In the coastal village of Khun Samut Chin, just outside Bangkok, the effects of climate change have become a harsh reality for 19-year-old Arisa Pholthaisong. A recent high school graduate and mother to a one-year-old daughter, Arisa finds herself at the forefront of Thailand's environmental crisis. Her story, like those of many young people today, is a reflection of struggle and resilience in the face of a climate disaster she had no hand in creating.
Living on the edge of a rapidly eroding coast, Arisa has already been forced to relocate her home three times as the sea swallows more land each year. What was once a thriving fishing village of over 200 families is now reduced to fewer than 80 households. Despite the constant threat of storms and flooding, her family remains in their location because their livelihood depends on fishing -- a profession that is as fragile as the ground their homes stand on.
"We fear every storm," Arisa says quietly. "We don't know when the next one will destroy our home, but we have nowhere else to go."
Khun Samut Chin, in Samut Prakan, is on the frontline of climate change, with rising sea levels damaging the land and warmer waters disrupting the marine life that many families, including Arisa's, rely on. The changes are impossible to ignore -- fewer fish in the nets, warmer sea temperatures and increasing plastic waste washing ashore from other countries. The pollution that floods their beaches is a glaring reminder of how interconnected the global crisis truly is.
Despite the hardships, Arisa refuses to give up hope. She's one of the many young voices participating in Unicef's #CountMeIn campaign, which highlights the stories of children and youth most affected by the climate crisis. For her, this isn't just a distant concern, it's the reality she faces every day as she strives to build a better life for her daughter in a village that's slipping away with the tide.
"We are losing our home to the sea," Arisa explains. "But moving inland doesn't solve the problem of how we will survive."
A man points to where his home once stood more than 40 years ago. photo:
Relocating away from the coast would mean abandoning the fishing tradition that sustains her family, and there are few alternatives. The Thai government has proposed resettling the remaining villagers in more urbanised areas, but for families like Arisa's, the offer falls short of addressing the core issue -- how to continue making a sustainable living. Moving might protect them from coastal erosion, but it would plunge them into financial instability, leaving them without the means to rebuild their lives.
Still, Arisa dreams of a future where Khun Samut Chin isn't just a disappearing village but a model for sustainability. She envisions turning the area into an eco-tourism destination, where visitors can come to learn about the region's mangrove forests and witness the village's battle against climate change. Arisa has already started taking action towards this dream, joining other villagers in planting mangrove trees along the shoreline to help combat erosion. These trees act as natural barriers, protecting the land and offering habitats for marine life that is otherwise struggling to survive.
In her free time, Arisa also helps organise beach cleanups, clearing away the plastic waste that constantly washes ashore. She understands that these actions, though small, are still steps in the right direction. But she knows more needs to be done, both locally and globally, to address the crisis her village is facing.
"I want to turn Khun Samut Chin into a place people can visit to see what we're doing to protect our home," she says. "But we need help. We can't do it alone."
Arisa's commitment to her community doesn't end there. She's determined to further her education, with plans to study marketing and tourism so that she can develop sustainable projects that could generate income for her village. If fishing is no longer viable, she believes tourism could be the key to their survival. "We need to find new ways to live, and I believe we can, with the right support," she explains.
Plastic waste around Khun Samut Chin. photo:
Arisa's story is just one of many in a growing global movement to amplify the voices of young people most impacted by climate change. Unicef's #CountMeIn campaign aims to give these young individuals a platform to advocate for the future they want -- and deserve.
"We need to be heard," Arisa says firmly. "This isn't just about the environment -- it's about our lives, our children's lives and the kind of world we're leaving behind."
For Unicef and advocates like Arisa, the message is clear -- the time for action is now. Governments, businesses and decision-makers must prioritise children in their climate policies, adapt essential services to protect them from the escalating crisis, and invest in a future where communities like Khun Samut Chin can thrive.
As Arisa looks towards the future, her dreams remain tied to the survival of her village and the protection of her daughter's future.
"I want her to grow up in a world where she doesn't have to worry about the sea taking our home," she says. "But for that to happen, we all need to act -- before it's too late."
In light of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, which will kick off on Nov 11, this is the second of a four-part series that records how children struggle to survive today's climate crisis.
Arisa Pholthaisong with her daughter and parents at their home in Khun Samut Chin, Samut Prakan province. photo:
