Marine activist highlights exploitation in Mu Ko Surin National Park

Siranudh, who previously served as an adviser to the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), revealed that Mu Ko Surin is the only national park he had avoided visiting during his tenure.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Siranudh explained that a well-known local tour operator employed Morgan children, aged between 12 and 18, as tour guides and diving instructors.

He described a typical day for these children: they would take tourists snorkelling from around 9am until 4pm, prepare diving equipment, pose for photographs with guests, serve food, and clear dishes — all for a monthly wage of 4,000 baht. 

As a tip, the operator would top up their mobile phone so they could play games. Siranudh added that in some cases, the children were expected to manage groups of up to 10 tourists.

“I felt deeply uncomfortable,” he admitted, “In normal society, children are not employed as labourers, and even during lunch, the tour operator will have the children sit and eat in the staff area; they are not allowed to sit with the customers.” 

He also noted that when the tourists were young women, male Morgan children were asked to remove their shirts for photo opportunities.

The children worked throughout the tourist season, coinciding with the national park’s opening period. A local adult in the village was reportedly responsible for gathering and recruiting the children to report to the tour operator.

He shared that although he had invited the Morgan children to join volunteer activities outside the Surin Islands, they would always respond that they needed to ask the tour operator. “It always ended with the operator refusing to let them go,” he said.

Siranudh further explained that the Morgan locals live on a small beach approximately 230 metres long in Mu Ko Surin National Park. “If you’ve ever visited the Surin Islands, you would see that the sanitary conditions raise serious questions about their quality of life,” he said.

The marine conservationist noted that he had informed the head of the national park early last year that a local tour operator was employing child labour, but the head replied that he was aware of the situation and knew the operator personally. 

He pointed out that park officials also employed Morgan people to do cleaning, kitchen work, carry sacks of rice, transport goods, and assist with various park duties throughout the day, for a monthly wage of 4,000-5,000 baht.

Siranudh stressed that most Morgan locals are Thai citizens, adding that they even inspired the science fiction film Avatar: The Way of Water. He explained that early last year, he allowed two children to participate in conservation activities. 

He noted that, due to their seafaring heritage, the Morgan have developed physical adaptations that allow them to hold their breath underwater longer than most people, and some even have exceptional underwater vision.

Another reason he involved the children, he said, was to keep them within sight of national park officials to help ensure their safety. 

Over the course of the three-day mission—which involved diving to survey coral reefs and collect marine debris—the children were able to dive over 10 metres without any equipment, cut through nets, and return to shore faster than even the park staff.

He added that they were able to spot marine creatures and ghost nets more quickly than anyone else on the team.

Siranudh further shared that during a visit to the Morgan Village, a local resident told him that they are no longer able to build boats in their traditional style. They are pressured instead to purchase longtail boats from Phang Nga province to match the image expected by the southern tourism industry.

The island has only one school, staffed by a single volunteer teacher who is responsible for every subject. Due to the difficulty of travel, the teacher is sometimes unable to reach the island, which means Morgan children often miss out on the same educational opportunities as other Thai children.

“The Morgan—who are a part of the Thai population—are an essential part of our society,” he said. “Beyond the children’s diving skills and strategic abilities, Morgan culture and history are a vibrant thread in Thailand’s identity, reminding us of the rich diversity within the Thai people.”

Siranudh urged major organisations and government bodies to create more opportunities to support and showcase the talents of the Morgan, suggesting that their skills and identity could become a defining feature of southern Thai marine tourism. 

He added that Morgan people are ideally suited to serve as park rangers in the area, as they understand the environment more deeply than anyone else.