A Socio-Economic Survey at

Some Islands Adjacent to Lampi Marine National Park

Tint Tun and Aung Myint Oo Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA)

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation

Association (BANCA)

Europe Conservation Switzerland

(ECoSwiss)

May, 2008

1

Introduction

Lampi Island is an island of Myeik Archipelago in southern Myanmar. The

island is also known as Kyunn Tann Shey. Lampi Island was officially designated

as Marine National Park on the 27th. February, 1996 and coral reefs, mouse deer

and Salone ethnic culture are key protection. Salone is an ethnic group of

Myanmar and they are also known as Moken or Sea Gypsies. Ma Kyone Galet

and War Kyuun are famous villages in that Park area. A preliminary socio-

economic interview survey was conducted at Nyaung Wee, Ma Kyone Galet, Ko

Phawt, Salat Galat and War Kyuun villages of Bok Pyin and Kawthoung

Townships from 17 to 27 March 2008.

MYANMAR

Figure 1. Map showing the Lampi Island.

Figure 2. Lampi Island.

Lampi Island Bok Pyin

Kawthoung

THAILANDBay of Bengal

2

Figure 3. Map showing the location of Nyaung Wee village.

Figure 4. Nyaung Wee village.

1. Village - Nyaung Wee

2. Location - N 10º29.617', E 098º14.344'

3. Island - Nyaung Wee Island.

The village is situated near the south-east corner of

the island facing mainland and Aung Ba in the east.

4. House - 27 (made of bamboo, wood, thatch and corrugated

iron)

5. Household - 27

6. Population - 116

Male (55), Adult/Children (36/19)

Nyaung Wee Island

Nyaung Wee Village

Lampi Island

Bay of Bengal

Aung Ba vilage

Nyaung Wee Village

Kawthoung

3

Female (61), Adult/Children (40/21)

7. Races -

Dawei, Rakhine, Kayin 51

8. Religion n 1

9. Business - sea cucumber) is the main

10. Government - been assigned temporarily as a

11. -

are linic at the village but a person who moved from

13. Fuel wood - de charcoals

14. Fresh water - nstructed at a stream about 1 miles

15. Transportation - gular passenger ferry to

16. Remarks -

Native Salone 65

(Other) Myanmar,

Buddhist 35, Nat 80 (1 Witch Doctor), Christia

No religious buildings.

Fishery (squid and

business. Motorized boats and Salone dug-out canoes

have been used in fishing. Three stores cum cafe are

also opened at the village. Sea cucumber fishermen

from Ayeyarwady delta area use the village as their

temporary station. Salone also goes squid fishing not

only in their village water but also in other areas. They

go to such area by trailing behind a motorized boat

(Figure 4 & 5). They must sell their squid to the boat

owner as the owner provide food and drink to them

during their fishing.

Nil. (a villager has

Agencies

School

village leader man)

Nil.

12. Health c - No C

other area has some health and medicine knowledge

and he takes care of the villagers. Some medicine can

be bought from the shops at the village.

Locally available woods and home-ma

are used as fuel.

A small dam is co

west away from the village. A villager sells water at

500 Kyats (about 0.5 US Dollars)/50-gallon barrel and

it is supplied by water pump.

Access only by boats. No re

and from other places. Ma Kyone Galet, Aung Ba and

Kawthoung are the most contact places for business.

Nyaung Wee is known as a Salon village. Income

4

covers just their expenses. However, there is a

marine-product-purchasing depot and owner of the

depot has good income. He sells his goods in

Kawthoung occasionally. Villagers also collect sea

urchin eggs, rock oysters, sea shells and sand worms

for their food. They do not sell forest products. But, it

was learnt that some peoples from Aung Ba village

which is situated near main land in the east came and

fell trees with chain-saw for trading purpose.

Another temporary fishing camp is situated on the

south-west coast of the Island and it is more shelter

and busy than Nyaung Wee village with many various

kinds of artisinal fishing boats for overnight stop,

freshwater, refreshment, food and things.

Figure 5. Some seacucumbers being sun out at Nyaung Wee Island.

Figure 6. Heading towards a squid fishing ground.

Figure 7. Fishing boats anchored and stranded at the Nyang Wee Island temporary fishing

camp. They will go to Kawthoung when the tide floods again.

5

Makyone Galet village

Bo Cho Island

Lampi Island

Aung Ba village

Ma Kyone Galet Village

Kawthoung

Bay of Bengal

Figure 8. Map showing the location of Ma Kyone Galet village.

Figure 9. Ma Kyone Galet village.

1. Village - Ma Kyone Galet

2. Location - N 10º41.001', E 098º15.539'

3. Island - Bo Cho Island.

The village is situated at the northern part of the island

in the passage between Lampi and Bo Cho islands

facing Lampi island in north.

4. House - 88 (made of bamboo, wood, thatch and corrugated

iron)

5. Household - 88

6

(Salone 32, Myanmar 25, Salone/Myanmar 31)

6. Population - 295

Male (139), Adult/Children (80/59)

Female (156), Adult/Children (90/66)

7. Races - Native Salone 50%

(Other) Myanmar, Dawei, Rakhine and Kayin 50%

8. Religion Buddhist 294, Christian 1

Monastery 1, Pagoda 1

Salone also built Buddhist shrine at their home.

9. Business - Fishery (fish, squid, sea cucumber and crab) is the

main business. 43 motorized artisinal fishing boats

(individual owned 18, business men owned 25) and 35

Salone dug-out canoes have been used in fishing by

the village. A total of 15 grocery, stores and cafes are

also opened at the village. A workshop and a small

shipyard are also opened at the village. About 22 acre

horticulture farm planted some vegetables and fruits

(mango, cachew, coconut, betel nut, betel leaf,

banana, water crest etc.).

10. Government

Agencies

- Village Peace and Development Council Office (7

members)

Fire brigade 1 (7 members with no fire extinguishers

and fire fighting equipments)

11. School - Basic Education Post Primary School (1)

Staff and Students

Principal (1), Junior/Primary Assistant Teacher (2),

Local Appointed Teacher (1), Labour (1), Students

(112)

12. Health care - A state-run Sub Rural Health Centre is opened with a

certified nurse.

13. Fuel wood - Charcoal and Fuel wood are supplied mainly from

Aung Ba village.

14. Fresh water - Pump from some freshwater streams near the village

7

to fill in 3 storage tanks of about 400 gallon capacity.

Then freshwater is supplied by gravity flow to the

boats and some houses. Owners sell at 500 Kyats/50-

gallon barrel.

15. Transportation - Access only by boats. Regular passenger ferry boat to

Aung Ba village. Kawthoung is the main contact place

for all businesses.

16. Remarks - Out of 126 under-18-years-old peoples, 112 attended

the school from 1st to 8th. Grades. Therefore, it can be

said that 89.6% of the children attend the school. New

school building is constructing.

Illegal logging extracted some timbers from the island

in the past but nowadays there is no illegal logging.

However, with an exception, some timbers have been

extracted from the island for local use.

Ma Kyone Galet is known as a Salone village and a

busiest village in that area with fishing boats from both

the village and other areas. Sea cucumber fishermen

from Ayeyarwady delta area and artisinal fishermen of

various fishing boats also use the village as their

temporary station for stopover, freshwater, food,

refreshment and things.

Figure 10. Main street of the Ma Kyone Galet village.

Figure 11. A passenger ferry boat (in set) to Aung Ba village is leaving Ma Kyone Galet

village. (Lampi Island can be seen at background)

8

Ko Phawt Village

Lampi Island

Ko Phawt village Aung Ba village

Ko Phawt Island Kawthoung

Bay of Bengal

Figure 12. Map showing the location of Ko Phawt village.

Figure 13. Ko Phawt village.

1. Village - Ko Phawt

2. Location - N 10º51.721', E 098º11.639'

3. Island Ko Phawt Island.

The village is situated on the northern bank of tidal

passage between north and south islands.

4. House - 8 (made of bamboo, wood and thatch)

5. Household - 8

6. Population - 30

Male / Female (19/11)

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7. Races - Myanmar

8. Religion - Buddhist

9. Business - Fishery (fish, squid and sea cucumber) is the main

business. Hundreds of squid traps are deployed near

the island using six motorized boats. Fish purchasing

depot is opened by a man from Late Kyuun village

(near Aung Ba). Two private owned big wooden

motorized boats are used for transportation of their

goods to Kawthoung town and Aung Ba village. Two

cafes and one café cum store are opened at Ko Phawt

village. Sea cucumber fishermen from Ayeyarwady

delta area use the village as their temporarily station.

10. Government

Agencies

- Nil.

11. School - Nil.

12. Health care - Nil. Some medicine can be bought from the shops.

13. Fuel wood - Charcoal and locally available wood.

14. Fresh Water - Small freshwater stream on south island supplies

water to the village but hard to meet the demand in a

few summer months.

15. Transportation - Access only by boats. No ferry boat service. Ma

Kyone Galet and Aung Ba is the most contact places

for business. Kawthoung is the main business contact

town with the purchasing depot.

16. Remarks - Ko Phawt is temporary fishing camp village and they

closed their camp during the raining season. S

Figure 14. A fishing boat anchored at the tidal passage of Ko Phawt Island.

10

Salet Galet Village

Lampi Island Salat Galet village

Aung Ba village

War Ale Island

Kawthoung

Bay of Bengal

Figure 15. Map showing the location of Salat Galet village.

Figure 16. Salet Galet village.

1. Village - Salet Galet

2. Location - N 10º52.644', E 098º05.053'

3. Island - War Ale Island.

The village is situated on the north coast of the Island

in a passage between the War Ale and Lampi Islands

facing Lampi Island in the north.

4. House - 9 (made of bamboo, wood and thatch)

5. Household - 9

6. Population - 39

Male 19, Adult/Children (12/7)

11

Female 20, Adult/Children (12/8)

7. Races Myanmar

8. Religion Buddhist

9. Business Cafe shops and fishery (squid and sea cucumber) are

the main business. Small eight café shops are opened

at the village and they also sell other goods and

liquors. There is a purchasing depot at the village.

Small scale squid and sea Cucumber fishing have

been done by the villagers. Two small motorized boats

are used for transportation.

10. Government

Agencies

Nil.

11. School - Nil.

12. Health care Nil. Some medicine can be bought from the shops.

13. Fuel wood Wood and charcoal. Mainly come from Ma Kyone

Galet.

14. Fresh water A small dam was constructed at a small stream on the

facing Lampi Island about one mile away from the

village. Freshwater is available throughout the year.

However, it can supply just enough water during the

dry season.

15. Transportation Access only by boats. No passenger ferry service. Ma

Kyone Galet is the main contact.

16. Remarks All villagers at Salat Galet come from Makyone Galet

or Aung Ba villages or Palaw town (situated between

Dawei and Myeik towns) to run their shop, usually,

from November to beginning of raining season. The

owner of the fishery depot lives at the village

throughout the year. Many fishing vessels including

offshore fishing vessels from Myeik use Salat Galet for

freshwater, refreshment and taking refuge when bad

weather condition as it is very good sheltered place

and deep enough for any fishing boats.

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War Kyuun village

War Kyuun Island Lampi Island

Aung Ba

War Kyuun Village

Kawthoung

Bay of Bengal

Figure 17. Map showing the location of War Kyuun village.

Figure 18. War Kyuun village.

1. Village - War Kyuun

2. Location - N 10º54.722', E 098º14.919'

3. Island - War Kyuun Island.

The village is situated on the west bank of the Island

facing Lampi Island in the west.

4. House - 243 (mainly made of wood, brick and corrugated

iron).

5. Household - 27

6. Population - 1317

Male / Female (695 / 612)

13

7. Races - Myanmar

8. Religion - Buddhist

Monastery 1, Pagoda 1.

9. Business - Fishery (Fish, Squid, Shrimp, Ice Factory, 50 Ton/Day

Ice Factory and Cold Storage, Fish Processing Plant)

run by a private company, Anawar Soe Co. Ltd. ) is

the main business. A fish meal factory is under

construction at adjacent islet. The company is trading

with both Myanmar and overseas companies. A super

market is opened at a concrete building by the

company and many shops are opened at the village.

10. Government

Agencies

- Local security troop has been set up at the village.

11. School - Basic Education Post Primary School

Principal (1), Junior Assistant Teacher (1), Primary

Assistant Teacher (1), Local appointees: Junior

Assistant Teacher (5), Local Appointees: Primary

Assistant Teacher (4)

Students (352)

12. Health care - A Clinic is opened at the village.

13. Fuel wood - Wood and charcoal. 24-hour electricity supply.

14. Fresh Water - A small dam is built at a small stream on the Lampi

Island and freshwater is pumped up to a storage tank.

It is supplied to War Kyuun village (War Kyuun Island)

through an underwater pvc-pipe line by gravity flow.

Freshwater is sold at the village.

15. Transportation - Access only by boats. No regular passenger ferry

service. Myeik and Kawthoung towns are the main

business contacts.

16. Remarks - War Kyuun village is the most modernized and

populated village in that area. It is a private owned

village and the Anawar Soe company’s workplace in

Tanintharyi division. The company owners upgraded

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the village building one and two-storey family lines

with brick and corrugated iron roof. They also built

well furnished two-storey school and provide books to

all students. There is a library at the village and a

clinic for both out- and in-patients. There was a

medical doctor at the clinic. A total of 116 staff run ice

factory, cold storage and fish processing plants.

Concrete landing site is also built at the factory. It is

usually busy with many modern and artisinal fishing

vessels and most of them are owned by the

company. An IP Star satellite telephone line has been

connected to the village.

Figure 19. Anawar Soe Co. Ltd. cold-

storage and fish processing factory.

Figure 20. Basic Education Post Primary

School at War Kyuun village.

Figure 21. Mini-market at War Kyuun

village.

Figure 22. A street at War Kyuun village.

(Library building is on the right)

Figure 23. War Kyuun village.

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Discussion

Out of the five villages, two villages (Nyaung Wee and Ma Kyone Galet) are

located in Kawthoung Township and three villages (Ko Phawt, Salet Galet and

War Kyuun) are located in Bok Pyin Township. Nyaung Wee, Ma Kyone Galet and

War Kyuun villages are permanent villages but Ko Phawt and Salet Galet villages

are seasonal. War Kyuun and Ma Kyone Galet villages are developing with both

fishery and other businesses. Lampi Island is located in Bok Pyin Township. But,

villages surrounding the Lampi communicate very much more to Kawthoung than

Bok Pyin for business, food, goods, fuel oil and travel.

The population of each villages described are the number of villagers live at

their respective villages. Many more peoples, who are not included in that

population, are also going in and out the villages and fluctuation is mainly depend

on their target animals, fishing gears, fishing practices, fishing grounds and catch.

Figure 14. Figure showing the no. of male and female at five villages.

Nyaung Wee and Ma Kyone Galet are known as Salone villages. However,

peoples from other areas have come and settled at the villages. Some married

with Salone girls and live at the villages.

According to a villager from Nyaung Wee, more people from mainland are

expected to come and settle in a few years as more fishing vessels have come to

Nyaung Wee Island and business related with the vessels have grown at the

island. Even the ferry boat from Aung Ba was observed at the temporary fishing

16

camp at Nyaung Wee Island. That camp is more expected to develop with

peoples from other areas than the Nyaung Wee village as it can provide much

more clear anchorage and shelter place whereas some exposed and submerged

rocks are situated in open water in front of the Nyaung Wee village.

More peoples are also coming to the Ma Kyone Galet. Peoples annexed

the village by building some houses on the east coast of the Bo Cho Island just a

few minutes walk through a low ridge from the main village. Some villagers lived

on the east coast burnt their surroundings where freshwater stream is flowing and

do horticulture. A culturist uses pump to water his betel leaf plantation proved

good freshwater supply there.

Ma Kyone Galet, Salet Galet and War Kyuun villages are long time well

known places among the fishermen for very good shelter in bad weather and

freshwater source. However, surroundings of two freshwater sources at Ma Kyone

Galet village are dirty with left over oil bottles and spilled oil. A villager said that, at

least two or three children are dead every year because of the not-clean water,

Many left-over packaging materials are also found near public bathing places.

Figure 25. A freshwater source at Ma Kyone Galet village.

Figure 26. A freshwater source at Ma Kyone Galet village.

Survey period was coincided with long summer school holiday. Many

children were found at all survey sites to live with their parents during their

holidays. Some Salone ladies bring their children to their fishing since no one of

their relatives at the village can take care of them during their fishing trip to other

17

areas. They said that they were poor and it was a very hard life for them. Salones

are generally impoverish peoples.

Figure 27. Salone children are waiting for their mothers while their mothers are collecting sea urchin eggs in a shallow water of the Lampi Island.

Figure 28. Moving towards some rocks for oyster collection. After collecting some food, they will go back to mother boat which anchored a few hundred meters away.

Recommendation

Raising public awareness of environment and natural resources is an

urgent need for sustainable development and conservation of Lampi and its

surrounding area since the area has got on its development momentum with

fishery, tourism, trade and more settlement. It will be the best that social security

and vocational training for job opportunities for peoples, especially for Salone, can

be done concurrently. Summer short mobile environmental education

programmes are also recommended for children because they come from various

coastal places and, therefore, they can share and spread their knowledge when

they go back to their respective towns/villages to attend their next academic year.

18

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Mr. Luca Schueli (ECoSwiss) for his support and U

Uga (BANCA) for his encouragement. We also appreciate Captain Eddy Gallina of

the “Sea Nomad” catamaran of Marinasia Co. Ltd., Mr. Barrt Bebdell and U Lu

Kyaw for their help in various ways during our survey. U Aye Maung Hlaing, U

Moe Kyaw and U Ko Ko Aung of Myanma Travels and Tours of Kawthoung are

also thanked for their help to become a successful trip. Last but not the least, our

thanks are also due to the interviewees during the survey.

Figure 24. Tint Tun (foreground, left) and Aung Mying Oo (foreground, right)

on the Sea Nomad katamaran boat with Eddy (at bow with sunglass) and Berry (sitting, left).