Grandma Hai is a legendary figure in the struggle for human rights and rivers. She has been fighting the construction of a the Huay La Ha reservoir which put her rice paddy under water.  She’s been fighting a long time — 32 years — and has emerged as an icon of rural protest — not giving up even in the face of injustice.

Grandma Hai and Ajaan Mike talking with ISDSI students.

Over the years of doing the Rivers course we have had her as a guest speaker when she is available. She wasn’t available this year, as she’s been busy — she was just awarded an honorary master’s degree from Ramkhamhaeng University  in political science.

From the Bangkok Post article:

The grandmother was honoured after her 32-year fight for justice with the government after her paddy field in Ubon Ratchathani’s Na Tan district was damaged by the construction of the Huay La Ha reservoir which put it under water.

The government paid her 1.2 million baht in compensation for the damage last October.

“Thank you very much [for the degree]. I was really excited and delighted to see the princess,” she said. The degree was awarded by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

“When I go back home, I will hang it on the wall to use it to teach all my children to fight to the death [for justice], even though we are poor,” said the 81-year-old grandmother, who has more than 160 relatives.

Honorary degrees are normally awarded to distinguished people. But Wutisak Lapcharoensap, dean of the faculty of political science, said the decision to give her the degree was due to the example she set for other people who were fighting for justice while respecting the law.

“It is a new dimension to grant an honorary degree to a human rights activist such as Grandma Hai to honour her endeavour to fight for her rights for many years,” Mr Wutisak said.

“This country has many people who fight for justice and basic human rights. Grandma Hai is a person who encourages people to realise their own rights and also reminds the government that it should be more careful before making any decision.”

After the degree, what else did Grandma Hi want?

“I need to see all Thai people love each other and live in harmony,” she said.

“If there is a unity in the country, our beloved King will be glad and live long for over a thousand years.”

Grandma Hai blessing Lindsay in the Isaan "sai siin" ceremony.

There are some great articles online about Grandma Hai.

Check out Stand Up and Fight:

When you lose your land because of a government development project, you can’t farm and thus lose your security in life. Then you try many many ways to solve your problems, but sometimes your neighbors, local authorities, the head of your village, and other people are still not interested and don’t give a damn. What would you do? How would you do it?

A great article on the Prime Minister giving her a compensation check:

Wearing a brown sarong, dark blue long-sleeved shirt and white flowers in her hair, Hai Khanjantha knew yesterday was her happiest day.

Grandma Hai was up early in the morning to prepare for her meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who travelled from Bangkok to hand over a compensation cheque for 1.2 million baht to her.

In return, she gave an unfinished bamboo basket to the prime minister, saying it represented the many problems of the poor still to be addressed by his government.

Well done Grandma!