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Updates from Kalasin Province
Nakhudsim School
In Kalasin Province, CIEE students stayed with families who were involved in the Nakhudsim School. During this past academic year, CIEE community intern Phillip Mangis has been working to increase enthusiasm about agriculture in the school. This project has manifested itself in creation of a school garden and the proposal of an integrated agricultural curriculum.
Shortly before the CIEE students arrived, the school failed an evaluation by a Bangkok educational assessment team. Though tensions seemed a bit high, in their exchanges with the school committee and teachers, CIEE students tried to boost morale and pride in the accomplishments that have already been made. Only time will tell the outcome of the school's response evaluation and the future of their integrated agricultural curriculum.
CIEE-Khon Kaen (Thailand) Fall 2006
LAND UNIT UPDATE
We, CIEE Fall 2006, completed the land unit today. This past week we traveled to Udon Thani to speak with villagers, the Conservation Club, the Youth Club, the Ministry of Industry, and APPC (Italian-Thai.) We learned that the issue remains complex and unsolved through our many exchanges. From these exchanges we have gained a more holistic picture of this controversial issue. The highlights include:
Villagers
Both for and against the mine spoke of the divide in the community that has been caused by APPC's proposed potash mining project. The Iron ladies (against the mine) were quick to share their arguments including: faulty surveys, possible environmental effects, and loss of way of life. The villagers for the mine, whom we spoke with at APPC, allowed us to hear their main arguments including: jobs close to home leading to a decrease in migration, higher standard of living, pride in living in a developed area, cheaper fertilizer, and better local economic status.
NGO's
P'Suit continues to be a strong resource for the Conservation Club, as well as offering information to a new community outside the city of Khon Kaen where more potash has been found to exist under a community forest. The Youth Group continues to maintain the local radio station attempting to engage youth on the issue. However, the coup has forced the Youth Group to stay silent on political issues attached to the proposed mine, now they are
only able to focus on the environmental arguments.
Ministry of Industry
Although the change in administration of APPC has forced the company to restart the 15 step mining license application process, the ministry is confident they will successfully attain the license to mine in Udon Thani.
APPC
The company shared with us their plans to drop all previous demarcation benchmarks, throw out the old EIA and begin a new one, as well as drop all cases against villagers filed during the previous administration. Keith Crosby, the project engineer we spoke with, said APPC hopes to attain their mining license by 2007. They remain confident that there will be negligible environmental affects due to their state of the art in technology.
CIEE-Khon Kaen (Thailand) Fall 2006
FOOD UNIT UPDATE
Banglampoo: After leaving Taonor Village, students met with Vegetable Safety Project at Banglampoo market. They received “healthy market certificate” and the market encourages moving away from pesticide use.
Bumrung: Half the group met Bumrung in Kalasin and toured his farm during the Short Trips. Later that week, the whole group had an exchange with him at CIEE office. In
response to a question about the WTO and IMF, he responded, “The tusk of an elephant cannot emerge from a dog.”
Don Leng Tai Village: Village continues to grow organic produce and sell at the Green Market. Villagers were happy and enthusiastic.
Gachum Mill: Decided that self-suffiency is their goal, but there is still excess rice with no apparent solution. We, the students, are trying to help sell excess rice because Greennet does not have enough buyers and Surin Mill has not helped yet.
Kalasin Community: One of the interns, Phin, has been staying in the Kalasin community learning from Bamrung and teaching the kids in the school about organic agriculture. The community is in the transition process from chemical agriculture to organic agriculture.
Paw Dem: He continues to lead his organic agriculture village with monetary government support. He uses extra time to promote the ideas of self-reliance and sustainability across the country. They’re currently constructing a complex for visitors.
Rainbow Plan: A group in Kalasin that collects food waste from village and turns into organic compose with support of municipality. In turn, group grows vegetables to sell to restaurants. This was the first exchange with the Rainbow Plan and CIEE hopes to continue relationship.
Sumontha Loachai: Continues to passionately lead small farmers and local school in organic farming, thereby protecting local resources and fostering community.
Surin Farmer Support (SFS) and Surin Rice mill: The rice mill is currently trading with Altereco to sell to Whole Foods in the States. The rice mill is looking for more buyers. We, the students, suggested looking into college campuses and other small organic food chains.
Surin Green Market and SFS: Strong consumer support. They are still lots of debt even with an average of 5,200 baht per week.
Thabtai: Half the group stayed with community members from Thabtai, Surin. We spent Sunday doing “patana,” and had a lively exchange that evening.
Tow Nor Village: 90% of the villages are farming and 40% are in debt. As of now, none have organized to move toward an organic agriculture lifestyle. Despite this, there were no chemical traces found in the produce we had tested.
Vice-Governor of Surin, Mr. Wirat Limsuwat: Organic farming is now on the national agenda, and the government announced there will be twenty-four pilot province.