Field trip - Community day
On Thursday, Day 4, we are heading to the town of Bang Saphan, about 170 km south of Hua Hin. Situated on the Gulf of Thailand, Bang Saphan is a small fishing village, with a long tradition of co-existence between small-scale and large-scale fisheries. Anchovies, squids and crabs are important fisheries here, caught by different types of gear – large and small – and with the processing of dried products, taken place in the community, either by the fishing households or a part of the small/medium size business enterprise.
In addition to seeing the fisheries livelihood, a visit to Bang Saphan also offers an opportunity to learn about community-based conservations efforts, like the 'crab-bank' project, which aims at protecting babies and egg-bearing crabs.
The Bangsaphan Fisheries Association and the communities are waiting to receive us, with displays of the work they have been doing, and a major seafood fest at the end of the day. Buses will depart from Dusit Thani Hotel at 8:00 SHARP and will return at about 21:00. A light snack will be provided for consumption on-route, but you can also buy more food and drink at the first restroom stop (see itineraries below). The main meal will be served at the community around 15:30.
Tentative itinerary (subject to change)
08:00 Departure from Dusit Thani Hotel
10:00 A rest stop at a big gas station where you can also buy food and drink
10:30 Bus leaving to continue to Phra Mahathat Chedi Phakdee Prakat (a beautiful temple on a seaside hilltop). You will be given time to walk around (climbing will be required for those wanting to have a good view) and enjoy the snack box that we'll provide.
12:30 Bus leaving for the visit to a crab bank project and a fishing community. Bus leaders will provide guidance on when to return to the bus to travel to ‘Laan Tao’
15:00 Arrival to Laan Tao, where we will enjoy food, music, performance and other programs.
18:00 Bus leaving to return to Dusit Thani Hua Hin
21:00 Estimated arrival time
What to bring
It is going to be very hot. Thus, please bring skin protection, hat, sunglasses, and umbrella. Bring a swimsuit if you like since we will be on the beach. If you have your own water bottle, please fill it up before you leave the hotel in the morning.
Important note
We have reached the maximum capacity for the field excursion. If you have pre-registered for the field excursion, you will need to confirm your participation at the time when you pick up the congress kit. Failure to do so will result in giving up your space to people on the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list, please confirm at the time of registration whether you are still interested in joining us. We are making every effort to make it possible to bring everyone interested in the field trip with us.
Don't forget!
As part of the ‘Community Day’ activities, we are inviting each of you to bring along a ‘small object’ about small-scale fisheries in your community. We will collect them when we get to the community. There will also be time for ‘cultural performance’ by countries, which can be in the form of dance, song, poetry, etc. Talk to your colleagues from the country and organize something but please limit the performance to about 3-5 minutes. It will be best if you don’t rely on microphone or sound system for the performance.
Send us an email (info@tbtiglobal@gmail.com) by the end of Tuesday April 28th, to express your interest.