Working Group Socio-economics of Forest Use in the Tropics and Subtropics

Pictures from Thung Yai

• Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary and World Heritage Site

• Karen Communities in Thung Yai

• Karen land use in Thung Yai

• Ceremonies for the Rice Goddess: Phii bue yo and pao bue

• Celebration in honour of the aethae Hermits: Ma bou pia aethala aethae

• Buddhism in Thung Yai

• Problems in and around Thung Yai 

• Traditional Ecological Knowledge 

• People in Thung Yai

Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary and World Heritage Site

Mountains of Thung Yai and Vajiralongkorn (Khao Laem) Reservoir	Wildlife Sanctuary Thung Yai Naresuan	World Heritage Site Thung Yai RFD Headquarters
UNESCO Nomination of World Heritage Site	Grassland thung yai	Grassland thung yai
Cycads are common in thung yai	Savanna thung yai	Savanna thung yai
Savanna thung yai	Gallery forest near Salawa	Gallery forest near Sanepong
Creeper	Wetland	Evergreen Forest Thung Yai
Evergreen Forest near Tilaipa	Old abandoned Settlement Site near thung yai	Bamboo Forest

Karen Communities in Thung Yai

Telakho Karen at pia aethala aethae	Karen child at pia aethala aethae	Forest in Sanepong
Sanepong Bamboo House	Sanepong Housebuilding	Sanepong Water Buffalos
Sanepong Wooden House	Gosadeng Village	Gosadeng
Salawa Village	Salawa	Working Elephant near Laiwo Village
Tilaipa Village	Refugees near Phu Jue Mine	Washuku Village
Washuku Housebuilding	Laikontae Village	Sacred Grove in Laikontae
Water Buffalos in Gaenoe	Gaenoe Village	Gomongta Buddhist Wat

Karen land use in Thung Yai

Wet Rice and Swidden Fields at Sanepong	Swidden Field near Laiwo	Crop Diversity on Swidden Field
Crop Diversity on Swidden Field	Wild Pigs frequently feed on Swidden Fields	Field Hut on Swidden Field
Harvested Swidden Field	Swidden Fallow	Swidden Fallow
Slashed Fallow Area for Swidden Field	Burning of Swidden Field	Wet Rice Fields in Chakae
Wet Rice Fields and Gardens in Gosadeng	Harvest of Rice in Sanepong	Harvest of Rice in Sanepong
Winnowing of Rice in Chakae	Pounding Machine in Sanepong	Drying of Chillies in Salawa
Cultivation of Tobacco in Sanepong	Drying of Tobacco in Gosadeng	Transportation of Seedlings for Agricultural Project in Sanepong

Threshing Ceremony pao bue after the Rice Harvest in Gosadeng	Ceremony phii bue yo for the Rice Goddess in Gosadeng	Shrine for the Rice Goddess phii bue
Offering from a boungku Karen Priest at phii bue yo	Wrist Tying Ceremony kai tschung during phii bue yo	Sacral Rice Barn for Seed Rice bue shi ba and phii bue
Ritual Filling of Sacral Rice Barn	Ritual Filling of Sacral Rice Barn	Ritual Protection of Rice Barn by boungku

Celebration in honour of the aethae Hermits: Ma bou pia aethala aethae

Preparations for ma bou pia aethala aethae	The Sand Pagoda ba klong is built for ma bou pia aethala aethae	The Sand Pagoda ba klong at ma bou pia aethala aethae
Introduction of the Adolescents at ma bou pia aethala aethae	Introduction of the Adolescents at ma bou pia aethala aethae	Introduction of the Adolescents at ma bou pia aethala aethae
Preparation of the Shrine for the Earth Goddess songtri	Offering ma tschae songtri for the Earth Goddess	Offerings for the Earth Goddess songtri are part of many Karen Rituals
Offering of Rice	Prayer and Offering at the Sand Pagoda ba klong	Prayer and Offering at the Sand Pagoda ba klong
Celebration for the aethea at ma bou pia aethala aethae	Shrine of the aethae, revered as Sacred Hermits by the Karen in Thung Yai	Prayer and Offering at the Shrine for the aethae
Ceremony for the Keeper of the Forest rukkhajue at ma bou pia aethala aethae	Ceremony for the Keeper of the Forest rukkhajue at ma bou pia aethala aethae	Ceremony for the Keeper of the Forest rukkhajue at ma bou pia aethala aethae

Karen Buddhist Wat are found in most Villages in Thung Yai, here in Gosadeng	Most of the young Karen spend some time in one of the Karen Buddhist Wat	Most of the young Karen spend some time in one of the Karen Buddhist Wat
Karen Songkran bou thong krong in Sanepong	The Buddhism Karen practice in Thung Yai is based on Mon Buddhism	After washing the Monks are led into the Wat without touching the ground
Bamboo Pagodas are important for the celebration of Buddhist lent ook phansa	The end of Buddhist Lent ook phansa is celebrated with offerings	The end of Buddhist Lent ook phansa is celebrated with offerings
In Gosadeng at ook phansa Fruit and other things are offered on a Bamboo Raft	In Gosadeng at ook phansa fruit and other things are offered on a bamboo raft	The shrine for phu pha du the Village Tutelary Spirit is often built close to the Buddhist Wat

Mining at Phu Jue in the northwest of the Wildlife Sanctuary	Mining at Phu Jue in the northwest of the Wildlife Sanctuary	The roads through Thung Yai are important for the mining operations
Repairing the roads after the rainy season is challenging	Automobile Clubs frequently arrange motor rallies in Thung Yai	The difficult terrain in Thung Yai is attractive for adventure seeking city dwellers
At the fringes of the sanctuary deforestation for cash cropping is increasing	Deforestation for cash cropping is often used to establish land claims by wealthy town residents	Cultivation of Swidden Rice at the fringes of the sanctuary
Logging of old-growth forests in adjoining Burma at the fringes of Thung Yai	Logging of old-growth forests in adjoining Burma is often organized by Thai companies	Teak furniture from Burma transported to Thailand via the Three Pagodas Pass
Karen refugees from Burma in Thung Yai displaced by the Burmese Military	In this case a whole village was forced to flee   and seeks refuge in Thailand	Refugees are not tolerated in the sanctuary and have even been sent back into war zones

Mapping project of Karen land use areas together with Wildlife Fund Thailand	Seminary and excursions with Nepalese foresters together with RECOFTC	Representatives of the Culture and Education Committee of the Karen in Thung Yai
Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in the forest	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in the forest	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in the forest
Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in Sanepong	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in Sanepong	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in Sanepong
Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in Sanepong	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in thung yai	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in thung yai
Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge in Sanepong	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge at sae sa wo	Survey and dissemination of traditional ecological knowledge near Tilaipa