There's a saying that goes, "If you live by the sea, you'll never go hungry, or run out of money."
That's true -- provided that you're a hard worker.
This happens to be the case for members of the Orangpantai fishing enterprise in Pattani. All of them have a hectic schedule, packing processed seafood products in time to meet the delivery cut-off time for customers.
The enterprise has turned their lives around. Their standard of living has been lifted, their families have seen more money passing through their hands than ever before. And all of this began when the enterprise was set up two years ago.
All of this wealth came from the sea -- and the enterprise has been instrumental in hauling it out of the open waters, processing seafood to add value as well as preserving it, before turning it into a variety of products that are in high demand.
This particular enterprise in Nong Chik district has made a name for itself for its wide variety of offerings -- which range from salted four-finger threadfins, more commonly known as plaa kulao, salted spotted mackerel or plaa insee, dried squid, to smooth-textured shrimp paste.
The profitable enterprise counts 86,722 people as its members. They come from 52 villages across Pattani's six districts -- Nong Chik, Muang, Yaring, Panare, Sai Buri, and Mai Kaen.
Salted 'plaa kulao' (four-finger threadfins) are put to dry in the sun before being packed and delivered to customers. The salted fish are among the dried and processed seafood items produced by the Orangpantai fishing enterprise in Pattani. The sea off Pattani is abundant with fish, including large groupers (pictured being held by the woman). (Photos by Supapon Asadamongkoln)
The majority of its members belong to the Pattani Provincial Small-Scale Fisher Network Association, which has been working together with local fishermen to conserve marine resources for over two decades.
The association's members must respect one crucially important rule -- they must refrain from using destructive fishing gear and nets that trap juvenile fish as by-catch. The enforcement of this one rule has caused fish stocks in the area where its fishermen operate to rebound.
The age-old practice of catching fish to be traded for other goods only allows fishermen in this community to live hand-to-mouth.
Despite having done most of the work, they only earn a fraction of the final price of the sale of processed products in the market -- which forced them to think beyond simply catching-and-selling to adding value to their own catches.
This led to the establishment of the Orangpantai enterprise (literally, "sea gypsy company") to represent different views from local fishing communities on how to produce, and become well-known, for preserved seafood.
The enterprise employees, mostly women, listen to instructions on how to manage the stocks of local seafood, including sun-dried squid, which is much sought-after by customers.
While these communities know how to live directly off the sea, they lack know-how in food preservation techniques as well as product marketing. So, they turned to the Thailand Research Fund for help.
The fund told the members that they needed to look within their communities and seek out indigenous techniques to preserve seafood which is unique to their area to give the finished products that much-needed added value.
"The product that we chose to specialise in is plaa kulao," said the head of Orangpantai, Muhamasukree Masaning.
Threadfin stocks are most abundant in the waters off Pattani's coastline between November and January. Outside this window, schools of threadfins migrate elsewhere in search of food -- but this is the perfect time to salt them into plaa kulao, which can be and is enjoyed all year round.
"Kulao are prized in our community, and most of our customers buy them as gifts for respected figures and elders," said Mr Muhamasukree. "They sell like hot cakes, especially during festive periods."
The enterprise only uses kulao which weigh more than 800 grammes, and were not caught through destructive means, for salting. The fish are bought at about 230 baht per kilo -- and prices are dropping, as growing demand means that bulk-buying is now possible.
The fish are rubbed with salt and simply left to dry in the sun -- covered with a simple netting to ward off flies -- for between 30-60 days. Once the weight of the fish drops to about 40% of what it used to be, the salted fish is ready to be packed.
The salted 'plaa kulao' are packed in air-tight packages before being sold.
The plaa kulao made by the enterprise is distinct for its mild taste and moderate saltiness, which makes it popular among consumers.
In addition to the fact that the product has been certified as halal by the Central Islamic Council of Thailand, the enterprise is also known for empowering Muslim women by employing them in its seafood processing plants -- churning out products that range from dried shrimp to fish crackers.
Before the enterprise was established, these women mostly stayed at home to take care of their children, while others supplemented their family incomes by de-scaling anchovies for a meagre 25 baht a day.
These days, the women at the enterprise's plants earn at least 180 baht a day, in addition to incentives and bonuses. "Now, we employ about 40 Muslim women from the community, with ages ranging from 24 to 60," said Mr Muhamasukree.
One of the enterprise's member, Mae-yor Latae, 56, said the money she earned since she joined the company went towards the purchase of new fishing gear for her husband.
"I can now buy gold ornaments and jewellery and still have some left over to be saved up for a rainy day," she said -- a far cry from the days when she only earned 60 baht a day weaving fishing nets.
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the enterprise also gives away dried food, rice and sugar to needy members of the community, said Ms Mae-yor.
"I think I'll stay and work with the company until I'm no longer able to," she said.
Anusat Suwanmongkon, the owner of CS Pattani Hotel -- which buys large amounts of plaa kulao for its kitchen -- agreed that the quality of salted fish from the Orangpantai community enterprise is superior.
"Kulao often feature as an ingredient in our dishes, albeit in different forms -- from fish cakes, steamed eggs and stir-fried kale to spicy salads," he said.
He said that local businesses should try and source more produce locally.
According to him, the enterprise owes its success to the high quality of its products, which are all produced in a hygienic manner.
"The success is also the result of cooperation between state and private organisations, as well as the efforts of the community's leaders," he said.
Jirapa Worasiangsuk, a former dean of Thammasat University's Sociology and Anthropology Faculty, concurred with Mr Anusat, saying that interesting products, competent producers and close cooperation from relevant sectors are the key drivers of the enterprise's achievements.
Ms Jirapa, who has been researching the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen along Pattani's coastline, said she has seen the tremendous efforts by local fishermen to keep boats with dragnets from entering their fishing grounds to help to conserve marine life along their shorelines, which leaves fertile ground for small-scale fishermen to catch fish and sustain their livelihoods.
"The enterprise's business practices have also set an example by cutting out middlemen, who often mark up retail prices," she said.
"It opens the door for women affected by the violence in the deep South to work. This is a social enterprise that should be supported," Ms Jirapa said.