Field trip teaches youngsters about marine biology
Achara Ashayagachat in Chon Buri
Chinese students release baby sea turtles into the sea at Sattahip beach in Chon Buri province. The activity marked the end of a five-day study tour organised for 100 Chinese students by the Thai embassy in Beijing to forge bilateral ties. |
Youngsters who live thousands of kilometres from each other in two countries gathered at a tranquil Sattahip beach yesterday to learn about marine ecology - and how to protect it.
The young people - 100 from China and the rest Thai students from Bangkok and Sattahip - learned about mangrove forests and the life cycle of sea turtles. They also released turtles into the sea.
The Chinese students were on a five-day trip to learn about the Thai environment and culture.
Over the past five days, the students joined various activities, but said the most impressive moment was when HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn granted them an audience on Monday.
"The Princess is marvellous. She talked to us in Chinese. She cares about Chinese people and said she will visit Chengdu next month. We appreciate her kind concern," said Wang Fang Yi, an 18-year-old boy from Chengdu, which was badly hit by the earthquake on May 12.
Speaking on board the Shanghai-built Pattani royal gunboat bound for Koh Kram, the teenager said he liked Thailand very much and thanked the Thai people for sending donations to help those who suffered in the earthquake.
Wang was one of 100 Chinese students from eight provinces who joined the trip organised by the Thai embassy in Beijing.
"This visit is an eye-opener for me. Besides the Princess, we also met Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. And here in Sattahip, we appreciate the bright sky and pristine beach," said Wang.
He said he had never been to a beach before, nor had any close encounters with sea turtles.
"Learning about the turtle's life and their struggle during their long lifespan is great fun. I've also had a good time with my Thai and Chinese friends," said Wang, who pledged to work for the prosperity of Chengdu province.
Wu Yu Zhou, a 16-year-old boy from Beijing, said he had been to China's famous beaches at Dalian and Qingdao, but Thai beaches were more beautiful and worth preserving.
When asked about Thai people, he said they were easy-going.
"Chinese students know different things about Thailand," said Wu. "But in fact, we know different things about our country too because it's so huge."
He said he hoped Thai and Chinese students would appreciate one another as the two nations are forging closer relations on all fronts.
Charit Setsuwan, a Mathayom 4 student from Chitralada school, said the Chinese language will become more important in the near future.
Charit said he enjoyed the sea turtle conservation activities because it gave him an opportunity to work with fellow students from China and Chon Buri to do something good for the environment.
He also enjoyed learning Mandarin from his Chinese friends.
"It's not easy for a turtle to survive in a deteriorating environment and the naval officers have been trying to help them by launching this project for them to reproduce.
"If it survives, a turtle can live a century. It's like Sino-Thai relations which require a lot of helping hands to forge smooth cooperation. Once the ties are strong, nothing can break them,"said Charit.
Senior Captain Panu Punyavirocha, naval attache to Beijing, said the students' trip to Sattahip had enhanced the youngsters' appreciation of nature.
"They've learned to save the environment and to preserve degraded mangrove forests and endangered sea turtles."
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