Disaster Risk Reduction - Thailand

DRR IN

Thailand Some coastal areas of Thailand were devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Regular droughts and floods pose a constant threat to Thailand. In addition, cyclones also pose a minor risk to the areas of the country.

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Save the Children’s Presence in Thailand Since 2005, Save the Children Sweden and partners have been working with schools in tsunami-affected areas to build and enhance the skills and knowledge of children through disaster risk reduction activities with $170,000 USD from Save the Children Sweden. The activity ranges from learning about different types of disasters to promoting disaster preparedness in schools and communities.

Education & DRR Above: Students take part in group motivational exercises before beginning child led DRR Education campaigning training at Ban Talaynork School, Ranong province.

Photo/story by Jack Picone.

Cover: Students at Ban Talaynork School in Ranong province,Thailand, cross check a risk and resource community map they developed showing areas that are at risk and those that are safe.

Education provides a natural space for providing disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities.

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, part of Save the Children’s response focused on children’s participation in DRR. This program had several components that included involving children in developing preparedness and evacuation plans and making DRR a part of primary and secondary school curricula.

Save the Children along with partners trained youth leaders to build capacity of school children through both classroom and community based activities to identify risks, conduct community risk and resource mapping and develop education campaigns.

Integrating DRR into normal school-day activities promotes sustainability of the messages and reduces the burden on children. Schools can build a culture of prevention that helps children to understand their environment, fosters awareness and contributes to risk reduction. In Thailand, children produced DRR posters with a story book called Albert Rabbit and a puppet show. These methods focused on children in schools and were designed to support children in spreading DRR messages.

Save the Children has successful advocated for the uptake of DRR curriculum in schools through the Ministry of Education. Child-led DRR principles have been integrated into standard subjects for students in primary schools.

What children think about the project When asked what the children felt they had learned and experienced from participating in the activities during the past two years, Nu-Tar, , Ma-Na, Archa, and Sead (All names are nicknames) replied as follows: • Nu-Tar, age 12, said “We had a lot of fun and I learned many new things. The good thing is that other people will learn about disaster risk reduction and it teaches the teachers as well. I have made a book, draw Risk and Resource maps, and did puppet shows. I would like to see my book published in English one day”.

• Ma-Na, age 11, said “I feel proud of myself because I can make a Risk and Resource Map that will help the villagers.”

• Archa, age 12, said “I am proud of myself. I never thought I would be able to make a Risk & Resource map but I did.” She added that she was happy that CLDRR teaches pupils not to panic in a disaster.

• Sead, age 11, said “We’ve learned how to prepare for a disaster and find an evacuation route.”

• Principal Supawadee Narwichean believes that students now understand how to be prepared and react to a similar emergency situation in the future. But she thinks much more work needed to be done, and this is just a starting point.

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