"3 areas, 1 network": Khlong Khut, Laem Din and Chai Khlong open up a network-based LMMA model
Three geographically separate communities around Songkhla Lake in Phatthalung Province are connected by a single MOU, showing that ecosystem-level conservation does not require contiguous areas.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
The communities of Khlong Khut, Laem Din and Chai Khlong in Phatthalung Province are geographically separate but connected through the shared Songkhla Lake ecosystem. Each community faces similar problems: declining fishery resources and unsustainable fishing practices. Rather than merging their conservation areas, the three communities chose to retain their own conservation zones and management systems while building a cooperative network at the ecosystem level.
Each community has its own conservation zone, rules and monitoring system. For example, Khlong Khut uses the "egg yolk–egg white" model alongside fisheries volunteer patrols. The process of developing cooperation took place in stages: first, establishing strong management systems in each area; then, identifying shared challenges across the lake ecosystem; designing a cooperation framework that preserves each area's autonomy; and engaging government agencies and academic partners in line with policy and technical standards. The process concluded with the signing of a single MOU covering all three areas, under the "3 areas, 3 systems, 1 network" model, the third and final cooperation model that the project tested in its first year.