Visitors from Japan

The beginning of September saw some pretty terrible weather in Krabi, lightened by visitors from Japan. This time the group was under the auspices of the Reiko and Musha (below)from Ramsar Centre of Japan, and supported by Emiko and Tomoko from the Environment Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan and Dr Sansanee from Mahidol University. Their student group of undergrads and postgrads included an interesting mix of subjects including law, architecture, agriculture and fresh water lake systems. The Krabi visit was only one small part of a gruelling three week tour covering selected parts of southern Thailand, followed by a similar tour around Bangladesh.

In three days they managed to squeeze a lot into their visit. First was a walk around the ‘Two Waters’ Ecotone, where a freshwater forest gives way to a brackish water system. Then a visit to The Ammartpanichnukul School in Krabi to hear from the students about their mangrove work, and for the Japanese guests to present some aspects of Japanese life. The school then treated us to a great lunch in a nearby restaurant. Krabi Provincial Office played host that afternoon, and the group met the leaders of the KPO and K’ Asae, Director of Wetlands International – Thailand Office. In the evening we were all treated to a delightful dinner by K’ Sajjaporn from KPO.

The next day the group took a boat trip around the Krabi mangroves and out as far as the bird watching towers. Sadly the weather was not kind, but the visitors were well kitted out with wet weather gear. Bang Non, our boatman and a conservation worker within his own community, presented what he had done to collect and recycle waste from his village in Klong Prasong, helped by Dr Sansanee, and also put on a fabulous lunch, despite it being Ramadan.In the afternoon the Wetlands team presented the work done at Bang Lang Da, before travelling to the village. Bang Don explained to the group the crab rearing and fattening process before looking at the rehabilitation pond. Sadly the rains returned so we beetled back to the vans and had banquet with the great and the good of Krabi, hosted by the RCJ.

On their last day we excellent dimsum, again with K Sajjaporn, before an informal trip to the morning market and an OTOP batik shop. Thus, sadly, our new Japanese friends left for Bangkok, and the next day Bangladesh. Come back soon.