Thailand: Preparing for Floods by Diversifying Livelihoods

In a case of autonomous adaptation, communities in the Lower Songkram River Basin have developed a number of coping mechanisms to deal with floods and droughts. One is indigenous forecasting methods (for example, ants removing their eggs from the nest is seen as a sign of rain, and a decrease in mushrooms can signal drought). Another is modification in fishing gear to conform to climate changes (for example, when the water level is high, they use traps or fishing hooks. When it is low, they use mong and uan tap taling, a type of net that is anchored along the riverbank). A third coping strategy is the ability to grow two different types of rice, one for dry seasons and one for wet seasons. A fourth coping strategy is diversification of livelihood (for example, making rice liquor or migrating to Bangkok).