RANONG – Thai and U.S. government officials, community members, and private sector representatives gathered in Ranong’s Suk Samron subdistrict on 12 December to inaugurate the Kamphuan Community Learning Center and commemorate the second anniversary of the December 2004 tsunami. Event participants included Ranong’s Vice Governor Mr. Boonsong Tachamanesatit; the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Environment Office Director Mr. Winston Bowman; as well as representatives form the Kampuan Tambon Administration Office and Coca-Cola Thailand.
AIT was a partner in building the center and was represented by Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein, vice president for development and resources.
The new center has been planned to support education and training programs which will enhance the diversity of livelihoods and strengthen community resilience to natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami. Public-private partnerships and community engagement are highlights of successful project completion. The center also received support from Rotary International, Coca-Cola, and the Raks Thai Foundation.
USAID’s Bowman remarked, “The learning center is a legacy to the people of Kamphuan and surrounding region who have worked to rebuild stronger, more resilient communities following the 2004 tsunami. While the building itself strives to demonstrate green building techniques friendly to the environment, it is the programs of the learning center and the partnerships that will help ensure community members are ready to face future challenges and seize opportunities."
The 500-square-meter, two-story learning center is designed for multiple purposes. Large outdoor areas can accommodate meetings and workshops, while a conference room and classroom inside the building will be used for training and educational programs. A computer room will provide services to local business operators for their sales and marketing activities. Additionally, the center has a tsunami memorial room which contains educational materials and tsunami survivor testimonials. The building was constructed using a locally-produced brick designed to reduce material cost and increase structural stability for coastal areas.
The Kamphuan Community Learning Center is the crowning achievement of USAID’s Post-Tsunami Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Program. Initiated in May 2005, the program has worked in five tsunami-affected villages in Ranong Province to build the resilience of coastal communities, rebuild the economic basis of livelihoods, and provide skills and resources for self-recovery. In addition to construction of the center, project activities have included establishing village microfinance institutions, supporting environmental projection and co-management of natural resources, reducing local vulnerability to natural hazards, increasing risk and disaster management skills and strengthening local governance.
The Post-Tsunami Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by AIT, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Hawaii in cooperation with the Kamphuan Tambon Administrative Organization in Suk Samran District, Ranong Province, Thailand. More information on the program is located at www.crc.uri.edu.