More than five months have passed since tsunami catastrophe, and stories of the Mokens have emerged, subsequently making outsiders aware of their existence. In the past, general knowledge about the Mokens is that they belong to some minority group whose traditional lifestyle as sea gypsies led to their roving in the southern sea of Thailand. Evidently, it can be observed now that the lifestyle of some Moken groups has supplied profitably to the tourism industry along the coastal areas in making their stories known to the world, stories that seem to tell of the Mokens? primitive way of life in the eyes of the modern days.

In fact, Mokens had long left their sea gypsy lifestyle. Many have now settled permanently on certain islands and lived on small-sale fishery. Some have been employed for modest wages by money baron whose business runs medium- to large- scale fishery in deep sea areas. It is known that workforce in the Thai fishing boats consist of largely migrant workers whom the money baron could compensate for at a lower rate than he would have to for Thai workers. More importantly to note, these migrant workers are easily susceptible to unfair treatment due to their lack of official identification cards and/or work permits. Most workers who have crossed the border from Myanmar to work here are already lacking legal status, and thus are deficient of any power whatsoever to negotiate with their Thai employers.

Likewise, Mokens are still lacking identities as the Thai government has not granted them identification cards. Generations of Mokens have been born on the land, yet they have not received any proof of citizenship. This has created to them an unequal opportunity and deprived many of public services and benefits including education, medical care, social security benefits as well as assistance during crisis such as tsunami. Mokens do not receive proper support in housing and boats because their status is not protected under the Thai legal system.

One other drawback that puts Mokens at disadvantaged position is their illiteracy which continuously sets them up for unfair treatment. For instance when they go to the town of Ranong to purchase household items, the merchants usually cheat them by selling consumer goods and supplies that have already expired in shelf-life. Mokens are not aware of this since they cannot read alphabets or numbers printed on the labels. Often times that Moken children fell sick from diarrhea as a result of drinking milk that had expired.

Several Moken children do not like going to school. They have difficulty understanding Thai language, and they are often bullied by Thai children without any teachers on their side. All as such because the Mokens are thought of as being in a minority class.

Number of tourists may well be impressed with the sight of such simple lifestyle attuned to nature among the Mokens. But how many of them have the understandings of the injustice the Mokens are facing and will have to face for as long without knowing when it will end.