Living on the Water with the Water

In many parts of the world, people live in close proximity to water, often in homes on stilts that vary in efficiency. In many cases, these structures resemble dilapidated chicken coops, as can be seen along the Surat Thani Canal in the city of Surat Thani. Living on the water in south-eastern Thailand.

Fishing is essential to people’s survival and involves various activities, including shipyards for building boats — from the smallest ones used for transporting people to houseboats. There are also shipyards for repairing traditional wooden boats. There are also tourism-related activities, as in Khao Sok. Furthermore, as in many other parts of the world, pollution caused by chemicals used in agriculture, plastic that breaks down into microplastics over time, industrial waste and untreated municipal waste is a serious problem in these areas and will continue to be so.