The kids used an old raft to get to school but often there was not enough water

Happy kids coming home from school on their new bridge

In 2024 the wait for a foot bridge joining the Moken Village to Buffalo Bay was finally over.

Access to basic needs especially school for the children has always been very challenging for the Moken Community.  For many years there was a promise of a bridge but nothing ever happened.

Our Founder Gary with Fiona inspecting the new bridge

In 2023 we collaborated with United World College in Phuket to fund raise for a foot bridge. This would join the Moken village to Buffalo Bay allowing easier & much safer access for everyone. With the support of our generous foreign Payam Community, we raised 670,000 baht needed but were still unable to build.  We continued to wait & hope permission would be given.

In January 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand was planning to visit Koh Payam.  Finally we received permission to build our much needed bridge.  So after waiting  for more than 10 years, our bridge was finished in just one month.  This would not have been possible without the overwhelming support we received from our Payam Community.  Sadly we did not receive any government support.

On behalf of our Moken People, we thank you for caring for the original people of Koh Payam.