Thailand
Transition from camps to communities
USAID's programs in Thailand focus on restoring coastal livelihoods. Programs include efforts to mitigate future disasters and the impact of coastal hazards, restarting livelihoods and repairing infrastructure and services. In addition, USAID works with the Royal Thai Government to harmonize coastal planning policies and procedures and share regional lessons.
07/20/05
Reseeding mangrove forests improves
environment and livelihoods
Mangrove forests along the coastlines of
Thailand were seriously affected by the
tsunami. Silt deposited by the waves clogged
the pores of the aerial roots, suffocating the
mangrove trees and destroying the coastal
ecosystems.
By replanting mangroves in coastal areas,
USAID is helping communities add natural
barriers against coastal hazards and
increasing economic activities. Mangrove forests provide nutrient-rich environments ideal for cultivating
crabs to supplement fisher-family incomes, as well as thatch for roofs and fuel for cooking. To
rehabilitate mangrove forests, USAID trained 25 villagers to harvest mangrove seedlings, prepare
growth material and establish new plants. Also, through a USAID cash-for-work initiative, over 100
villagers (mostly female) were employed to seed, plant and care for 40,000 mangrove seedlings.
06/22/05 Cash-for-work project to help children get back to
school
USAID, in cooperation with Thai district administrative offices
and non-governmental partners, recently built an elevated
school passageway to provide children with safe entry to
their school. The elevated walkway will prevent students
from having to wade through the mud and water during the
rainy season. The project is one of several USAID cash-forwork
initiatives that provide income to villagers while they
contribute time and labor for the redesign of local
infrastructure.
06/22/05 Clean up act builds good will
In newly constructed communities for displaced persons,
lack of systematic waste removal was a significant
challenge to community health. In addition, district
resources were constrained by the magnitude of the debris
removal. Under USAID’s cash-for-work program, a team
of 25 persons launched a clean environment initiative, in
collaboration with the District Environmental Officer.
Locally made trash baskets were purchased and placed
strategically in front of homes adjacent to the road for easy
collection by trash removal vehicles. District officials,
pleased with the villager’s desire to contribute to improved
practices that protect health, and the maintenance of an
aesthetic environment that attracts tourism, agreed to
provide weekly solid waste removal.
06/08/05 Building consensus and creating a unified vision for action
USAID’s integrated coastal management project
is utilizing a participatory assessment process to
encourage cooperative decision making among
community members and local government
officials. Through the use of Town hall meetings,
community members identify and validate priority
community needs and activities. In addition,
community members nominate and elect one
male and one female representative from each
village to represent community concerns in working groups as well as ensure information sharing with
all members of the community. By fostering democratic decision making processes, USAID aims to
mitigate community conflict in the process of rehabilitating tsunami struck villages.
05/11/05 USAID leads USG contribution to Indian Ocean
tsunami warning system
USAID is leading the effort to design and implement
the U.S. Government's primary contribution to the
development of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning
System (IOTWS). On May 2-3, USAID hosted an
interagency coordination meeting in Bangkok to
develop a coordinated action framework. Key
implementing partners attended the meeting,
including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service and
National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS), U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassy
Bangkok), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
04/01/05 USAID partners with Parkson Corporation to
provide water purification system
USAID and the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service
(USFCS) are facilitating the donation of a large drinking
water purification system to serve 250 Thai families
whose water system was destroyed by the tsunami.
US and Thai experts have conducted a joint
assessment in consultation with local Thai authorities
and have received approval of the site plan. Parkson
Corporation, a US based supplier of water and
wastewater systems, is fabricating and preparing
the $300,000 system for shipment. USFCS is
securing donated shipping and USAID is helping place a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer at the site to help
coordinate installation and operator training. Delivery of the equipment to the site is expected in June.
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