12 Nov 2007 - My name
is Doungjun Roongruang, and I am 31 years
old. Growing up in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand’s
easternmost province (600 km away from Bangkok),
was peaceful and quiet. Back then, my parents
ran a small ice delivery business and my
father would go to the ice manufacturers
every morning to distribute ice orders to
various restaurants and kiosks.
Both my parents are diligent working class
people. With the profit they make from delivering
ice, they were able to support a family
of six. Now I work as a Global Environment
Facility Team Programme Assistant for the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in Bangkok. Working for a development organization
with environmental programmes has really
opened my eyes to the climate change crisis
around the world.
Here in Thailand, we cannot predict the
weather any more
Normally, the “winter” begins in mid-November,
but now it only starts in December or January.
The season is now shorter and not as cold
as it used to be. You could say that there
is no longer “winter” in Thailand!
Meanwhile, the temperature during the summer
is increasing every year
It’s really hot and getting hotter! During
the last few summers, we have had at least
40 ºC and in 2007, the temperature
reached 42-43 ºC. This is definitely
more than the temperature I experienced
in the summer when I was younger. Even my
parents are noticing the changes, and are
asking “what is happening to the climate?”
Furthermore, in the last 2 or 3 years,
I have noticed that the rainy season in
Thailand has become longer, often encroaching
into the winter months. The rain is also
more intense. This is having an impact on
farmers, who are no longer able to predict
the weather, and this affects their ability
to plant crops and ensure a good harvest.
Another climatic change I have experienced
over the last 5/6 years is flooding in my
home town. During the rainy season, the
river that crosses the town rises and spills
over. This is happening despite the presence
of an upstream dam.
When I was a young boy, in the countryside,
fireflies were abundant and I could see
them everywhere I looked. But today, it
is not the same story in my home town. I
can only catch a glimpse of these wonderful
insects in mangroves or deep forest areas.
I believe that among several causes, climate
change may be the main culprit.
What I am doing to save this world is taking
photos of places where the environment has
been degraded and posting them on public
websites. I want to show a different side
of the Earth to tell others about this big
issue – climate change. The more I take
pictures, the more this sends a message
to people to make the world a better place.
Most of the photos that I have taken to
date are a mixture of unspoiled and degraded
areas of Thailand. In this way, I believe
that I am able to capture and convey the
great value of conservation. My aim is to
really instill into the audiences' mind
the valuable natural heritage of Thailand
and heighten their awareness of conservation.
Environmental organizations in Thailand
are working very hard to save this world
from global warming. But it seems people
are still not really paying attention to
the problem. They are absorbed by their
daily life and close their eyes to what
is happening. It takes time to encourage
and raise people’s awareness. But I do believe
that people could do more if media showed
more of the problems that the planet is
facing. I am hoping that we can get through
this crisis together, otherwise there will
be no place for us to live in.
Without proper conservational ethics and
proper environmental education for the next
generations of Thais, I cannot imagine what
Thailand will turn out to be like.
