reader Posted September 26, 2020 Posted September 26, 2020 From Channel News Asia Bangkok's canal communities fear they are living on borrowed time BANGKOK: Bang Prathun is like a miniature water world. A spiderweb of canals splays out through a rare green landscape of coconut and fruit trees, alongside paths that connect an enduring community. This place dates back to the late Ayutthaya period, or more than 200 years. Its people have lived around the water for generations and their fortunes have ebbed on the tides of the meandering Chao Phraya. Wisdom has been inherited from the generations past; how water moves, how it drains and how it sustains. Now, as modernity creeps closer all around this patch of green, an outlier amid the grey of Bangkok’s sprawl, its residents wonder if their old knowledge can still keep them safe. It is a challenge being posed to many of the Thai capital’s poorest communities, those living on the fringes - and often, around water. They are the most vulnerable. Bangkok has long faced the threat of flooding, but climate change is threatening to amplify the risks. Nawin Meebunjong grew up here, exploring the intricate canals. “I’ve been here since I was little. I grew up with the water, swimming in the canal. I went to school by boat. I go to the market by boat. Everything involves water,” he said. “After that, I changed my thinking from being a city office man to a community-concerned person. Why did I never take care of the things I had? If these things were gone one day, what would I do? “Like my mother. I did not have time to take care of her. I only made money and worked. Finally, when she passed away, it was too late to look after her. Like the canal. This is why I became interested in the canal. It’s also a mother, the mother of the water. The mother that we should look after,” he said. Nawin became the founder of the Rak Bang Prathun group, which works within the community to educate local people and help preserve the environment. Residents have focused their efforts on maintaining traditional houses designed to withstand flooding, shaping drainage ditches to control the movement of water and retaining it through greenery and gardens. It was a moment of turmoil in his life that turned him from someone who took his home for granted, to one of its most passionate protectors. Continues with excellent video and photos https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/flood-bangkok-canal-communities-climate-change-13114672 vinapu, eurasian, BL8gPt and 1 other 2 1 1 Quote
