Fair Trade Culture

July 30th, 2007 by Amanda

Koh Yao Noi is a large island that lies in the Andaman Sea on the west side of Thailand. The Sea harbors beautiful limestone cliffs that seem to carry a spirit that climbs to the heavens. The views are truly breathtaking and travelers from around the world come to share the beauty of the surrounding islands and beaches. Thailand welcomes these tourists and travelers, for the income provides the country with opportunities to build, grow, and upgrade current systems. Although Koh Yao Noi lives between Phuket and Krabi, two major tourist hubs, it still remains relatively undeveloped and traditional.

On December 26, 2004, the tsunami that was responsible for devouring the land and lives of thousands of people came crashing into Koh Yao Noi, along with many other islands all along the Andaman coast. The effects were devastating to the communities, and a country that already had it’s financial challenges was faced with a surprising challenge they never had imagined. Countless lives were lost, the towns, bungalows, and resorts were washed away to the sea, and tourism came to a near halt.

King Bhumibol stepped in and provided places like Koh Yao Noi with money to rebuild their lives. At the start of his reign in 1946, King Bhumibol had promised to “reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people,” and he proved to do just that. The respect that the King receives from the Thai people is almost unimaginable unless you see and feel it for yourself. His dedication to his country and the wellbeing of his people is the reason Thai villagers lay down handkerchiefs for him to walk on, and then they keep the cloth with his footprint in shrines inside their homes; they decorate their car mirrors with flowers for him, they wear yellow to show their love for him, and they proudly stand to their national anthem played daily.

I met Dusit on my first trip to Koh Yao Noi in 2006. It was through him that learned of the Kings help to the people on Koh Yao Noi after the tsnumai hit on December 26, 2004. They were funded to build two â€œart studiosâ€ to provide the people with an outlet for their creativity and an income in exchange for their tradionally made art. It was then I was shown the coconut art and batik made by a cooperative of the villagers. I walked into the small coconut shop with the eyes of a child; I had never known coconuts could be made into such a beautiful art! Jewelry, dishes, lamps, housewares, mobiles, chimes, instruments, and many other creative pieces all sat before me, and I knew that I had found something special. I watched as they explained the steps of making the art. They showed me with pride how the coconut is opened, the husks removed, and the shell polished. From there they continue to carve and shape the shells, and strings or metal links are often added to hold together their creations.

The batik shop was just a short walk from the coconut shop. In the shop sat a group of women, along with a few young boys, all sitting with their tasks before them. One lady was putting together cloth around a frame to begin the batik paintings. A few other women and one of the boys participated in drawing designs on another stretched piece of fabric, another was laying the wax, and another painting and blending the colors. Creating batik is something that the people had done for generations, and they took pride in the skills they demonstrated for me. It was quite impressive!

My journey Koh Yao Noi proved to be extra special. The quiet and relaxed atmosphere provided a peace of mind hard to match elsewhere. The people live a moderately poor yet simplified life. They spend their days fishing, rubber tapping, and conversing with their neighbors. Families live together in small homes and small communities just as their ancestors had done for generations before them. During my first trip there, I promised to return again, and have already proved myself true on several occasions since then. The life and feeling on Koh Yao Noi is one that is hard to forget.

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