The nation of Thailand is home to an intricate network of ecosystems and habitats. With 15 mountain ranges throughout the country, the watersheds and main river basins connected to the Mekong River, Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea from a juncture of distribution for various plant species, such as the temperate plant species and sub-alpine flora species from China and the Himalayas, tropical plant species from Indo-China and tropical species from other parts of Asia [1]. Various agricultural, marine, and coastal ecosystems also inhabit the nation. Thailand’s rich biodiversity is facing devastating losses as species become extinct and habitats are threatened – often as a result of human activity. Reduction in biodiversity eliminates vital aspects of a biome and its ecosystems, producing a chain reaction that negatively impacts all levels of a biosphere. An article from the Bangkok Post reports on findings from the National Committee on Conservation and Utilization of Biodiversity, stating that the committee “… found that up to 122 mammals were under threat, along with 189 bird species, 51 reptile species, 19 amphibians and 290 fish species, or 671 of them altogether” and “… 107 corals, 14 Crustaceans, and 183 [mollusks] were under threat from habitat destruction, commercial harvesting, pollutions, invasive alien species, and the impacts of climate change…” [2].
Language is a vital component of culture. Through learning a language, you come to understand the customs, traditions, histories, and beliefs of the people associated with that particular tongue. In many ways, language is a culture’s soul – its very essence – and how it communicates. Hundreds of languages around the world are disappearing at an alarming rate. Every time a language ceases to be spoken, the cultures of its people die along with it.
Of the 7,100 or so languages in the world, more than 2,000 are indigenous to Asia, yet nine out of 10 of them are spoken by fewer than 100,000 people in countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, which have a large number of ethnic minorities, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [3]. Thailand’s dying languages pose significant concern for the region’s cultural diversity. In their 2010 publication, Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, UNESCO reported the languages of Thailand’s “… Austro-Asiatic group include extinct Phalok, three critically endangered languages, four severely endangered languages and six definitely endangered languages” [4]. The report also listed the languages Moklen, Urak Lawoi’, Gong, Mpi, Bisu, Akeu, Thai-Kadai and Saek as varying levels of endangered. [5] The majority of these languages remain endangered or have moved further towards a near extinct status. However, multiple institutions have made active efforts to preserve these languages and the cultures they represent.
The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) states, “the Indigenous Peoples of Thailand live mainly in three geographical regions of the country: Indigenous fisher communities (the Chao Ley) and small populations of hunter-gatherers in the south (Mani people); small groups on the Korat plateau of the north-east and east; and the many different highland peoples in the north and north-west of the country (previously known by the derogatory term “Chao-Khao,” or “hill tribes”)” [6]. These communities each contain unique cultures and histories that make up a large portion of the country’s diverse identity, yet these groups also experience various aggressions that indigenous peoples around the world have historically faced. As mentioned in previous posts, Thailand is under criticism by several organizations for alleged mistreatment of minority groups including the country’s indigenous peoples. Many of Thailand’s endangered languages belongs to these groups and there continue to be revitalization efforts to help preserve these cultures.
| Additional Readings
Biodiversity: Read the Convention on Biological Diversity‘s report on the implementation of countermeasures against vanishing biodiversity or explore an article on efforts to restore Thailand’s freshwater biodiversity from Mekong Eye. Language Loss and Diversity:
Thailand’s Indigenous Groups: Mongabay‘s article explores the links between the nation’s Indigenous Peoples and issues of biodiversity. |
Loss of biodiversity and language extinction are not isolated events. These phenomenons exist within a complex network and the disappearance of one causes significant impacts on the other. As our world continues to grow and connect, it is incredibly important that relationships between the vast ecosystems and the human population are taken into careful consideration.
Article written by Alexa Rose.
Endnotes
[1] Unit, Biosafety. “Thailand – Country Profiles – Main Details: Biodiversity Facts.” Convention on Biological Diversity, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/ country=th#:~:text=Threats%20to%20biodiversity%20in%20Thailand,of%20invasive%20alien%20species%2C%20coral.
[2] B.Tribune. “Thai Plants and Animals Under Threat From Habitat Loss to Climate Change.” Bangkok Tribune, 5 Sept. 2021, https://bkktribune.com/thai-plants-and-animals-under-threat-from-habitat-loss-to-climate-change/.
[3] UCA News reporter, Bangkok. “Un Warns of Mass Extinction of Se Asia’s Indigenous Languages – UCA News.” UCANews, 9 June 2021, https://www.ucanews.com/news/un-warns-of-mass-extinction-of-se-asias-indigenous-languages/92799.
[4] Moseley, Christopher, and Alexandre Nicolas. “Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.” Unesdoc.unesco.org, 2010, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000187026.\
[5] Moseley, Christopher, and Alexandre Nicolas. “Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.” Unesdoc.unesco.org, 2010, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000187026.
[6] “The Indigenous World 2022: Thailand.” IWGIA, 1 Apr. 2022, https://www.iwgia.org/en/thailand/4658-iw-2022-thailand.html#_edn2.
