Photo essay

A Changing World: The Uncertain Future of Children

Flooding disrupts children's everyday lives, turning their normal world into uncertainty.

UNICEF

A person is walking through knee-deep floodwater, with sunlight reflecting off the murky brown water. The individual is wearing dark clothing and a backpack, wading slowly through the flooded area. The shadow of the person stretches across the water, and in the background, part of a submerged vehicle or equipment is visible, further indicating the extent of the flooding. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong

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17 September 2024

“Traveling around is hard, and I’m scared of snakes. Last year, the flood lasted only three days, but this year it’s been much longer. Every time it floods, the vegetables I plant die," says Nathanicha Lamai, an 8-year-old second-grader, as she shares her feelings about the flooding that has submerged her home in Sukhothai, caused by the overflowing Yom River.

Nathanicha has missed several school days because her school was closed due to the flood, and the Chinese cabbage she planted with a neighbor has rotted and been washed away by the water.

A young girl wearing a blue T-shirt and black shorts stands in muddy floodwater, with plants partially submerged around her. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Janthong 'Ongtong,' Natnicha Lamai, an 8-year-old second grader at Ban Pakumko School in Sawankhalok District, Sukhothai Province.

Many children, as well as adults, are affected by flooding and climate change. According to the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), more than 5,800 students and over 600 teachers were affected by the floods between August and September this year, with damage to 249 schools. These numbers are expected to rise as the rainy season, with its unpredictable and extreme weather continues.

A monk, dressed in an orange robe, stands at the edge of a broken road caused by severe flooding. The floodwaters are rushing violently, tearing through the road and leaving a large gap. On the other side of the gap, traffic cones are set up to block access to the damaged road. The surrounding area is filled with trees, and the sky is cloudy, indicating recent heavy rain. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong Highway 1195 in Wang Thong Subdistrict, Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, was damaged and cut off after the Yom River overflowed, eroding the road. Local residents were affected, including monks who could not go on their morning alms rounds, and students who had to take longer detours to reach their schools.

A schoolyard is flooded with muddy water, with trees and bushes partially submerged. In the center of the image, a flagpole stands tall with the Thai national flag flying at the top. A school building with purple accents is visible on the left, and the sky is clear with scattered clouds. The floodwaters cover much of the ground, extending towards the distant trees. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong The flagpole field at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School in Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, was flooded, affecting 36 students. During the August-September floods, over 5,800 students in the region were impacted, along with more than 600 teachers, and 249 schools suffered damage.

“The worst damage to our school was to the vocational training rooms, the music room, the home economics room, our workshops, clean drinking water facilities, and the lunch area for students. Just the musical instruments alone suffered damage of about 600,000 to 700,000 baht," said Maitri Yala, Director of Phanghud Sahasart School in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai, describing how the school was hit by flash floods twice on August 21 and 31.

A man stands in a room heavily affected by a flood, with mud covering the floor and furniture. The room is filled with tools, workbenches, and scattered objects, many of which are coated in mud. A black tub with two red buckets inside is on the floor, and a large car seat is among the debris. The walls are stained with mud up to a certain height, indicating the water level during the flood. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong Maitri Yala, director of Panghad at Sahasart School in Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province is surveying the damage caused by flash floods and mudslides.

The muddy floodwaters overflowed from Phatang Canal and flooded the back of the school. Although no students were harmed, the water’s volume and strength caused severe damage, including to the teacher’s lounge, musical equipment purchased with last year’s budget. Once the floodwaters receded, they left behind mud and debris, which had to be moved to the school’s football field.

A school yard filled with piles of broken and damaged desks, chairs, and furniture, due to a recent flood. The furniture is covered in mud and stacked haphazardly. In the background, a student in a white shirt and blue skirt walks past the debris. The school building features a colorful mural, and the scene indicates recovery efforts after a natural disaster. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong Student desks, chairs, and learning materials were piled on the football field at Panghad Sahasart School in Po Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province, after being damaged by flash floods and mudslides, which destroyed buildings and educational materials twice. Although the school has resumed classes, fewer students are attending because roads to the school have been cut off, and many families have been affected by the flood crisis.

Four young boys in school uniforms stand behind a railing, looking down at a large area covered in thick mud. One boy is pointing at something in the mud, which appears to be debris left behind after a flood. The ground is completely covered in slippery, wet mud, with a small basket partially submerged. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong Students examine the damage at Panghad Sahasart School in Po Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province - particularly in the cafeteria area - after muddy flash floods damaged buildings and learning materials. Thailand is currently dealing with climate change, with the Meteorological Department announcing that the country will face the "La Niña" phenomenon, expected to continue until next year.

Phanghud Sahasart School was one of many schools forced to close for four days due to the flooding. While some schools were able to reopen, students in flood-affected areas struggled with the challenge of getting to school.

A playground swing hangs still above floodwater, its reflection visible on the water's surface. The area around the swing is submerged, and the water is calm, creating a mirror-like effect. The scene is quiet and deserted, with the swing as the central focus, highlighting the impact of flooding. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong The swings in the playground at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School in Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, were submerged in floodwaters, forcing all 36 students to stay home. The school quickly worked to drain the area, allowing classes to resume after three days.

“If I want to go to school, I have to go home to get my clothes, then take a shower at the evacuation center. It’s hard because there’s no running water at home," said Natwipa Chantothai, a 14-year-old ninth-grader, who had to move to the Wat Tha Thong evacuation center in Sawankhalok district, Sukhothai, after her home was flooded.

After school, Natwipa does her homework at the evacuation center, near where she sleeps, alongside about 40 other flood victims. On the fourth night at the center, the power went out because floodwaters knocked over high-voltage poles, but Natwipa remained determined to finish her homework using a flashlight.

“I want to be a cardiologist because when I was young, I took care of my grandfather who had heart disease. I like learning about the heart; it’s a fascinating system. It’s also a job where I can help people," she said, sharing her dream in the darkness.

A young girl sits cross-legged on the floor, focused on writing in a notebook. She is illuminated by a single light source in an otherwise dark room, with a cool patch on her forehead, possibly indicating she is unwell. Around her are various personal items, including a water bottle and colorful blankets. The dim lighting and her concentration suggest she might be in a temporary shelter or evacuation center, continuing her studies despite the challenging circumstances. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong "Nat" Natwipha Chanthothai, a 14-year-old Grade 8 student, had to move to the Wat Tha Thong flood relief shelter in Sawankhalok District, Sukhothai Province, because her house was flooded.

In addition to schoolchildren, young children and their parents are also struggling with the flood crisis.

“The hardest part right now is water," said Kannchanok Thammarat, the mother of six-month-old Auto and two-year-old August, sharing her concerns about the flooding in Sri Samrong district, Sukhothai. "We don’t have water, so we’re using rainwater stored in jars and treating it with alum for cleaning baby bottles and bathing the children. The water is almost gone, and soon we won’t be able to clean the bottles."

Two women sit on top of a row of sandbags used as a barrier to protect against floodwaters. One woman is holding a smiling baby on her lap, while the other looks on and smiles. The area around them is flooded, and in the background, a few people are standing near the sandbags, observing the water. The scene suggests a community effort to manage the flood situation. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong A neighbor carries "Auto," six-month-old Kunapat Thammarat, near a row of sandbags set up to prevent floodwaters from the Yom River spilling into homes along Highway 1195 in Sukhothai Province.

A man holding a baby stands near a collapsed road, looking at a river of muddy floodwater. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Janthong A mother holds her daughter, "August," Kanyaphat Thammarat, a 2-year-old girl, near a sandbag barrier set up to prevent floodwaters from the overflowing Yom River from flooding homes. The ongoing flood situation in Si Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, continues to cause hardships for families with young children, especially the Thammarat family, who have been dealing with repeated flooding challenges.

The effects of flooding are not only physical but also emotional, impacting parents’ mental states and, in turn, affecting their children.

“Adults are stressed, and sometimes we accidentally take it out on the children. Everything is chaotic. My child asked, ‘Mom, don’t you love me? Why don’t you play with me?’ I had to tell her that that we’re just trying to survive right now. Once this is over, things will be better. We all love each other, but we just can’t show it as much right now," said one flood victim in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai. She wishes more support services would address the emotional needs of flood victims, in addition to the basic relief supplies.

A group of people is walking up a path, carrying supplies. One woman in the foreground has a baby strapped to her back using a colorful cloth, while holding a bag of food and water bottles in each hand. The others, ahead of her, also carry similar supplies, including bottles of water and plastic bags with food. The scene suggests they have just received aid, possibly in response to a recent disaster. — UNICEF Thailand/2024/Patipat Janthong An ethnic Hmong mother brings her child to receive donations at Panghad Sahasart School in Po Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province. Many families in the area were affected by the floods, similar to the 5,615 households across 11 districts in Chiang Rai Province.

Amid the uncertainty of a "changing world," the Meteorological Department has announced that Thailand must brace for the "La Niña" phenomenon, expected to continue into next year. The term "rain bomb," referring to intense rainfall over a short period that is difficult to predict, has also emerged as a term people may hear more often in the future due to climate instability and unpredictable seasonal shifts.

The climate is unpredictable, much like the future of our children.