Payuun: Thailand's Last Dugongs

Sep 15

Synopsis

Amateur conservationist Theerasak ‘Pop’ Saksritawee dedicates himself to protecting Thailand’s declining dugong population. As vanishing seagrass and rising sea temperatures threaten their survival, the film brings together facts and human emotions to underline the urgency of marine conservation and remind us that every step matters.

From the filmmaker

I wondered what might drive someone like Pop to go above and beyond to save a wild animal against impossible odds. On the surface, this short film documents the activities of Pop and the working group to pull back the curtain on the challenges faced by ocean conservationists. But on the deeper level, this film reveals the affection Pop has developed for Miracle and the other dugongs he monitors, and what responsibility ordinary citizens might have to saving the planet.