Everyday life on Phi Phi Island.. so if you want to survive on a small Island, well lets just say you don’t drive to the local shops around here, as there are non in this area! so you have to go out on the ocean and catch your own food. Here’s a few photos showing the process of catching fish with handmade fishing baskets.
…………..
The locals make fishing baskets from bamboo that they collect from the jungle, the netting is made from both natural twine and metal wire, which is all done by hand.
…………..
Once the baskets are ready, they load them on to long tail boats, and drop them in the ocean, they are usually left on the sea bed for around 10 to 12 days, so they need to make many of these baskets and drop them in various areas.
…………..
We sometimes go and help them collect some of the baskets. They have several ways of collecting the baskets from the sea bed, one of them is to free dive to a depth of 30 metres with a rope, and then drag them to the surface by hand.. sometimes the catch is very small, thats why they make so many baskets.
…………..
When they return to the island they divide the fish between all the families in the village, its incredible to see how these people survive, and their kindness to others, thats why they are masters of survival, because they all work together as a team, especially during these extremely difficult times.
…………..
We will share a short film with you soon showing a typical day on the ocean collecting baskets, but for now heres a short story with photos.
…………..
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ
…………..
We would like to remind everyone, that people in Thailand are struggling to feed and clothe themselves at the moment, the main economy of Thailand is tourism, so due to the current situation around the world with Covid-19 people, there are no tourists here, therefore they have no work, so no money, and there is no support here for people unlike in the Western World. It’s going to take many years for the economy of Thailand to recover, this leaves people in a very difficult situation.
…………..
Throughout our time in Thailand we are trying to help the local people the best we can, of late we have been bringing food and clothes from the mainland by boat to give to the local families on the island, we can manage to supply food and clothes to 35 families on a monthly basis, but that will only feed around 200 people for 3 days, therefore we need your support, if you can help by donating, no matter how small, it all adds up and will make the lives of these families that little bit easier, no one should have to starve, and as the people of Thailand always say to us “SHARE HAPPINESS”
…………..
Please follow the links below that will show you our recent food and clothing delivery around the village.
…………..
XXX LIVE LINKS IN COMMENTS XXX
…………..
Food & Clothing delivery FILM here:
http://www.chrisandgabsworldcyclingtour.com/2020/06/15/sharing-happiness/
…………..
DONATE HERE:
http://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpingphipphi
…………..
Thank you 🙏
Bang Dim & Somdech making fishing baskets 
The basket builder team 
Xaek cutting bamboo with bow saw 
Almost done, the finishing touches 
Xaek making metal fishing nets 
Tying the nets to the frame 
Somdech ready to go fishing 
Loading the long tail boat with the first basket of the day 
One of the smaller baskets 
Early morning, off to drop the first basket of the day, its going to be a long day, but a great one! 
These boats can move fast 
Free diving to 30 metres to find the basket 
Back to the surface with the rope, success! 
Nice job! 
Dragging the first basket to the surface by hand 
Heavy work 
Its looking good 
We have fish 
One of the big baskets 
Various fish types 
Time to open up the basket 
The basket has been on the sea bed for 11 days, it smells bad 
Puffer and dog fish to be returned to the ocean ‘alive’ 
Nice sized Pakaw fish, will feed a few families 
Puffer and dog fish to be returned to the ocean ‘alive’ 
To climb in these baskets you need to be very flexible 
Removing the puffer and dog fish carefully, to put back in the ocean 
Tonights meal ‘Pakaw’ 
Returning the basket to the seabed, see you in 11 days 
Happy with their catch 
Friends 
Dividing the catch between families 
Dropping me back at the island by long tail boat after a long day 
Tonight we eat Pakaw with one of the families 
The Team 
Team Selfie 
Pakaw Tom Yum Curry 
Grilled Fish
Fish and crabs 
Grilled Crabs 
Grilled Crabs
Chris and Gabs World Cycling Tour 