Originating in Indonesia and spreading through the Indian Ocean, the giant 2004 wave destroyed the fishing village of Ban Nam Khem, wrecked the school and killed as many as 4,000 Phang Nga residents.

In Thailand alone, the death toll rose to above 5,000. Across the region it took more than 200,000 lives.

“When the tsunami hit Phang Nga province, the eldest students in our school were only a year old at the time,” teacher Aporn Malison, senior teacher at Ban Nam Khem School, told The Nation.

Despite being very close to the Andaman coast, her school lacked a systemic evacuation plan – until recently.

“Usually when a tsunami alarm is raised, the students will simply run to the third floor, which is [considered] a safe evacuation area,” Aporn said, outlining the yearly tsunami drills conducted by local officials and villagers.

However, recently Ban Nam Khem and four other schools in Phang Nga – Ban Bang Niang, Phraratchatharn Thablamu, Koh Mak Noi and Ban Bang Muang – began working with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Thai Red Cross Society and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) to plan a systematic emergency response.

The agencies organised workshops for teachers so they could develop evacuation maps and plans, while students were taught basic first aid and CPR skills. The agencies also helped create tsunami educational materials. Each school then held their own emergency tsunami drill to test it, with the aim of ensuring their students were ready if another wave hits the Andaman coast. The 18-month programme has prepared 1,731 students and teachers in total.

“The drill is detailed and systematic,” Apron said.

As soon as the alarm rings, each teacher is on guard until all 270 students are safely assembled on the highest floor of the school. There is an evacuation team, a first-aid team and search-and-rescue teams among others, with the school director leading the operation, she said.

Teachers are prepared with walkie-talkies to use for communication should the power and telephone lines be destroyed during the natural disaster.

In the recent drill, UNDP officials intentionally hid a few of the students, so teachers could count ever head and send out a search-and-rescue team to ensure nobody is left behind, Aticha Chaivichian, UNDP’s project coordinator for the programme, said.

“We have also taken into account students with physical disabilities and their specific needs,” she added.

In Phraratchatharn Thublamu School, for instance, the evacuation routes were upgraded to become more wheelchair-friendly. Ban Bang Niang School, meanwhile, has set up a “buddy system”, in which students with disabilities are accompanied to the safe zone by their fellow classmates and teachers. UNDP has also developed a guidebook, with technical support from the Disabilities Council of Thailand, so other schools can set up their own evacuation plan for students with and without disabilities.

Angoon Wongcharoen, chief of the Thai Red Cross Health Station No 14, said Prathom 4 students and above are being taught how to call for help, deal with broken limbs and other minor injuries, as well as how to transport incapacitated classmates and how and when to do CPR.

She said these students are being taught how to do all these things in real-life situations “by using their hands and the materials they have at hand like sticks, cloth, rope and cardboard”.

These five schools in Phang Nga are among the 114 schools in 18 Asia-Pacific countries participating in UNDP’s “Strengthening School Preparedness for Tsunamis” initiative, funded by Japan.

The programme, which ran from June 2017 to November 2018, covered Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

The challenge for UNDP now is to make the project sustainable.

“These five schools are part of a pilot project,” said Lovita Ramguttee, UNDP Thailand’s deputy resident representative.

Japan agreed this month to fund the project’s second phase, with the aim of getting local authorities to scale up emergency drills to other schools facing natural disasters.

“Drills need to be conducted regularly since new students are enrolled every year. With nearly 1,000 schools in Thailand at risk, the need to scale up exponentially is a challenge,” she said.

“Once the guidelines are built into the school system [the procedure will be sustainable] even when one school head retires and someone else comes in. It is there for them to follow as important guiding principles. So, students keep practising and it doesn’t take them by surprise one day if a tsunami strikes again,” she said.

Aporn wants to ensure her school remains prepared even as new generations of students and teachers come and go.

“If the local government authorities and local communities continue to conduct the drills, then so will we,” she said.

Of the 2 million disabled people in Thailand, 55 per cent are in primary school, while only 7 per cent, 1.42 per cent, and 1.5 per cent make it to high school, vocational school and college respectively, according to data released by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry. These figures have raised concerns that people with disabilities do not have equal access to sex education.

Sex education is necessary to prevent unplanned pregnancies, even though data regarding teenage pregnancy among people with disabilities is non-existent, Dr Wachara Riewpaiboon, dean of Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, said at a seminar.

The event, held on Monday, had been organised by the United Nations Population Fund, Thailand Research Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (TRIP), Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT) and Mahidol University.

Kamolchanok Boonyaketwatthanakun, president of the Thai Youth Club of the Blind, said there is an urgent need for schools to equip all primary students with knowledge about condoms, birth control, menstruation and sanitary napkins early on.

Also, she said, primary students with disabilities should not be left out of sex-ed classes because they too have sexual desires like everybody else.

“When a disabled person buys birth-control pills, people look at them and ask ‘what will a blind person do with birth-control pills?’

“Blind people have all the feelings. We just can’t see,” she said.

Disabled people also face other problems. For instance, many women with mental disabilities cannot become mothers because they have been sterilised, while some suffer sexual violation and bias, said Montien Boonton, president of Thailand Research Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (TRIP) Foundation.

He also pointed out that though official figures show that only 3 per cent of the Thai population is disabled, the real figure is much higher. In fact, the World Health Organisation put the number at 15 per cent in 2011. “This is possibly because parents ‘choose’ to believe their children are not disabled,” he said.

“Many families don’t believe their sons and daughters have [sexual] feelings,” said Athithan Suebkraphan, who has mobility impairment. “Many people want to have a family, but their parents object saying raising children is difficult.”

A NEW LAW that legitimises the use of marijuana for medical purposes sailed through the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) yesterday with overwhelming support.

Under the law, possession of marijuana and krathom within legal limits will be allowed for treatment of certain diseases, for first aid or in cases of emergency.

However, anyone possessing more than 10 kilograms of marijuana will be treated as having the intent to sell it illegally.

The possession of marijuana for purposes other than the strict limits outlined under the law remains liable to legal action.

Those found in possession of less than 10 kilograms of marijuana could still face up to five years in jail and a fine of Bt100,000.

Anyone possessing more than 10 kilograms of the drug risks imprisonment of between one and 15 years, and a fine of between Bt100,000 and Bt1 million.

The NLA yesterday voted 166-0, with 13 abstentions, to pass the draft law deliberated on by a committee chaired by Somchai Sawangkarn.

The law amends the existing Narcotic Drugs Act of 1979. The amendment increases to 25 the members on the National Narcotics Control Committee, up from 17. The eight new members include the permanent secretary of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the director-general of the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, and the director-general of the Department of Health Service Support.

The committee has the authority to give permission to requests for production, import and export of marijuana, and also to approve regulations proposed by relevant state agencies.

After the law has been in force for three years, the committee is required to review all permissions every six months.

‘A necessary amount’

The law allows possession of “a necessary amount” of marijuana for medical treatment.

Those in possession of the drug for this purpose need to carry a doctor’s prescription.

It will also be legal under the new law to possess marijuana for research and development as well as agricultural, commercial, scientific and industrial purposes.

Among those permitted to possess marijuana are patients who need the drug for treatment, state agencies responsible for research or medicine-related education, Thai Red Cross, anti-narcotics agencies, institutions of higher education with research and teaching on medicine, and registered farmer groups.

With this law going into effect, the growing of marijuana and processing within the legal limit will be allowed, under close supervision by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

Meanwhile, Biothai Foundation director Witoon Lianchamroon warned yesterday that transnational companies and giant drug firms with patents for medicines with marijuana content would be the main beneficiaries of the legal easing. He said that requests made by those businesses for patents in Thailand have not been cancelled, as claimed earlier by Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong.

Rangsit University will on December 28 petition the National Anti-Corruption Commission against the Department of Intellectual Property regarding this matter, Panthep Puapongpan, one of its deans, said yesterday.

He said the university aims to force the department to rescind international applications for patents before the new law goes into effect.

The bill will be forwarded for royal endorsement before being published in the Royal Gazette.

Villagers of Ban Laem in Kantang district’s tambon Wang Won, Ban Hin Kok Kwai in Palian district’s tambon Ban Na, and Ban Thung Ta Sae in tambon Thung Krabeua in Yan Ta Khao district have joined with researchers to offer ecotourism and add value to attractions. The project began last year.

Research team member Fapilai Thaweesinsopha – who lectures on hotel and tourism at the Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya (RMUTSV) – said the project focuses on developing local sights and resources found to have tourism potential. Choices were made based on the sustainability of sites, as one-day and half-day tour packages were put together representing the communities’ unique charms.

A recent tour included cultural and natural sites, suggesting that the Palian River Basin Tourist Attraction Potential Development Research Project chose well.

For Ban Laem, natural bio-diversity is combined with folklore such as the “Hua Laem” peninsular point and its whirlpool of three rivers (Khlong Thung Khai, Khlong Yan Ta Khao and Khlong Palian). Known for its fertility, locals have been farming oysters, mussels and fish in the area, and can offer fresh produce to visitors.

“Hua Laem” also has a sacred spirit house for great-grandfather Thuchen, to whom fishermen pray for protection before heading off for a catch, and make loud noises in respect as they pass by on their boats. A 50-year-old Burma padauk tree also provides a mystical backdrop.

Another interesting site is the 800-rai Koh Lao Tam – comprising a 750-rai-mangrove forest and sandy beaches around a 50-rai dry area said to be an old graveyard for seamen. The burial spots are marked with wooden masts. This island – serving as a black crab conservation site – is great for camping and bird watching.

The southern province of Trang is known for its six dragon beaches along the Thale Waek (Separated Sea) path revealed during low tide. Ban Laem has it own mini version known as the “baby dragon back beach”.

The research team chose to use Koh Hor Rai as a centre to build integrated tourism for the three communities, as the location offers many natural resources, such as the regionally-famous hard clams and fiddler crabs boasting oversized claws.

“We learned that tourists are more interested in natural attractions than cultural sites, so Koh Hor Rai and Ban Laem mini dragon beach have a high potential. Koh Hor Rai can cater to 100 visitors a day, while Koh Lao Tam can support 375 visitors daily,” Fapilai said.

From Ban Laem, visitors can take a boat to Ban Hin Kok Kwai, featuring large rocks placed in circle as if to create a large pen for cattle.

This village, with 1,300 residents from three ethnicities – the Thai-Buddhist, the Thai-Muslim and the Thai-Chinese – is known as the Palian spellbound community. Besides showing off the famous San Chao Phra Roi Paed Roi Kao shrine built centuries ago by the Hainanese, the community also plans to re-open the Ban Hin Kok Kwai Nature Trail along the coast.

The 65-household Ban Ta Sae has a vast 2,000-rai-mangrove forest, with its 10-rai centre boasting the Nam Khem Waterfall featuring a 5-metre-tall, 30-metre-wide cliff.

“We arrange one-day and half-day tours so visitors can visit key attractions such as Koh Hor Rai, Nam Khem Waterfall and Hin Kok Kwai and participate in activities such as collecting clams, visiting fish and oyster farms or checking out local handicrafts and products. Visitors in our initial tour groups said they found the tour enjoyable,” Fapilai said

A key selling point – as voted by tourists – was a demonstration of nipa palm leaves being torn, using both hands and feet, by the Nayotthong handicraft group in tambon Wang Won. This tambon is famous for making “Ti Ma” water carriers made of dried nipa palm stalks, which are very popular, but can only be produced in a limited number.

To crank up the making of “Ti Ma”, RMUTSV Liberal Arts lecturer Noppadon Podkumnerd developed a solar-powered oven prototype, that can dry 2,000 to 3,000 nipa palm leaves within three hours, thus allowing for the production of 100 to 200 “Ti Ma” water carriers daily.

The machines, especially handy during the rainy season, have helped the villagers double their production capacity, he said.

The group can now produce 20,000 to 30,000 “Ti Ma” water carriers per month, which are supplied

to various tourism sites, including floating markets in Ayutthaya province. This has also helped generate jobs and boost income for local people. The community has now grown into 100 households from just 40.

Prapapan Kantangpan, president of Tambon Wang Won Administration Organisation, said the project has helped create jobs, allowing families to earn extra income. Also, the increased production of “Ti Ma” water carriers has helped get rid of the nipa stems leftover from the hand-rolled cigarettes the community makes for export to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Prapapan said her office has asked the RMUTSV to produce at least 20 solar-powered ovens for other handicraft groups in the area.

The Palian River Basin has been officially opened as a tourism site since August, and can now cater to tour groups comprised of 12 people each time.

Next year, the development of tourist attractions in the Palian River Basin will focus on various aspects of community preparedness. Work integration will get special attention, so local administrative bodies, the Marine Department and tourist business operators can ensure attractions and related facilities remain up to par.

AS PART of police reform, people will soon be able to lodge a complaint with police via email.

Complainants will also no longer have to worry about the jurisdiction of police stations once reforms are in place, because their complaint can be registered at any police station.

Under the reform plan, every police interrogation of a suspect will be filmed, and in serious criminal cases, public prosecutors will also be present.

Preparations for these new procedures for the police bureau have already gained solid momentum.

The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft amendment to the Criminal Code, which is key to the police reform.

“This amendment seeks to bar police from bringing suspects to press conferences,” Government Spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta, who is also the PM’s deputy permanent secretary, said.

Police often hold press conferences to report on their achievements, especially in much-publicised cases. Some suspects are even required to answer questions at such conferences.

In one high-profile case, police even allowed a confrontation between the suspects and victims in front of media.

Damned in advance

Human-rights activists have said that such practices are unacceptable, especially since according to law, every suspect is considered innocent until proved guilty.

Rights advocates have also pointed out that a suspect’s reputation is damaged when their photo appears in the media – even if they are found innocent later.

In the face of the activists’ outcry, National Police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda last year issued an order instructing police not to bring suspects to press conferences.

Yet in August, Chakthip himself appeared at a press conference to announce the arrest of Panya Yingdung, who has now confessed to fatally shooting Paweena Namuangrak, 20, and Anantachai Jaritram during the victims’ trip to Chon Buri’s Sattahip district.

The double murders drew huge public attention because the shooting was blatantly carried out in front of a huge Buddha image on a large cliff. The suspect, who was in love with Paweena, had been on the run for a few weeks before being caught at a border province.

To implement the upgrade, the FIT called on the government to provide wage support to vocational students during their internship – which will last about six months per academic year – and introduce several other supportive measures.

“The support should be equivalent to between 50 and 70 per cent of the minimum wage,” the FIT said in its proposal. Established in 2013, the FIT is a non-governmental organisation focusing on identifying the country’s problems and proposing practical solutions.

“Today, Thailand does not have a comparative advantage from a large number of unskilled and a cheap labour force for labour-intensive industries. That advantage existed in the 1980s, not today,” FIT chairman Pisit Leeahtam said recently.

The minimum daily wage currently ranges from Bt308 to Bt330 in Thailand, sharply up from three decades ago, when it was under Bt100.

Even more worrying, Pisit said, is the fact that the number of medium-skilled to highly skilled workers in Thailand is also relatively small, leaving the country unable to upgrade its industry to “technology-intensive” or “capital-intensive” levels.

“It’s necessary that we urgently invest more in vocational education in order to increase the number of skilled labourers, especially engineers and technicians, and upgrade the industrial sector to higher technology level,” Pisit said.

He expected the move to generate higher productivity or higher value, and help Thailand emerge from the middle-income trap.

Thailand has been a middle-income country for several decades already.

According to the FIT, while Thailand’s per capita national income in 2017 was about Bt16,300 per month, a survey showed that 74.84 per cent of Thais earned less than Bt15,000. Such figures were a reflection that most people working Thais have few skills and earn less than the average, Pisit said.

The FIT presented its proposals at a recent forum in a bid to draw the attention of academics, politicians and representatives from various organisations to vocational education.

Onstage were Dr Tharadol Piempongsant, the FIT’s director of the Public Policy Department, and FIT Policy Analyst Wipattra Totemchokchaikarn.

They said the government should support free education for vocational certification at both government and private vocational institutes, in technical, commercial and other fields, with budgetary support meeting international standards.

They pointed out that, without adequate funding, vocational institutions would continue to lack modern equipment to properly train their students.

They also recommended that the government establish an internship centre as a hub for the private sector, academic institutes and students, with vocational curriculum offering three months of theoretical courses and three months of internship, switching back and forth.

The FIT also suggested that the government arrange free vocational training for interested people so they could improve their skills and learn new skills.

“The free training could be provided via one million coupons for training, each worth Bt3,500,” it said.

If possible, the government should engage the private sector more in vocational education and skills-training management, the FIT added.

The FIT hoped that in the future, the ratio of vocational students to general-education students would be 1:1.

It added that the salaries of people with vocational certificates should also be almost on par with those holding bachelors’ degrees.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Surachate Hakpal interrogated him on Tuesday.

“We plan to have him deported, but the suspect also has the right to submit an appeal with court before the deportation,” Surachate said, adding that Turkey had notified Thai authorities about the fugitive.

He added that there were no records of Yilmazx having committed any crime in Thailand other than filing false information to seek a visa. The suspect has travelled in and out of Thailand via Trat province about 10 times between 2014 and 2018.

In his visa application, Yilmazx had written that he was coming to Thailand to take care of a relative and listed a false address.

Surachate said any official found to have allowed Yilmazx to enter Thailand despite knowing about his wrongdoing will face a harsh penalty. He said the Immigration Bureau is in charge of responding to requests for help in extraditing suspects. There are more than 30 such requests pending.

“We have already arrested more than 80 suspects and extradited them this year,” he said.

Jirayu Leekpai was found with bruises on his knees and arms. He surrendered after officials sprayed mosquito repellent smoke into the sewer where he was hiding.

He and two other prisoners, Wiwat Aksornsom, 32 and Chatchai Nakchatree, 43, had made a joint bid to flee the Chaiya prison shortly after midnight by climbing over the prison’s electric fence.

Jirayu, who is on trial on drug-related charges, managed to jump out but was captured at about 8.45am not far from the prison fence.

Wiwat was electrocuted and his body was found stuck to the fence. Chatchai also suffered electric shock but fell from the fence only to be captured by authorities.

Security authorities had asked the public to alert them if they saw the on-the-run prisoner. He was wearing the prison uniform at the time of his escape.

Wiwat was on trial for having in his possession 38 methamphetamine tablets while Chatchai had been sentenced to a jail term of two years and three months. He is appealing the sentence.