Wannakanok “Chompoo” Pohitaedaoh has led Luuk Rieang since 2002, which seeks to empower youth in the southern border provinces through education, leadership and community development, fostering a positive change.

The Association of Children and Youth for Peace in the Southernmost Provinces of Thailand, also known as Luuk Rieang, was founded by a small group of youth activists in Yala in 2002. It was dedicated to campaigning on issues such as drug use, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. Later on, they work with traumatised children and young people, shifting their focus towards prevention, protection, rehabilitation and the development of children and youth. 

Wannakanok “Chompoo” Pohitaedaoh is the president of the Association of Children and Youth for Peace. We talk with Chompoo about her journey with the association, the challenges she has faced and her vision for the future of youth in the southern border provinces.

Luuk Rieang’s Journey in Protecting Young Lives

“In 2004, violence started to erupt and members of Luuk Rieang saw the loss of their family members as a result of the unrest.”

The main reason for Luuk Rieang’s shift from focusing on healthcare issues to children’s protection occurred in 2004. At the time, they had little understanding of what had led to the situation. As Chompoo recalls, a group of sisters from Bangkok came to visit the area. They were there to meet with widows who had lost their husbands due to the insurgency. Luuk Rieang members accompanied them during the visit. In every home they visited, they met children. While the sisters were interviewing the widows, the Luuk Rieang members took the opportunity to speak with the children.

“We found that these youngsters were just as traumatised as their mothers. Some had decided to suppress their feelings, while others kept their vengeful feelings to themselves, possibly intending to take revenge in the future. We felt connected to them, as our members had also lost family members.”

Luuk Rieang recognised the importance of supporting traumatised children and youth in the south, focusing on prevention, protection and development. Chompoo realised the urgent need to address the suppressed trauma these children carried. By offering both physical and mental support, the organisation aimed to help these young people become leaders who could inspire positive change. This led to the establishment of the Association of Children and Youth for Peace in the Southernmost Provinces of Thailand, or Luuk Rieang.

“What we are proud of is that we have been able to help children, youth and women receive support in education, housing, employment and provide a safe space for vulnerable groups such as the LGBT community to have a place in society. We have been working on this for 21 years.” 

They hold workshops to teach children important skills such as basic project and budget management, effective communication and writing simple activity reports. They also help the children understand and sign off on project agreements. In addition they offer opportunities for youth to learn and gain hands-on experience, develop teamwork and communication skills and foster responsibility and punctuality.

Fighting for Peace Against All Odds

“The fear from the unrest situation challenges us on how we will survive to fight against it.”

Chompoo had to overcome her own fear of continuing her activism after losing family members in the unrest. Her family members died in the conflict, leaving only three siblings to continue the fight. The challenges also posed by religious and cultural norms that limit the rights of LGBT people in the southern provinces made her work even more difficult and challenging.

But she never gave up. She sought to transform pain into forgiveness and sacrifice, hoping that these children would grow into adults who could contribute to peace in the region.

Empowering Youth and Building a Better Future

“The people we work with inspire us to do more, to drive the fight for a better quality of life and to live with dignity and purpose.”

Chompoo hopes to empower vulnerable groups in various ways to become leaders so they can inspire and create other leaders in the future. She also wants to be a representative of women and a hub for nurturing the new generation in the border provinces. Additionally, she aims to promote development in the region by encouraging young people to work locally rather than moving to other provinces, and to return to help develop their hometowns.

Chompoo’s ultimate vision is to establish a training centre for Luuk Rieang to provide education and job opportunities for people in the southern border provinces. 

She shares the guiding advice she lives by: “Grow in your own pot and sink your roots into the ground as firmly as possible.”