Field Work Fun! 12/26/06

Aside from the slew of interviews I did for my research I was also able to have a bit of fun including a one day field trip with some of the forestry officials from the local RFD (Royal Forestry Dept) office. Lucky me December 26th is not only my cousin's birthday it is also Wildlife Protection Day in Thailand! On our way to the first stop of the day Wisute the leader of the group bought some fresh sugar cane for us to snack on. You don't actually eat the sugar cane just chew it, suck out the sweet liquid yummy-ness, then take what is left out of your mouth to throw away.
















The day began with a visit to a project in a village near the wildlife sanctuary that teaches local people how to cultivate orchids. Followed by a visit to the Wildlife Protection Day festival. The people at the festival were mainly staff from the forestry department and the national parks department and school children from all over the area. It seems the kids had school work assignments to complete while perusing the exhibits on insects, flowers, mammals etc. It wasn't all work though, there were performances with dances and songs that my translator said were about conserving the forest. A lot of local products were also being sold, I bought some nuts covered in coconut flavoring, they were delicious! These snacks would sell like crazy in Japan.
















After a tasty lunch with the forestry staff we went to Phu Jong Na Yoi National Park where the national park chief gave me a presentation. Phu Jong Na Yoi is actually where the borders of Cambodia and Laos meet with Thailand. The area is very rich in biodiversity partly due to landmines keeping the place dangerous enough to really protect the forest and keep people out. In this picture the gentleman sitting next to me is the chief of the park. The other woman in the photo is Osa, who actually has a much long Thai name that I can't pronounce! Osa worked on Phase I of the project I am researching and worked very hard as my unofficial translator that day.
















Following the presentation the chief and his staff were kind enough to take me to see the park's beautiful Huay Lung Waterfall. A few of us decided to make the decent down to the bottom. It was steep and tiring but well worth the effort.
















One of my favorite people in the group was this man Poomie, who despite my inability to communicate with him I like right away. He has a wonderful great big smile and a very kind and sweet aura about him. If you ever visit this place you might meet him as he is in charge of the visitor center. Here Poomie is holding leaves from the Jong plant which grows abundantly in the area and in part where the park's name Phu Jong Na Yoi comes from.