24-6-2023 (BANGKOK) In the picturesque coastal village of Ban Khun Samut Chin, located just 10 kilometers from the edge of Bangkok, a dwindling school population reflects the impact of climate change. As sea levels rise due to melting glaciers and ice sheets caused by global warming, this village offers a glimpse into the future fate of countless coastal communities worldwide.
Four children, standing barefoot in a line, proudly sing the national anthem each morning as the Thai flag is raised outside their school. These children are the last remaining pupils in Ban Khun Samut Chin, which is slowly succumbing to the encroaching waves. A community of around 200 people clings to what little land remains, serving as a poignant reminder of the challenges coastal communities face.
Eleven-year-old Jiranan Chorsakul shares her feelings of loneliness, longing for new classmates to join her in school. She remembers when she had around 20 or 21 classmates when she first started kindergarten. But as the sea steadily engulfs their village, families have been forced to move further inland, leaving behind a once-thriving community and a mangrove forest. Now, all that remains are old power poles protruding from the water.
United Nations climate experts warn that sea levels have risen between 15 to 25 centimeters since 1900, and the rate of rise is accelerating, particularly in tropical regions. If current warming trends persist, it is projected that the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands could experience an additional one-meter rise in sea levels by the end of the century.
Thailand is particularly vulnerable to these effects, with approximately 17% of the population, around 11 million people, living along the coast and relying on fishing and tourism for their livelihoods. Ban Khun Samut Chin serves as a stark reminder of the potential devastation that awaits if urgent action is not taken.
Environmental politics assistant professor Danny Marks from Dublin City University explains that the village is a microcosm of what a climate-ravaged world could look like, especially in developing nations. The erosion in Ban Khun Samut Chin has been exacerbated by poor environmental management and storm surges amplified by climate change. Overexploitation of groundwater and the destruction of mangroves to make way for prawn farms have further weakened natural barriers against the waves. Dams upstream on the Chao Phraya River, which flows through Bangkok, have also disrupted sediment deposition in the bay.
Drone photos of Khun Samut Chin in Samut Prakan and the temple surrounded by the sea. You can join boat tours from Ban Sakhla #Thailand pic.twitter.com/w5Ez1SU0hB
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) May 21, 2017
Efforts have been made in collaboration with Chulalongkorn University to mitigate the effects of erosion through bamboo and concrete pillars and the restoration of mangroves. However, the long-term viability of these measures remains uncertain. Wisanu, the village head, expresses concern that the force of nature may ultimately overwhelm their efforts, potentially leading to the loss of their village. Appeals to the government for assistance have yielded no results, leaving the community to rely on their own resilience.
In an attempt to secure their future and raise awareness, the village has initiated a homestay program and hopes to generate income through eco-tourism tours that highlight their fight for survival. The children are actively engaged in learning about the local ecology, identifying plants and animals, and may one day become tour guides themselves, according to school principal Mayuree Khonjan.
As Jiranan concentrates on her studies, she dreams of becoming a teacher to pass on knowledge to future students, expressing her desire to teach at the same school if it still stands. However, next year, one boy will graduate to high school, leaving only three youngsters to continue the tradition of lining up and singing the anthem each morning.
Ban Khun Samut Chin paints a sobering picture of the challenges faced by coastal communities worldwide as they grapple with the consequences of climate change. The fate of this village serves as a reminder of the urgent need for global action to mitigate and adapt to the ever-rising seas.
