Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

I Visited The Vanishing Moken People And Captured Their Daily Lives
User submission
9
1.7K

I Visited The Vanishing Moken People And Captured Their Daily Lives

ADVERTISEMENT

The Moken people are an Austronesian ethnic tribe, inhabiting the coast and islands of the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand and certain provinces of Myanmar.

The peace loving nature, and low population of the Moken has seen them exploited for centuries, first by the British and now by the governments of Thailand and Myanmar. They have been attempting to integrate the Moken into their more modern society, giving up their traditionalism and aspects of their culture.

With more pollution, less fish in the ocean and no land for their people, as well as all the combined efforts of the government and the harassment and deaths faced by these sea nomads, the Moken population of the region has come down to a mere 1,000 from the slightly stronger 2,500 it was a decade back. Today, facing many challenges and against what seems like insurmountable odds the Moken elders persevere in pleasing the ancient spirits in hopes of protecting and preserving their way of life.

The Moken once occupied some of Thailand’s best and most beautiful islands. Due to the tourist popularity of these islands growing and the need for space to develop beach side resorts, the Thai government spent countless years moving them from one island to the next. A new road is being built alongside one of their villages in Thailand, because the government aims to use them to bolster tourism.

ADVERTISEMENT

It seems the relentless march of modernism will in all probability annihilate them as a people, and the world would have to say goodbye to the closest thing we have to merpeople.

More info: alexandersavvas.com

The Moken people are an Austronesian ethnic tribe

They once occupied some of Thailand’s best and most beautiful islands

Today the Moken population of the region has come down to a mere 1,000 from the slightly stronger 2,500 it was a decade back

ADVERTISEMENT

The peace loving nature, and low population of the Moken has seen them exploited for centuries

ADVERTISEMENT

Government has been attempting to integrate the Moken into their more modern society

Giving up their traditionalism and aspects of their culture

The Thai government spent countless years moving them from one island to the next

ADVERTISEMENT

A new road is being built alongside one of their villages

Due to the tourist popularity of these islands growing and the need for space to develop beach side resorts

ADVERTISEMENT

The aim is to use those roads to bolster tourism

Meanwhile, the Moken elders persevere in pleasing the ancient spirits in hopes of protecting and preserving their way of life

2Kviews

Share on Facebook
Alexander Savvas

Alexander Savvas

Author, Community member

Read more »

Alexander Savvas is a South African born photographer. Specialising in travel, portraiture and environmental portraiture, documentary and fine art photography. His passion for people, their cultures and stories are ever present in his work. Aiming to expose his viewer’s to different cultures and therefore increase the understanding and appreciation people might have for one another and the world around them is what drives him. Based in Berlin

Read less »
Alexander Savvas

Alexander Savvas

Author, Community member

Alexander Savvas is a South African born photographer. Specialising in travel, portraiture and environmental portraiture, documentary and fine art photography. His passion for people, their cultures and stories are ever present in his work. Aiming to expose his viewer’s to different cultures and therefore increase the understanding and appreciation people might have for one another and the world around them is what drives him. Based in Berlin

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
ChristineMusal
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This makes me sad, they should be left alone. Beautiful pictures.

You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda