kilometers north of a town called Trang. The village, with its 300 Muslim families, is dependent on fishing.

“I don’t have so many customers after the tsunami,” she explains. “People don’t have money since they can’t go fishing now. I need to find something else to do to get an income. Maybe I can make products from fish or shrimp if someone can teach me how.”

Aphisit Hompetch, a team leader for the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT), which is implementing the tsunami response for the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, says there is a need to help many types of workers get back to work following the tsunami - not only women like Hantale, but others who live on the island as well. Even after fishermen repair their boats and equipment, some will still need other ways of making a living, he says. In its response, CCT is planning to provide vocational training and assistance to small businesses.

Residents on this island were more fortunate than in Phang-Nga, the worst hit province in Thailand. The tsunami knocked out only some of its electricity supply, and a wall on the shore protected houses on the other side. No one from Lam-Sai is missing, no houses were destroyed, but a third of the island’s fishing boats need to be repaired or replaced. This means fishermen and their families need to depend on relief and the generosity of their neighbors for the time being.

“We heard from some friends that CCT assisted people in Koh Lanta Island. We decided to go to them and ask for assistance also,” explains Wichan Warat, the leader of the other village on the island. “We have received rice and vegetables, and they will help us to repair our boats and fishing equipment. They are people with a good heart.”

On its visits to the village, the CCT team, with the assistance of the village leaders, has identifying the families with the most need. Here, as in most places in Thailand affected by the tsunami, people have received some financial assistance from the government, but not enough to cover their losses completely. The assistance from CCT will make a difference as people work to get back on their feet again.

Already, groups of men are busy working on their boats. They long to go back to fishing and to be able to support themselves again.