Published on July 25, 2005

Samran Lanumao, a resident of Tambon Kam Puan, Ranong, cried with joy on Friday as the tambon received more than Bt2.6 million from an organisation called CHARM, to be used to support new occupations for the tambon’s tsunami victims.

“I’m very thankful. We need occupations,” she said through her tears.

Samran lost her house, garden and restaurant in December’s tsunami. She received Bt30,000 compensation from the government for her house and she and her friends received Bt30,000 from the Community Development Fund. But they had to borrow Bt60,000 to run their steamed-fish business.

Then, after their business had been running for seven months, they received Bt100,000 from a donor through CHARM, with an advisory team as a plus.

Coastal Habitats and Resources Management, or CHARM, is a Thai government project supported by the EU. It signed an agreement with Kam Puan Tambon Administration Organisation to promote existing and new occupational groups for the local people under the tsunami rehabilitation support programme.

Kam Puan, in Ranong’s Suk Samran sub-district, suffered the most tsunami damage in the entire province. More than 100 people died and 100 fishing vessels, as well as 200 culturing cages, were damaged in the disaster.

Local fishermen received Bt4.3 million in compensation from the Department of Fisheries. This was about 66 per cent of their claimed loss. They still lack fishing gear.

On Friday, 381 villagers from 21 groups in every village of Tambon Kam Puan received Bt2,648,990 to develop and run different businesses, including fish farms, mussel farms, boat-repair workshops and seafood conversion factories.

The money covers just the first year. Everyone involved will evaluate the project every three months.

CHARM began in 2002, before the tsunami, and was involved in 67 projects in Thai coastal provinces.

After the tsunami, it began to promote a co-management approach to helping victims through concerned public agencies and in partnership with non-governmental organisations.

“Many organisations came to help tsunami victims. There might have been a waste of money or allocations might have been unfair if they had operated separately,” said Yves Henoque, CHARM’s EU co-director and team leader.

USAID, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Rotary clubs were among those who joined CHARM’s combined efforts. Governmental officers and the tambon administration organisation also played an important part, with the administration organisation hosting monthly meetings.

A senior CHARM expert, Bhichit Rattakul, said Kam Puan was the first tambon to receive support for projects in every aspect of its community,

Besides occupational support, CHARM would coordinate and support infrastructure construction and tourism until 2007.

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

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