Six students from University of Malaya, Malaysia, invited for a short visit by SUT’s School of Physics, Institute of Science, also joined SUT students in the SO-IN Camp#1 adding a wonderful lifetime experiential learning for them.
ABOUT SO-IN CAMP#1
M i t i g a t i n g H u m a n E l e p h a n t C o n f l i c t s
On August 11-16, 2022, Thai and international SUT students travelled on an 8-hour journey to participate in the 1st Social Innovation Camp at the scenic Ruam Thai Village at Prachuap Khiri Khan, in the beautiful southern region of Thailand. The camp was organized by SEDA and the Center of Excellence for Entrepreneurship at SUT as part of the new social innovation development course.
The camp allows students and researchers to empathize and help understand community problems in order to develop social innovation to help mitigate the conflicts and improve livelihood of the community.
Students talked to local stakeholders such as villagers, park rangers, BTEH Project Manager Khun Phum and Human Elephant Voice expert Dr. Bhichet Noonto, to understand the problems and needs. Based on their problems of interest, they will design and conceptualize social innovations and eventually present their solution to the stakeholders later on. They also took the human elephant coexistence walk, joined an elephant sight ecotour in the park, and enjoyed good splashes at the Sam Roi Yod beach and refreshing dips in the sparkling stream in the village.
Upon their return to SUT, students were committed to help Ruam Thai villagers. Finally on September 11, 2022, they pitched their proposed solutions online to a panel of international judges. With solutions ranging from smelly and sound deterrents, sensor modules for sound sleeps, a guided tour and holiday booking website, means to increase livelihood of bee hive farmers, these solutions may hold promises to help both the elephants and community thrive together peacefully one day.