BAN PAK TRIUM FISHING BOAT PROJECT

Objective: To restore the community’s fishing fleet
Method: Staged allocation of cash and hardware
Estimated Expense:  Maximum 1,5 million Baht
Rotarian overseeing this project: PP Jeroen Deknatel

The fishing village of Ao Khoei was completely destroyed by the tsunami and many members of this small community lost their lives.  The remaining 23 families are rebuilding their village in a nearby mangrove-sheltered area that is called Pak Trium. 

The Rotary Club of Patong Beach is supporting these villagers with supplies of food and other basic essentials. However, this proud Muslim community would like to re-start their coastal fishing operations and become self-sufficient again. To achieve this it was decided to assist in the repair and fitting out of Ban Pak Trium’s fishing boats.

Before the disaster the community owned a total of 21 longtail boats.  A number of these can be used, four were completely destroyed and eight boats need repairs. These repairs are taken care of locally as part of a government sponsored coastal fisheries recovery project.  Boats will be repaired two at a time.

Seven of the longtail boats lost their engines; two engines were salvaged but need to be overhauled. The seven new engines also need longtail shafts and propellers.  We will supply the engines but the longtail modifications are best done locally because the technical expertise is available there. Each boat also needs iceboxes for catch storage and antifouling paint for the wetted part of the hull.

All boats, including the ones that were not seriously damaged, lost their fishing equipment.  The type of fishing these coastal villagers traditionally do requires the use of different kinds of lines, hooks, traps and nets for crab, squid or fish as well as floating fish holding pens.  The villagers will make this equipment themselves but they need the materials.  As always, we prefer to supply goods rather than cash.  However, in this case, to avoid mistakes, it is best if these materials are bought by the villagers themselves.

The chosen approach for this project is therefore to donate cash and hardware in stages to coincide with the state of readiness of the community’s fleet.  Most of the hardware, as well as the engines (Yanmar #115,) is easily available in Phuket and can be purchased and delivered by our own members.  Ban Pak Trium has a Rotary Village Corps and cash for the purchase of materials will be given to the Village Chief in amounts not exceeding 50,000 Baht. We will get receipts for goods purchased before further cash is allocated.

If all goes as planned, this project will help the villagers of Ban Pak Trium community return to their traditional livelihood within a period of three months. 

Best regards,

P.P. Jeroen Deknatel