Students flee coastal Thai school as rising sea slowly engulfs village

Introduction

In a coastal community in Thailand, the Ban Khun Samut School is facing a declining population as the sea slowly engulfs their village. This article explores the reasons behind this phenomenon and its implications for the future of the school.

The Current Situation

Currently, the Ban Khun Samut School has only four pupils left, while an estimated 200 people remain in the sinking village. The school still has a director, a regular teacher, a contract teacher, a government officer, an administrative staffer, and a janitor. Despite the low number of students, the school has been providing education to local residents since kindergarten.

Causes of Declining Population

The decline in school population can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, Thailand is experiencing declining birth rates, resulting in fewer children in the education system. Secondly, the rapid shoreline recession in the Chao Phraya Delta, where the village is located, has forced many families to relocate to escape the rising tides.

Environmental Factors

Researchers have found that the Chao Phraya Delta is suffering from the worst shoreline recession in the world, with approximately 1,100 meters of coast disappearing since the 1950s. This phenomenon has been exacerbated by poor local environment management, climate change, and the destruction of protective mangroves to make space for prawn farms.

Impact on the School

The constant relocation of the community due to environmental circumstances, erosion, and climate conditions has also affected the school. Initially situated in the outskirts of the village, the school has gradually moved further inland along with the residents’ houses. The future of the school depends on the community’s decision regarding its necessity and the guidelines from the executives of the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

Video Translation

1. 0:00 – 0:07: Hello, my name is Orawan Kaewnoom, and my nickname is Kru Kung, Teacher Kung. I’m a teacher at Ban Khun Samut School.
2. 0:07 – 0:10: The school provides education to students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6.
3. 0:10 – 0:18: The school has a director, one dedicated teacher (Kru Kung), one government officer, one contract teacher, one administrative staff member, and one janitor.
4. 0:18 – 0:28: It may seem like a lot for only four students, who are local residents and have been receiving education since their kindergarten years until now.
5. 0:28 – 0:36: Students have graduated gradually, but it appears that the number of newborns in the population might be declining.
6. 0:36 – 0:48: The decrease in the newborn population can be attributed to the environmental context, as well as the overall decline in the Thai population resulting from a lower birthrate and a growing number of elderly individuals.
7. 0:48 – 1:00: It leads to a decrease in the number of children in the education system, along with economic and other factors, resulting in a reduction in the student population at this school.
8. 1:00 – 1:12: Parents have the choice to voluntarily enroll their children in this school or other schools. However, studying at other schools can be more troublesome as their children are unable to travel during rainy weather. Thus, the final decision rests with the parents.
9. 1:13 – 1:21: Everything in this school, including documents and student activities such as scouting, is similar to that of other schools.
10. 1:21 – 1:32: When I first began working at this school, the communities were friendly, and my colleagues welcomed me greatly, treating me like family. Even the students showed friendliness towards their teachers.
11. 1:32 – 1:44: The communities used to reside in the outskirts and relocated accordingly, just as this school has undergone multiple moves due to environmental circumstances, climate conditions, and the inevitable effects of erosion.
12. 1:44 – 1:50: The school was initially situated in the outskirts but gradually relocated to the inner area, as well as the community.
13. 1:50 – 2:00: They relocated to escape from the climate conditions that could be attributed to global warming and the rising water levels, as these factors had a significant impact on the school.
14. 2:00 – 2:23: The future of this school depends on the community’s decision regarding its necessity, as they need to enroll their children at this school. It is also up to the guidelines from the executives of the Office of the Basic Education Commission.