First Days Among the Moken

Philip and the Kwok family reached Ranong on 14 February 2011 and set up home. Within days Philip was making his first weekend crossings to the Moken settlement on Koh Phayam. He describes being pulled, almost before he understood what was happening, onto a kabang (Moken boat) to dive for sea cucumbers among phosphorescent water and low stars — and the children's delighted verdict that the swimming white stranger must be a ghost. The Moken were welcoming; the children recognised him at once. This is the true start of the on-the-ground Moken work, with Koh Phayam (Ranong province) established as the settled base from early 2011.