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Video Exchange Inspires Actions for Healthy Lakes
By The Mekong River Commission
January 4th, 2018
The Songkhla Lake is the largest natural lake in Thailand, and Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake is the largest in Southeast Asia. Both lakes offer a broad range of resource-based livelihoods, including agriculture, fisheries and tourism, to the surrounding populations of nearly 5 million.
Yet, exploitative fishing practices, habitat degradation, water pollution and climate change are putting pressures on both lakes’ resources. The sustainability of the lakes’ ecosystems is, therefore, not certain.
Flooded forests fires, caused by the extreme heat and drought, damaging fish habitats in the Tonle Sap Lake.
Fishers in Thale Noi of Thailand's Phathalung province harvesting fish from the Songkhla Lake, home to over 1.7 million people.
Five provinces encircling the Tonle Sap Lake and more than 3 million people living around the lake.
Fishing nets trapping in Thale Noi, situated in the upper part of the Songkhla Lake.
Much has been done in recent years by the Cambodian and Thai governments and communities to improve management of water resources of both lakes. However, while they can serve as reference for each other, best practices have not been widely shared.
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is assisting the two countries to promote healthy lake governance through community-based actions and solutions. As part of the support, the Participatory Video Exchange Initiative was launched in November 2016 to facilitate peer-to-peer learning through joint video production and community video screening.
Under this initiative, two filming workshops have been organised and a series of video clips have been produced for mutual learning and discussion.
Officials and community representatives from the Tonle Sap and Songkhla lakes practicing filming skills in Cambodia in November 2016.
Citizen filming teams from the Tonle Sap and Songkhla lakes editing video clips in Thailand in March 2017.
A representative of the Tonle Sap Lake’s fisheries community discussing issues facing the lake.
A joint video crew from the Tonle Sap and Songkhla lakes observing climate change issues in Thale Noi.
During the joint video exchange workshop in March, the Cambodian and Thai teams from the MRC’s Tonle Sap and Songkhla Lake Basins Communication Outreach Project shot success stories of a conservation zone, roles of women in natural disaster preparedness, and youth’s action in climate change adaptation in the Songkhla Lake. Video clips on similar issues were produced in the Tonle Sap Lake last year.
Conservation Zone: From Survival to Sustainable Fishing
Twenty six years ago, a community-based fish conservation zone in the middle of the Songkhla Lake was established to restore fish populations. Since then, people get together to safeguard illegal fishing activities and release fish species, leading to better fish catches and improved livelihoods.
“I catch between 5 and 10 kg of fish and shrimps daily. It is five times more than what I got eight years ago when I first started fishing. This enables me to pay off my loans and support my son’s studies.”
-Yainub Ritto, a fisherwoman from Phathalung
Dried fish bringing extra income for fishing families, thanks to the increased harvests.
People contributing part of their income through a saving group to support the fish conservation zone.
A fisherman putting a fish trap in a designated fishing area of the fish conservation zone.
Women Empowering Communities in Disaster Resilience
While many women around the world are one of the most vulnerable populations in times of natural disasters, women in Thahin of Songkhla province are the frontlines of disaster risk reduction. They involve in disaster prevention, disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction. Community people have benefited from disaster resilience and recovery efforts led by women.
“I appreciate women’s solidarity, compassion and ability to take actions. They are playing a key role to prevent and reduce impacts of natural disasters by helping each other.”
-Prasit Loongchum, Chief of Songkhla’s Community Disaster Committee
Head of a community empowerment group in Thahin talking about devastating floods and her group’s efforts to minimise disaster impacts.
A member of the women’s group describing her struggles during a 2007 storm, which prompted her to help prepare a…
A fisherman, who lost his fishing gears and animals during severe floods and storms, appreciating women’s roles in disaster prevention.
Youth in Action on Climate Change
Youth in Thale Noi plays a key role in tackling climate change issues. They help their communities take climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. With their increasing social and environmental awareness, they are eager to transform their communities to be climate resilient.
“We want to see our community becomes more resilient to climate change; that is why, we are campaigning to build awareness on climate change issues among elder and younger generations. We believe collaborative actions will take place across the community.”
-Sirisak Duang Chan, member of the Thale Noi Community’s Youth Network
Youth discussing climate change mitigation measures before a public awareness raising event in Thale Noi.
A community representative in Thale Noi expressing her support on youth’s participation in helping her community respond to climate change.
To promote sharing and discussion on issues captured by the video clips, ranging from 4 to 7 minutes, public film screenings were organised for community people in both lakes. Villagers said the videos helped them gain a deeper understanding of challenges facing their communities and hope to learn more about local livelihoods and development.
Community people watching video clips produced by the MRC’s project teams at a public screening in the Songkhla Lake.
Communities in Thale Noi appreciating the video exchange initiative and hoping to learn more about solutions to water resources issues.
Villagers and the MRC's project team members watching video clips at a community screening in the Tonle Sap Lake.
The Participatory Video Exchange Initiative is part of the Tonle Sap and Songkhla lakes communication project, implemented by Cambodia and Thailand since 2014. Funded by the World Bank and technically supported by the MRC, the project is promoting prosperous and healthy lakes for improved livelihoods. Once completed in 2018, it is expected that both lakes could serve as an example for inspiration on community-based lake management elsewhere.
© 2023 The Mekong River Commission
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