When renowned artist Pichai Pongsasaovapark was in Pattani, he was stunned to see large piles of scrap wood from decommissioned fishing boats that had been demolished by cranes. These scraps of wood were distributed to local villagers to be used as firewood for boiling anchovies.
"What I witnessed left me with many questions. Each of these boats holds immense value since they were crafted from dozens of sturdy takien logs. They should have been stored or repurposed. For example, they could have been transformed into a coffee shop, homestay or an educational museum," said Pichai.
"Instead of demolishing them, preserving some of these decommissioned fishing boats for an exhibition could educate young generations about Thailand's history with the EU's yellow card [for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing] and how the crisis was managed. The exhibition should include the boats' names and specifications and the exact compensation amounts paid by the government."
