Written by Amornpun Siritutswasdi BBA#19

Eight o'clock in the morning of Sunday 10th June 2012, the wheels of two coach buses carrying TBS current students, professors, officers, and alumni started rolling out of Thammasat University, Thaprachan campus. Since we were young, we usually heard that Mangrove Forests have so many benefits supporting the wealth of lives including us, Humans. All people in these two buses including me have the same intention to learn about Mangrove forests and how to plant them properly.

The coach buses reached Baan Klong Kon Conservation Center in Samut-Songkhram around ten o'clock. The sky was cleared. Everyone sat down side by side listening to a knowledgeable local speaker. After fulfilled with information of Klong Kon Mangrove Forest, we were eager to start planting. However it was nearly noon, we needed to refresh ourselves before completing the mission. Everyone prepared themselves on their bare feet, then, got on providing long-tail drag boats heading to have our lunch in the Mid-ocean wooden Cottage of local fishermen.

Along the way, we met a lot of Crab-eating macaques. We fed them with the bananas provided in the boat. Although their name clearly says Crab-eating, they all endeavored to climb into the boat for the fresh bananas. One of them rapidly snatched the banana on my hand leaving only the black muddy marks together with big smile on our faces.

After feeding all naughty macaques, it was the most suitable time to feed ourselves. Surrounding by views of blue cleared sky stretch to blue-green ocean simultaneously tempered by sea breezes, we had our local seafood lunch comfortably and delightfully. The highlight of this meal is Nam Prik Kapi (Spicy-shrimp-Chile-paste) for fried mackerel fish. It is a well-known dish in this area.

Once boosted up with energy, we were all ready to plant as we have planned. We take some photos while everyone was waiting for the boat to bring us to our destinations. To familiarize ourselves to the Klong Kon mangrove, Baan Klong Kon Conservation Center had arranged brackish water skiing for us. After we enjoy our skiing, we were prompt to sloppily plant the mangrove forest.

Planting each Sa-Mhae Mangrove Trees (Aegiceras cornicalatum) is not that easy. One hardest part is to walk in the mud. After we had walked for a while, we found it harder when our both legs had no energy left. Baan Klong Kon Conservation Center also offered us the man-dragged wooden board to bring us all back to the boats more conveniently.

After delightfully finalizing our mission, the boats brought us all back saying bye to all monkeys and heading to clean ourselves up readily for rambling at Amphawa Floating Market. By six o?clock in the evening, we headed back to Bangkok safely. This is one of the best memories in my BBA study. :)

Posted date: June 15, 2012 ? 10:05 hrs.