Children of the Mekong

Bangkok Post

7 days ago

As morning mist lifted over the Mekong River, a group of children, aged five to 17, gathered along its banks not just to admire its beauty but to tell its story. Over the course of three days, 40 children from Chiang Khan, a scenic town in the northeastern province of Loei, participated in a workshop to reconnect with their roots and raise their voice for the environment.
The activity was designed to connect children with their communities and environment through storytelling. With support from Mahasarakham University, the Hug Mekong Association, Thai PBS, and Chiang Khan Children and Youth Council and local volunteers, the workshop, organised as part of Unicef's I AM UNICEF volunteer programme and #CountMeIn campaign, offered children tools to express the changes they see and feel in their rapidly transforming community.
"Children know their communities better than anyone," said Channarong Wongla, president of the Hug Mekong Association. "If we create a space for them to explore, ask questions and tell stories, they thrive. Their insights can help preserve both the environment and the cultural identity of this place."
Chiang Khan, nestled on the banks of the Mekong River, is renowned for its cultural heritage and riverside charm. But today, the town grapples with a sobering reality -- declining fish stock, vanishing traditions and a younger generation that's increasingly disconnected from a way of life once shaped by the river.
To bridge this growing gap, the workshop began with immersive activities. Children learned Gyotaku, a traditional Japanese printmaking technique using real fish, to better understand Mekong fish species and biodiversity. The fish were later cooked and shared as meals. They also took boat rides along the river with local fishermen, witnessing firsthand the struggle to catch fish in a river that once teemed with life.
"Some groups came back without any fish," said 11-year-old Praewa Ruenkam, her voice quiet but firm. "When I was younger, my grandparents and father used to catch lots of shrimp. Now, they can hardly find any."
Praewa, who left school after Grade 4 to help her grandparents tap rubber trees for a daily wage, longs for the abundance her family once relied on.
"We earned more from shrimp. I wish they would return. But I don't know how to make that happen," she said.
After their river journey, the children got to work behind the camera. With guidance from 11 university students from Mahasarakham University and I AM UNICEF volunteers, they learned how to craft stories through video, how to frame a shot, ask questions and edit their footage.
"Our role is to empower children," said Angkana Promruksa, assistant to the president for Student Affairs and Organizational Communication and a lecturer at the Faculty of Informatics, Mahasarakham University. "We want to help them see they are the important and that they have the capacity to protect the environment and community."
Many of the volunteers come from northeastern Thailand themselves and relate deeply to the children's concerns.
"These children have strong bonds with their community," said Rattanaporn Noiwong, one of the Mahasarakham University volunteers. "They live with nature and are a part of it. They may not understand climate change, but they know something is wrong and they know they must protect their home."
One of the most moving examples came from 11-year-old Wutthipat Panpraw, whose group created a short film about Phasat Loy Khroa, an ancient local ritual meant to release misfortunes into the river.
"I'm afraid this ritual will disappear," he said. "People these days don't care about it. And the changing environment makes it hard to find the materials we need, like banana stalks and bee nests."
The workshop is part of Unicef's #CountMeIn campaign, which helps young people understand how climate change is transforming their communities, build skills to adapt and speak up about the environmental issues they care about -- making sure their voices help shape the solutions of tomorrow. This kind of engagement, says Nipattra Wikes, a communication officer at Unicef Thailand, is essential not only for protecting culture and biodiversity, but also for upholding children's right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
"Through this workshop, we are creating a platform for children to learn, express themselves and take part in shaping their future," said Wikes. "When children are heard, their communities grow stronger and so does our collective response to climate change."
Thailand ranks 30th in the Global Climate Risk Index 2025. A 2023 Unicef report found that children in Thailand face a high risk from climate change and environmental degradation, with droughts, heatwaves and floods disproportionately affecting the poorest and the most vulnerable.
This issue is especially urgent in places like Chiang Khan, where the impacts of environmental degradation are compounded by poverty and limited educational opportunities, said Piyarat Chuklinhom, a master's student in Contemporary Development and Development Practice at the Puey Ungphakorn School of Development Studies, Thammasat University who is researching child development in the area.
"Many children do not wish to follow their families into traditional fishing or farming and without alternative learning opportunities, they risk being left behind and their way of life is at risk of disappearing."
The workshop was made possible through collaboration between civil society, academic institutions, media, and Unicef. Thai PBS documented the children's journey, helping amplify their voices, while Mahasarakham University offered both technical support and mentorship grounded in local knowledge. The I AM UNICEF volunteer programme also played a key role, with university students serving as both instructors and role models showing children that growth and change are possible, even in rural areas.
"This isn't just a media workshop," emphasised Angkana Promruksa. "It's a space for children to see the good in their communities and unlock the potential that's too often overlooked."
What resonated most throughout the three days wasn't just the environmental insight or cultural knowledge shared but the quiet, unspoken love the children had for their community -- the kind of love that doesn't need explanation.
"They may not say the word love," said Rattanaporn. "But it's in everything they do. It's in the way they ask questions, tell stories and look out over the river. They live with nature and they know instinctively that it must be protected."
As the workshop came to a close, the children screened their videos to an audience of community members. Their stories were simple, yet profound -- a reflection of a world changing before their eyes and of their determination to hold on to what matters most. The videos were shown at Chiang Khan Walking Street last month, giving both tourists and locals the chance to witness their work.
"I've lived in Chiang Khan all my life, but I never knew much about the different fish species, fishing tools or boats," said Rapatsorn Pichayametasit, 17, a member of the Chiang Khan Child and Youth Council. "Now I want to share what I've learned and encourage everyone to protect the Mekong River."