Pandemic brings relief to Thailand's 'people of the sea'

For Thailand's Chao Lay, or 'people of the sea', the cloud of the pandemic has a fortuitous silver lining: respite from the threats posed to their way of life by mass tourism.

Construction work has ground to a halt on the various tourism projects on the island of Phuket, typically full of backpackers and travellers. The blue waters surrounding the island paradise have been strangely empty since the pandemic began, leading to an abundance of fish to catch and an easier life for Sanan Changnam and his people. These once nomadic 'people of the sea' first landed in Phuket around three centuries ago: long before it became one of Thailand's preeminent beach destinations.

The Chao Lay regard this area as their ancestral land and the beach plays an integral role in their daily life and animist beliefs, serving as a site for burial and prayer as well as the location where boats are stored overnight.

However, owing to the Chao Lay being a predominantly oral culture, they have yet to register this sacred land in their name and have come under immense pressure from tour operators seeking to monopolise the beach.

Help may be at hand, as the Thai government have recently acknowledged the cultural significance of this seafaring community and are now supporting the Chao Lay claim to the land. One proposal under consideration involves Thai authorities purchasing the land on behalf of the Chao Lay.

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