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This morning we went back to re-interview Mr La Ong Dao, village leader at Bo Luk Lang village and key player in the model project for Sa Kaew Province. We had filmed him on the fly on Monday, but were so impressed with him that we wanted more time.Mr La Ong Dao is quite unique in that unlike many village people who are University educated he chose to return to his village rather than go to a comfortable city job. He is doing a fantastic job in leading by example. Through his efforts they have a community information system and a community bank. Now he is leading by example to develop more sustainable land use and address the very real effects of land degradation and climate change that they are experiencing. He has a bet with Ajarn Yak that he will achieve higher yields than Ajarn Yak is predicting, and he is very confident of winning the bet. He says that he is a winner!! I am going to do my very best to come back in the next couple of years to witness the transformation.

Caption 11 (25to28Feb 195): Mr La Ong Dao, “I am a winner!”

Caption 12 (25to28Feb 197): Lena setting up for interview with Mr La Ong Dao

We’re now back in Bangkok ahead of the last leg of our journey in Thailand, and then on to Hanoi on Sunday. We don’t yet know what is in store for us in Viet Nam, but are feeling very confident after such warmth and generosity from our Thai friends. We can’t say enough to thank you all.

Ajarn Yak has been working in Sa Kaew Province, a drought prone area of Thailand, to get buy-in from people there with the goal of encouraging the whole Province to adopt the self sufficient economy model.

In the morning we attended a large gathering, in an open air school auditorium, of farmers and their children. The approach was to present people with the basic principles of the self sufficiency economy and then invite them to further training. I was asked to talk for 10 minutes, and Lena also spoke. People commented afterwards, to our hosts, that they had felt they were alone in experiencing drought, problems with lack of water, and more erratic weather patterns. It opened their eyes to hear that other people were experiencing the same things in other parts of the world.

Caption 6 (25to28Feb 72): Lena talking to a gathering of farmers and their children, accompanied by Khun Wipa who was translating

Caption 7 (25to28Feb 85): An attentive audience

Caption 8 (25to28Feb 89): A happy Ajarn Yak, after hearing messages shared by Gavin and Lena

After a lunch break we went to the countryside and filmed some farm workers planting tapioca cuttings in the intense heat and humidity of the afternoon. We spoke with the leaseholder who talked about the degraded soil and drought situation. He initially said that he was waiting for the government to create rain, but then later said that there was a need to plant more trees.

We then went to the Provincial government buildings where I gave a powerpoint presentation to senior provincial officials. Later we met with the provincial leader.

The outcome of the day was that the Sa Kaew leader has committed to support a model project in the province. The key player is a local village leader, Mr La Ong Dao.Other partners are the Agri-Nature Foundation, a major sugar cane company, and some university people.

Caption 9 (25to28Feb 117): Gavin giving a presentation to the Sa Kaew Provincial Government

Caption 10 (25to28Feb 118): Same as above

We were up early to film an interview with Ajarn Yak, who had to leave ahead of us for a meeting in Sa Kaew Province. Ajarn Yak originally worked as a note-taker for the King of Thailand. Through this work he learnt first-hand about the King’s thinking for the development of a self-sufficient economy in Thailand, and the “Our Loss is Our Gain” philosophy. Later on, frustrated by farmers who didn’t believe the ideas that he presented to them based on this thinking, Ajarn Yak resigned his job to develop a working model. He chose a piece of land owned by his brother near Chonburi, an area that is heavily industrialized and where water is very short. He began with soil that was as hard as rock from years of misuse. From this beginning he created the Agri-Nature Foundation and a learning centre that has now hosted about 300,000 people from all around Thailand. The approach has simple goals, to create:

• Enough food to eat
• Enough to live (eg, trees for simple housing)
• Enough plants to live (eg, plants for making natural shampoos, herbal medicine etc.)
• Enough for energy self-sufficiency (eg, biogas through on-site waste treatment)

With these four needs satisfied you have the basis for two very important things:

• A comfortable environment (cool air (important in the tropical heat) and a warm heart)
• Enough to help develop inner spirit

Ajarn Yak is deeply dedicated to transforming Thailand, and addressing the effects of very heavy chemical use which has severely degraded many areas, and of rapid deforestation which has contributed to land degradation. This work is also very mindful of climate change, both in terms of creating resilience against weather extremes and also helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and providing carbon sinks.

The day was hectic, on the move following Ajarn Yak’s trail and eventually catching up with him near Sa Kaew, in an area of degraded land with a thunderstorm overhead.

We spent the night sleeping (as well as we could!) on a packed earth floor!

Caption 5 (25to28Feb 36): Sunset at the Sa Kaew annual fair, at the end of a hectic day on the move with Ajarn Yak

Caption 1 (25to28Feb 44): Pizza making at Phranakorn Nornlen Hotel, Bangkok

Caption 2 (25to28Feb 49): Rose (2^nd from right), owner of Phranakorn Nornlen and her staff, happy pizza eaters!

After a day and a half of resting and catching up we were on the road again, this time to Chonburi and then on to Sa Kaew Province in the east. Our good friend, and extraordinary organiser, Kris had arranged for me to be interviewed by Channel 3 from Thai TV. We had barely arrived at the home of the Agri-Nature Foundation in Chonburi when I was straight into being interviewed, and then filmed with our host Wiwat Salyakumtorn (known as Ajarn Yak (which means “Giant Teacher”)). Then another interview by a documentary crew. No time to do our own filming! Our accommodation for the night was in an open air Thai-style hut. Lots of tree frogs, crickets and other creatures to sing us to sleep and wake us up in the morning!!

Caption 3 (25 to 28Feb 125): Gavin, about to be interviewed by Channel 3 from Thai TV

Caption 4 (25 to 28Feb 149): Ajarn Yak (Giant Teacher), a man on a mission to prove the success of the self-sufficient economy approach in Thailand, one that is founded on a sound ecological balance

There are many things I’ve been reflecting on over the last week, in between our visits to different places and the intensity of filming, often on the fly. We’ve met so many good people and often would have liked to have stopped longer in some places. The contrasts are great, from the rapid developments that are evident everywhere to the wisdom of people who are living close to nature. For me the contrast was amplified when we arrived at Chiang Saen in the Golden Triangle.

I stayed there 24 years ago when I was back-packing through Asia. It is unrecognisable now. There was nothing there that bore any relation to my memories of a quiet, peaceful town on the banks of the Mekong river. Change has come very rapidly to Thailand, some good, some not so good. The people we are meeting are providing living examples of a more balanced approach to development. We can’t forget nature. People are acting to plant or protect forest. They are experiencing higher temperatures and less reliable rainfall. Water is everything. Forest cover is essential to help regulate water flows, particularly with so much pressure on water resources.

There are voices that we need to stop and listen to for a while. The voices of people who are working in their local environments, who see what is happening locally and more widely, who have clear vision about what we need to be doing for the future.

We spent the morning with Pra Parinya. Pra Parinya was formerly an agricultural extension officer, based in Bangkok. He became a monk 19 years ago. At the invitation of local villagers he moved to Saraburi Province 16 years ago. He bought waste land from the villagers, previously used to grow corn but no longer fertile. Since this time he has planted thousands of trees, using local species, to create a small forest and local microclimate. Pra Parinya is dedicated to a high spiritual life, but also sees the need to help the local villagers. He is leading by example, planting forest to provide cooler local temperatures (within the forest canopy) and to help protect water.He is concerned that there won’t be enough water in the future. His focus is conscious change, demonstrating by example what can be done locally.

Caption 24: With Pra Parinya at Wat Pacumcon, Saraburi Province, Central Thailand

Caption 25: Pra Parinya

After this visit we returned to Bangkok, for a well earned rest at Phranakorn-Nornlen Hotel.

Our last day by the Mekong river. We drove from Tamila Guest House to visit two community forestry projects. Both projects are along the Mae Ing river, a tributary of the Mekong, and are initiatives of local villagers. The first visit, hosted by Mr Somkid Chantima and others from the village committee, was completely on the fly. We were almost running to keep up with them to get footage as they walked and talked about their forest.

Caption 21: Filming on the fly in a community forest by the Mae Ing river.

Caption 22: Mr Somkid Chantima

The next visit was at a more manageable pace. This was further up the Mae Ing river to Ngam Muang village. We were hosted by Uncle Tanom Outtama, President of the people’s network for the Mae Ing river and Mr Somkiat Khuenchiangsa, Coordinator of the Mekong-Lanna Natural Resource and Culture Conservation network. They began their river protection work 10 years ago and now have 15 villages who are members of the river protection network. There is less water now, they said, so they have to protect the environment more. They have had great success in this regard.

Caption 23: Gavin preparing to film an informal interview with Mr Somkiat Khuenchiangsa, Coordinator of the Mekong-Lanna Natural Resource and Culture Conservation network

From Ngam Muang village we drove back to Chiang Rai for an early dinner and then to catch a flight back to Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok just after 8pm. Our principal host in Thailand, Khun Teunjai, met us there and we drove north to a small monastery, Wat Pacumcon.

We must give a very big thankyou to Mr Watchara Lewpongsawat and his wife, owners of Tam-Mi-La Guest House and Bungalow at Chiang Khong, who sponsored our stay by the Mekong with accommodation. We are very grateful for your warmth and hospitality.

Caption 16: Mr Watchara Lewpongsawat, who sponsored our stay by the Mekong, with Gavin

Our day began on the Mekong river. We passed some of the rocks that local people have fought to protect from being blasted to create a river channel for larger boats.Then we came to a very beautiful place, to meet with Uncle Sao Rawangsee, a wise man (aged 77) of the river. We began to interview Uncle Sao when suddenly he noticed that he had caught a fish on one of his lines. That was the end of the interview.Lena and I grabbed the camera and microphone and rushed down to the river, into his little fishing boat and out to where the fish was. Uncle Sao is widely respected as a wise man of the river and many people come to stay with him. He said that last year he saw the biggest flood ever. He doesn’t believe that we can make things cooler because too many factories are being built along the river. He is not afraid of anything.Whenever he goes onto the river he says a blessing of thanks to the Mekong. He says that people who don’t do this are cursed by a river spirit (known as the Nakha, which is half fish and half snake) and lose their spirit.

Captions 17 and 18: Filming Uncle Sao, wise man of the Mekong river, on the fly

Caption 19: Uncle Sao, wise man of the Mekong river

Our time with Uncle Sao was too short, but long enough to hear and film some of his words of wisdom. From there we traveled to Huay Sa village, where a Lahu community lives. We spent time there listening to their music and singing, as they were celebrating the last day of their New Year celebration.

Caption 20: New Year celebrations at Huay Sa village

Lena’s 18^th birthday and we were all up to watch the sunrise and then a very nice birthday breakfast. We packed up our gear and filmed an interview with two village leaders, Sala Aja Ayesang, a farmer and Bhu Mee Ayesang, farmer and leader of the women’s group. They both talked about how they had come there from Myanmar 30 years ago and all there was, was the grass and the sound of wind in the grass. Since then they have planted forest all around the village. Climate change is not something easily translated from English to Thai and then to the Akha language. However, these people carry wisdom about their local environment and the interplay between forest cover and water. They requested that everyone in the world plant at least one tree for every day of their life. They also talked about the problem of on-going conflict in Myanmar, and the necessity to manage the entire watershed of the area, beyond political boundaries. Water is everything, but it is not enough just to plant trees in northern Thailand, because the water that lies under the ground crosses country boundaries. They also talked about the importance of holding to traditional knowledge.

Caption 13: Bhu Mee Ayesang, farmer and leader of women’s group and Juthamas, Manager of HADF

This was the end of our short stay with the mountain people of the north of Thailand.We traveled back down to the lowland area to meet with Mr Plaek Techaboon. He was a teacher at an agricultural college, but resigned 3 years ago to work on his family land. Mr Techaboon is now dedicated to education about sustainable living, through creation of a living model for local sustainability. Our time here was too short, after arriving late and then need to depart for Chiang Khong, by the Mekong river.

Caption 14: Gavin with Mr Plaek Techaboon … “we are the world”

We ended the day celebrating Lena’s birthday with the Chiang Khong Conservation Group. It was a great evening, with our hosts bringing out their instruments and playing some Thai folk songs.

Caption 15: The Chiang Khong Conservation Group providing music for Lena’s 18^th birthday

The next morning there were more people singing and dancing, including children from the village. Many were dressed in their very colourful traditional costumes.

Caption 4: Ban Pang Sa children dancing for the Chinese New Year

We went off to the side of the on-going festivities to interview two village leaders, Mr Ja Hair and Ja Nae Nae, one of the female elders in the village. They both talked about how the weather is hotter now, the need to plant trees and protect water, the value of traditional housing which is cooler, and the importance of educating the children.

Caption 5 and 6: Gavin and Lena filming interviews with Mr Ja Hair and Mrs Ja Nae Nae, village leaders from Ban Pang Sa.

Caption 7: Scene from Ban Pang Sa

Later on we traveled to Pakha Sukjai, an Akha village and also where the Hill Area Development Foundation has facilities. We spent time walking around the village and then had a spontaneous interview with Ah Nor Jeu Beng Eh Khu, the oldest person (89 years) in the village. He talked about the interconnections in life, that sometime soon he will be going to live in the forest with his ancestors, that everything lives and dies.

We then filmed people coming back to the village from their days work and watched a quite spectacular sunset, which Karen caught with photos. I’d put the camera away, exhausted. That night we joined Ah Jew Beng Eh Khu, a village volunteer for HADF in Pakha Sukjai village, sitting on a large mat in his family house and sharing a very nice meal.

Captions 8 to 12: Scenes from Pakha Sukjai village, field headquarters of the HADF