A history of change: An exploration of environmental and social change in Ban Tha Khao through the photographs of locals

Abstract

Ban Tha Khao is a small village of approximately 1500 people located on Ko Yao Noi island in the middle of Ao Phang Nga bay in Thailand. People began to settle on Ko Yao Noi in 1780 but it was not named as a sub-district until 1903. Originally, inhabitants of Ban Tha Khao made a living from subsistence fishing, farming rice, and growing other food crops. People travelled in self propelled row boats or sail boats and it took a day to travel to the mainland. In more recent years, community livelihoods have shifted away from fisheries and towards rubber plantations and tourism development. More people have moved to the island and infrastructure and transportation have improved. Longtail boats and speedboats have replaced earlier models. The population of other areas in Ao Phang Nga, Krabi, and Phuket have also increased significantly and so has the number of fishers. As a result of these population pressures and a number of factors, both marine and terrestrial resources have declined in the area. Two national parks have been created, including Ao Phang Nga National Park and Than Bhok Khorani National Park. This document tells the story of the many social and environmental changes that Ban Tha Khao has undergone in recent years through the photographs and stories of local people.