Extreme mud roads not enough to stop commuting teachers

Rain-drenched pavements on city roads are bad enough but, in rural areas of the Tak province, flood waters on the dirt roads have created clay mud swamps. Many roads are practically impassible, but some dedicated teachers are going above and beyond to commute to school each day. In the Umphang district of the northeastern province, roads have been particularly bad, especially around the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary.

There are many local schools around the sanctuary, where dirt roads made of clay soil have turned into gooey, deep pits of mud. Local officials have been on call, ready to utilise tow trucks to pull stranded cars and bikes out of the viscous sludge. Residents have often struggled with the problem, and can’t use simple motorbikes and regular cars during the rainy season. They are prepared to use trail motorcycles and four-wheel drive vehicles during most of the wet periods.

But this month is particularly bad with heavy rains and floods affecting much of Thailand. Short drives are taking as long as six hours of inching through the swampy roads with mud creeping up the vehicle wheels. And the Thai Meteorological Department says the country can only expect more flash floods, torrential downpours, and rainy weather this week, especially in Northeastern provinces like Tak, along with the North, Central, East and South.

One teacher at the Umphang District Informal Education Centre explained that, while it was exhausting to trudge through the mud for hours and hours to get to his job at the school, he would not give up and would continue to trek to school to teach every day.

“I am proud of my work as a teacher, helped by colleagues, students and villagers,”

SOURCE: The Nation

Win a 3-night beachfront stay at Four Points by Sheraton Phuket by taking a short Thaiger Survey HERE!