Data collection for the development of cultural protected area and for solving Moken statelessness, Surin Islands, Phang-nga Province

Details

In the past, the Moken people, an ethnic group, lived on islands and along the Andaman Sea coast. During the dry season, they lived on boats, gathering sea creatures and shells to trade for essential goods.

When the rainy season arrived, the Moken would stop traveling and build shelters in wind-protected bays, foraging along the coast and going into the forest to cut wood for building homes, making boats, and gathering food.

Due to frequent relocations in the past and their remote island locations, the Moken were often far from government services. Most Moken lacked citizenship, which meant they did not receive basic rights.

After the 2004 tsunami, the Moken became more widely known, and various government and private organizations provided assistance, particularly in terms of legal status. However, some Moken still do not have Thai citizenship.

Challenges to obtaining citizenship include language barriers, the remote island locations, difficult travel conditions during the monsoon season, and high travel costs for both officials and the Moken. Additionally, there are few or no witnesses to verify births, cultural differences in kinship recognition, and a shortage of officials to carry out this work continuously.

This project was developed to assist the Moken people on the Surin Islands in Phang Nga Province with legal status issues.

The project required collaboration among various partners, including government agencies, NGOs, educational institutions, and the community. The initial phase of the project ran for 5 months, from April 1 to August 31, 2022, during which a special task force processed 89 applications from the Moken. The second phase of the project ran for 4 months, from March 1 to June 30, 2023, continuing the work from the first phase.