Locations“Meet Niran, Sornsawan and Natthida three biodiversity conservation practitioners who brought Koh Tao back to life”
May 21, 2024
The tourism industry is the biggest contributor to Thailand with approximately 40 thousand international tourists visiting annually. Back in 2019, the country was one of the countries impacted by COVID19. As we all know COVID19 left the world’s economy with a huge downstream impact especially in tourism industry, everything was completely shut down, transportation becomes more difficult to commute around and people moved back to their hometown with low income or worse, no income. The world was completely in silence for a while and the environment seemed to be restored but are they sustainable and resilient enough to thrive for an unpredictable challenge in the future?
Koh Tao – one of the famous tourist attractions among travelers was completely shut down too. This means no tourists and no activities run on the island during that time, which made the life of the local community become even more challenging.
Facing a significant financial crisis threatening tourism-dependent natural treasures, UNDP Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) developed and supported five crowdfunding campaigns in 5 countries worldwide including Thailand. The campaign aims to help the livelihood of the local community, create a strong alliance among key government, finance sector, NGOs and other private sector partners and stakeholders and raise awareness of biodiversity conservation and the financial crisis in parks and protected areas.
In Thailand, since the lockdown, the local islanders of Koh Tao, who typically operate tour boats, have lost a significant source of income. Later in 2021, UNDP Thailand kicked off the campaign ‘‘Koh Tao, Better Together’ to help the tourist boat drivers through crowdfunding campaign and raised $92,874 USD, smashing the original target of $64,800 USD during the active period from 30 October – 31 January 2021.
Apart from being recognized as a tourist destination, Koh Tao is also well known for being a home to hundreds of species of fish, coral, birdlife and other marine creatures. When it comes to birdlife on the island, many unique native species can be found, namely dollarbirds, Hoopoes, Tailor birds and Nicobar Pigeon.
The Nicobar Pigeon is classified as 'near threatened' on the IUCN Red List and is included in Appendix I of CITES due to declining wild populations. These birds are captured for food, the pet trade, and their gizzard stones, which are used to make jewelry. Additionally, their distribution is impacted by habitat loss as the islands they inhabit are cleared for plantations and invaded by rats, cats, and other non-native predators.
Therefore, to ensure the healthy island ecosystem, UNDP works with partners and local communities to raise awareness on biodiversity conservation and environmental issues through various advocacy engagements.
On this World Biodiversity Day, we invite you to meet the three powerhouse ladies of BIOFIN Thailand who’s behind the successful initiative of Koh Tao Model – Niran Nirannoot, Sornsawan Phongphao, and Natthida Jitsiri – who will share their experiences and insights on how integrated finance can support livelihoods and maintain a rich biodiversity system.
Introducing the seagull of team, ‘Niran Nirannoot’, Project Manager of BIOFIN, who believes in keeping an open mind to lead new initiatives for positive change.
A top business school graduate who made a vow to self that will never join any organisation or position with the word "Finance" written on it. With her experience in having lived and worked in various countries, Niran felt a compelling need to contribute meaningfully to her country. The Biodiversity Finance Initiative presented an opportunity to integrate Thailand into a global initiative, demonstrating how "finance" can drive significant progress in sustainability and biodiversity, which is often seen as the other side of the climate change coin.
Throughout her career with UNDP, Niran shared working on biodiversity financing has been thrilling but at the same time, we might face the unpredictable nature of the work means we must always be prepared for challenges. To thrive on her journey, she shared her tips with us by setting up key priorities and asking yourself what you could have done differently. Those keywords helped her to keep pushing herself to the finish line. With that has led the ‘Koh Tao Initiative’ made to the New York Times.
When it comes to bird life, Niran thinks “seagull” represents her identity as it symbolizes freedom, self-exploration and enthusiasm. She is a carefree person and enjoys spending quality time with her friends and her family. If you are curious about Niran’s journey, read her full interview here.
Meet ‘Sornsawan Phongphao’, a green business expert and BIOFIN National Biodiversity Finance Coordinator, who believes innovative solutions can pave the way for a greener future.
A former customer-oriented marketer in various sustainable businesses, Sornsawan's career is driven by a desire to help others through innovative solutions. Her experience in green businesses highlighted the importance of finance in nature conservation, prompting her to join the UNDP. Her background in economics and partnership management made her a perfect fit for this role, allowing her to leverage her skills to make a significant impact on society.
As part of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), Sornsawan leads the flagship finance solution "Enhancing Effectiveness and Biodiversity Impact of Local Budgets in Thailand." This initiative aims to overcome barriers such as lack of resources, expertise, and coordination between local and national biodiversity efforts, thereby enhancing conservation efforts at the sub-national level. Working at UNDP is dynamic, and Sornsawan emphasizes the importance of staying proactive in handling obstacles.
Sornsawan's work supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land, and Partnerships to Achieve the Goals. Her efforts also align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, aiming to mobilize resources for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation worldwide. She notes that a significant portion of biodiversity finance in Thailand comes from the government budget, yet it represents less than 1% of the country’s GDP. Through BIOFIN’s initiatives, training local government units can create a ripple effect in addressing the biodiversity finance gap in Thailand.
We asked Sornsawan if she was a bird, she would choose “Swallows” because they are well known for migration is typically associated with good luck and positive change. They are also linked to her personality traits such as cheerfulness and patience. To learn more about Sornsawan’s experience with the UNDP, read her full interview here.
Get to know 'Natthida Jitsiri,’ BIOFIN Project Associate and passionate changemaker, who embarked on her career with UNDP driven by a deep commitment to making a difference.
Graduating with a dual degree from Lancaster University and Sunway University, Natthida embarked on a professional odyssey that traversed various sectors. From managing customer relations in Malaysia's fashion industry to spearheading projects aimed at fostering employee engagement and workplace culture across the region, her trajectory reflected a versatile skill set and a passion for effecting change.
Natthida motivated by global challenges such as climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss, Natthida sought a platform to be part of the solution, leading her to join UNDP as a Project Assistant with the Biofin team. Transitioning to international development, she was drawn to the ethos of UNDP, driven by a desire to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world. This passion led her to become an integral part of transformative, community-driven initiatives in Koh Tao.
As she advances in her career, Natthida remains committed to fostering sustainability and inclusivity. Her work demonstrates how individual efforts contribute to the broader mission of creating a better world for everyone just like the “Pied Imperial Pigeon”, which is known for a socialize bird and is one of the most agile flyers in the world. Let’s hear more about her journey with UNDP from the full interview here.
If you would like to be a part of the catalyst of change and would like to join a life-changing mission with UNDP, visit https://www.undp.org/careers for more information and follow us on our social media channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, to stay tuned for the latest updates and insights from UNDP Thailand.
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