The lives of the Moken - and their struggle to survive - don't fit simply between borders or policies

All next month, ethnologist Jacques Ivanoff delves into the little-known culture of the Moken people and the natural beauty of southern Burma and Thailand in his photo exhibition "Moken Reflections (1894-2007)" at the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.

Aiming to raise public awareness about trans-border populations and the problems they face, the show also includes ethnic artefacts and children's drawings that recount the history of the marine nomads of the Mergui archipelago since 1894.

Ivanoff is a researcher with the French National Scientific and Research and a member of the Bangkok branch of the Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia.

He has visited the Moken in both Thailand and Burma and described their culture in dozens of publications and several films and exhibitions.

Ivanoff has worked at the local, regional and national levels on interethnic relations, addressing the ethnic and socio-economic consequences of integration policies.

Akram Mohamed, the exhibition's co-organiser, is affiliated with the Museum of Natural History in Paris and has participated in projects highlighting the culture of the marine nomads he visited several times following the 2004 tsunami.

 MAKE THE JOURNEY

>> "Moken Reflections (1894-2007)" runs from tomorrow until July 25 as part of La Fete.

>> The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre is open from 9 to 8 daily except Sunday.

 >> The centre is on Baromratchonnanee Road in Thonburi's Taling Chan district, near the Southern Bus Terminal.