Asia: Secret Lives, Hidden Places (2013–2015): Season 1, Episode 5 - Wild lives of Khao Sok - full transcript

(Asian music)

[Voice over] Hidden behind
magnificent rock formations

awaits a world
brimming with adventure

in the south of
Thailand in the oldest

and most species-rich
forests on our planet,

one of the world's
greatest natural treasures.

They've got a long
journey ahead of them

on the vast reservoir
in the center of.

Khao Sok National Park.

Grangsuks Riberod,
nicknamed Joe,

and his men, are on their way



to the headwaters of
the Khlong Sang River

where most of the park's
large wild animals live.

Joe is a biologist.

He's responsible for
Southern Thailand's wildlife.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] I'm a little

concerned.

The large reservoir in
the middle of the park

divides the forest.

The big mammals can no
longer wander back and forth.

There's a danger of inbreeding.

[Voice over] In the long
run, this could pose a threat

to the populations of large
animals, especially elephants.

On their way they
stop in a small bay

where Gungluay,
Banana Leaf, lives.



Gungluay is six years old

and prefers to eat,
surpriserprise, nas.

He's always happy
when the gamekeepers

pay him a visit.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] It was five
years ago when a big herd

of elephants heard a
gunshot and panicked.

This little one couldn't
keep up the pace.

My men found him all by himself.

[Voice over] The gamekeepers
raised the little elephant.

When he no longer
needed to be bottle fed,

they released him
into the forest.

They'd hoped an elephant
herd would take him in,

but no herd passed through
Banana Leaf's territory.

He remained alone.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] In the beginning,

he always cried for his mother.

But our people gave him as
much love as they could.

That's why he was able to
survive without his mother.

[Voice over] Without the
gamekeepers' support,

Banana Leaf would most
likely have dof solitud.

Young elephants cannot t
live on their own. Port,

(peaceful music)

Joe's group is gradually
approaching their destination

at the upper Khlong Sang River.

A little further off,
unnoticed by the men,

an elephant herd has
taken to the water.

But these animals are on
the opposite lake shore,

far from the little
elephant's home.

Joe is considering how he can

bring the elephants together.

But first he and his men are off

to count the elephants
living inside the park

and in the neighboring
sanctuaries.

(peaceful music)

Khao Sok National Park is
located in the south of Thailand.

At its heart is a
mighty reservoir.

At its northern fringes,
the neighboring sanctuaries.

Rugged limestone
rocks characterize

the national park's landscape.

They enclose the
reservoir that was created

in the mid 1980s.

(peaceful music)

Together the lake and
mountains form a landscape,

the harsh beauty of which is
unparalleled in Southeast Asia.

(peaceful music)

Prewan Gloree is one
of the few people

who is allowed to live inside
Khao Sok National Park.

He is permitted to
fish by common law.

Prewan knows all the spots
where fish can be found.

From above, he can tell if it's
worth diving into the water.

Prewan is the best
diver at the lake.

When he goes hunting underwater

with his self-made harpoon,

he can hold his breath
longer than anyone else.

But even Prewan has
to bring himself

to dive into the deep
over and over again.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] Down below
I'm sometimes afraid

of a dark green figure.

It's only a figment of my
imagination, but the fear is real.

[Voice over] Nevertheless,
nobody ventures

as far into the deep as Prewan,

up to 35 meters with
one single breath.

But if he cannot see the
lake bed, fear creeps in.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I'm
afraid my leg will be

pulled into the deep.

Of course there's nothing
there, but it's still uncanny.

[Voice over] 30 years ago
when the great reservoir

was created, thousands
of wild animals

were driven from their
stamping grounds.

The dammed up water flooded
hills, mountains, and forests.

The remains of the
original vegetation

can still be found below
the water's surface.

The eerie scenery makes a
perfect hiding place for fish.

(gunshot)

Prewan has to catch a
large number of fish

every day, around 20
kilograms in total.

Sometimes he spends the
whole day in the water,

from sunrise to sunset,
to make his catch.

Dusk is falling
over Lake Khao Sok.

Prewan lives with his family
in a floating village.

The local chief runs
a wholesale trade.

He buys Prewan's
catch at a low price

and charges him high
prices for his groceries.

Prewan shares a small
raft house with his wife,

his two younger daughters,
and his grandchild.

Shortly after Prewan's arrival,

the girls begin
gutting the fish.

They help out whenever they can.

The next village with a school

is a two-hour boat ride away.

In Thailand,
compulsory education

ends after sixth grade.

The girls would like
to continue school

in order to find a good job.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] I want to join

the police force.

[Voice over] I want
to be a scientist.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] But I have to look
after my mother and sister.

My parents can't afford
to send me to school.

(speaking Thai)

Parents are happy aboutoicer

their daughters' ambitions.

Their oldest daughter works
on a rubber plantation,

so they look after her child.

It would be nice at least

if the two younger girls
could go to school.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I never
went to school myself.

I'm like a blind man.

I don't want them to
share the same fate.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I can no longer
afford to send them to school.

It's a pity, but six years
is all we could manage.

We're poor people.

[Voice over] 16-year-old
Phon is on her way

to deliver the gutted
fish to the wholesaler.

The family owes him money
for their boat engine.

Because her father can't read,

Phon makes sure the
right price is paid.

(peaceful music)

Joe and his men have cleared
the forest camp early.

They're looking
for suitable places

to set up camera traps.

Elephants, gaurs, and wild
cattle prefer sparse forests.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] This is from a

gaur, it's still moist,
not even two days old.

Look, there's a wild boar.

It's feeding on
the tree's fruit.

It's still pretty young.

Its tusks haven't grown yet.

[Voice over] The wild boar
is not in the least bit shy.

It's probably never
seen humans before.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] Look
around for a good spot

to set up the camera traps.

[Voice over] Many
animals pass by here.

It appears to be an ideal
spot for Joe's camera traps.

A motion sensor triggers
the cameras day and night.

The sanctuary camps sustain
up to 200 elephants,

but Joe suspects there
are far fewer in the area.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] We reckon at
least 40 elephants live here,

but there could be more.

Our research goal is to
find out if the number of

young animals born every
year is increasing.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] If their
number is too low,

their existence might be
endangered in the long run.

Habitat corridors could
link the protected areas.

This would also benefit
the little elephant.

But at the moment, Joe is
not in the best of health.

His leg hurts and he's limping.

But he doesn't want
to dealh it right now.

His research is too
important to him.

Joe checks the
camera several times.

It's working.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] Once we forgot

to lock the casing.

Monkeys came and started
messing around with the camera.

Another time, an elephant
ripped off the whole casing.

Thanks to the lock,
it didn't open.

[Voice over] Before
moving on, the men remove

any traces that might
disturb the animals.

Several more challenging
tasks await them

over the coming days.

(birds chirping)

A brahminy kite
rides a thermal lift

high up into the mountains.

The limestone mountain range
is covered with rain forests

and extends far bd the
national park's borders.

Numerous rivers bustling
with countless tiny creatures

cut through the soft limestone.

(playful music)

(water splashing)

But these creatures
must be alert.

Especially when Suben Pennet

sneaks through the
shallow waters.

Then things can become mighty
unpleasant for many frogs.

Like most villagers
living on the edge

of a national park,
Suben loves frogs,

but they're notlways easy.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] They flee

quickly, and when they
spot our lights at night,

they're even faster.

[Voice over] Suben's
frog-catching skills

are unmatched in the village.

Maybe that's because he
spent 13 years in the forest.

Before the mountains
became a national park,

they served as a hideout for
members of the opposition.

When Suben was still a
pupil in the late 1970s,

his teacher took him
to a protest rally

against the ruling
military regime.

This was reason enough
for the military

to persecute the young boy.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voicover] I was 14 years

old when I moved to the forest.

It was unbelievably tough.

We often verged on starvation.

Whenever I think about it,

my eyes well up with tears.

[Voice over] Many
died in the forest.

In those days, frogs
were a good and important

source of food for Suben.

After 13 years in
the underground,

he was granted an amnesty.

But he has never given
up his forest ways.

Suben is not a rich man.

For him, frogs are a cheap meal.

Still, gutting the
animals is no easy task.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I feel sorry
for them, but they're food.

I have to eat them
to regain my strength

for the next day's work.

[Voice over] Frogs were
not part of the daily diet

where Suben's wife
Allay grew up.

Nevertheless, she knows
exactly which herbs

and spices are essential
for a tasty frog dish.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I don't like frogs.

I don't want to eat them,
but I can cook them.

(sizzling)

[Voice over] The frog
dish reminds Suben

of his youth in the forest.

Despite the hardships
he endured back then,

he often longs for the
tranquility of the woods

even though no one else
can understand this.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] I miss just

being out in nature.

I like going into the forest.

[Voice over] Soon he'll
head back to the jungle.

(rain falling)

It's been raining for
hours now at Lake Khao Sok.

For Prewan, heavy
rains means no fishing.

Sudden gusts can be
extremely dangerous.

He seizes the opporty to
play with his grandchild

who loves the water but is
oblivious to its dangers.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I'm not
as worried since I

built these railings.

Before I used to tie his leg
whenever I went out fishing.

[Voice over] Some
toddlers have drowned

after falling into the lake.

The family's entire
life takes place

in these open 20 square meters.

Money may be tight, but Prewan
is content with his life.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I love being
free and not having a boss

who tells me what to do.

[Voice over] But Prewan
will only truly be free

once he's worked his way
out of a 70,000 baht debt,

which is around $2,000.

He was forced to take out a loan

for a new boat engine and food.

In the light of nature's beauty,

many things fade
into the background.

Only the peaks of the
highest limestone mountains

tower over the reservoir lake,

which can reach depths
of up to 100 meters.

Caves that once dotted
the high mountain walls

are now filled with water.

The entrance to
one of these caves

lies 10 meters
below the surface.

Venturing into the cave
is extremely dangerous.

If he forgets the
way out or misjudges

the amount of air he
has left to breathe,

Prewan might not make
it back to the surface.

He's taking a great
risk, but he's after

the big fish that sometimes
gather inside the cave.

There are small pockets of
air inside the cave system.

A connection between
the porous rock

and the surface must exist.

An unusual site; Stalactites
are usually not found

in underwater caves.

They must have formed
before the cave was flooded.

Empty-handed, Prewan must make
his way back to the surface.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] Normally there

are plenty of fish
inside the cave.

Many of them swim
close to the rock,

especially after it's rained.

But for some reason, they
don't seem to be here today.

[Voice over] Joe and his men
are on their way to a cave.

They're heading to
the Tham Nalu cave

hidden deep within the forest.

That's where they spotted an
unfamiliar bat a few weeks ago.

Today they'll try
to catch a specimen.

However, Joe's
condition is worsening.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] When you go in,

watch out for the
different species.

Count the number of
animals and catch a few.

I'll wait here; My leg
hurts and I can't walk.

(speaking Thai)

A while back, a mite
from a bat bit me here.

The bite caused a
severe infection.

My leg was all swollen.

I'm sorry I can't accompany
my men into the cave.

[Voice over] A river
runs through the cave.

In some places, it's shallow.

Then suddenly it drops off.

During heavy rains, the water

turns into a raging current.

A year ago, nine
people lost their lives

in this cave following
a torrential downpour.

Joe's men have reached
the cave's dome

where most of the bats live.

First they count the animals.

Even without light, the
bats can find their way

using echolocation.

(piano music)

They plan to catch
the bats with a net.

Their only chance of luring
the bats into the trap

is in complete darkness.

(moaning)

They're in luck.

Now Pishad Punra must
proceed with care.

(bat squeaking)

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] They have
claws on their wings

which get entangled in the net.

It's difficult to get
them out and they bite

because this particular species
has long, razor-sharp teeth.

[Voice over] The
animals are panicking

and fear for their lives.

(bat squeaking)

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I'm constantly
getting bitten by these bats.

You have to be extremely
careful freeing their teeth

from the net because
that's when they're

most likely to bite you.

(bat squeaking)

[Voice over] So far, so good.

After four hours inside the
cave, the troop returns.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] So how many
bats are in the cave?

[Voice over] Two or 300.

[Voice over] And how
many different species?

[Voiceovewo.

[Voice over] First they
fiercely resist being

put into the bag.

Then they don't
want to come out.

They dig their teeth into
everything within reach.

Joe's assistants
measure the animals.

Joe identifies the species.

The national park is home to
20 different bat varieties.

Their differences are minimal.

Unfortunately, the new
species they were looking for

is not among them.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] We've
caught seven bats

from two different species.

I'm quite satisfied, but we'll
have to come back and search

again because we still want
to find this new species.

[Voice over] Every catch
is precisely documented,

down to the last bat.

But this one bites.

It's extly painful.

(speaking Thai)

Like all his colleagues,
Sumchai has been

vaccinated against rabies.

But the bat's mouth is
also full of bacteria.

If Sumchai shows
any signs of fever,

he must be rushed to hospital.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] It could
become inflamed.

When a bat bites you,
it digs its teeth

really deep into the flesh.

It really, really hurts.

[Voice over] At last the
creatures are released

and fly back into the
depths of the cave system.

(peaceful music)

Far off on the northern
banks of the reservoir

lies the world's
oldest rain forest.

According to scientists, it's
older and richer in species

than the forests of the
Amazon and Central Africa.

This is where Suben
comes to find solitude.

These trees have
never been felled.

The mountain rain forest
is 160,000,000 years old.

Massive beehives
hang from the rocks.

For the young Suben
hiding in the forest,

the sweet honey was
an exquisite delicacy.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] Once we
found almost 140 beehives.

We collected the
honey from 40 of them.

That's all we could fit
into our containers.

[Voice over] Over the
years, Suben developed

a special relationship
with the forest

that continues to this day.

He often dreams
of the tall trees

which form the rain
forest's canopy.

Only here, sheltered
by the trees

does he truly feel at home.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] This is nature.

I'm not afraid of the forest.

I grew up in it.

The forest is a part of me.

[Voice over] Large
white-faced Capuchin monkeys

eye the unusual
visitor from above.

The macaques couldn't care less.

They're the most common
species of monkeys

in Khao Sok National Park.

And they make sure
it stays that way.

Poachers hunt the macaques,

either for food
or to train them.

100 kilometers away by the
large coconut plantations

lives this young
male macaque, Bang.

His owner, Chechena,
is training him

to collect coconuts
from the palm trees.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] He's okay.

He's not deceitful, he
plays with everyone.

I bought him in Pattani.

I don't know where
they got him from.

Maybe he was hand-raised,
I'm not sure.

[Voice over] Many
of the young monkeys

were caught in the wild.

A one-year-old macaque
costs 10,000 baht,

around $300.

They learn their future job
by playing with coconuts.

(playful music)

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] When
we work together,

he has to respect my authority.

I sometimes slap him
when he misbehaves

just like I would do
with my own children.

(engine starting)

[Voice over] After two
months of training,

he's ready for work.

Bang rides in the back
of the pickup truck,

his older colleague
above the driver's cab.

They're on their way to one of

the large coconut
plantations nearby.

Chechena searches for palm trees

with lots of ripe coconuts.

The trip up should be
worthwhile for the monkey.

Chechena has been keeping
monkeys for 30 years.

He doesn't believe
Bang is very keen

on harvesting coconuts.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I don't
think he enjoys the work.

He'd rather be in the forest
with the other monkeys.

But this is my profession.

And I'm good to him.

[Voice over] Bang harvests
around 300 coconuts per day.

A monkey can work
for about 10 years.

Chechena will care for Bang

when he reaches retirement age.

But not everyone is so
humane to their monkeys.

Some kill them even
though it's illegal.

It's starting to rain

and the monkey no
longer wants to climb.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] They
don't want to climb up

the coconut palm
when it's slippery.

Humans don't like to, either.

[Voice over] The
monkey calls it a day.

It's nearly 5 o'clock

and monkeys don't like
working after five anyway,

Chechena tells us.

Something very special is
about to happen in the park,

the summoning of
the forest spirit.

The fisherman and his family

plan to attend the ceremony

which only seldom takes place.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] It's
very important.

The spirit protects us.

When I climb into my boat,

I pray to the forest spirit
that everything will go well.

Sometimes he even
performs miracles.

[Voice over] The ceremony
is also an opportunity

to ask the spirit for favors.

They say that if it's
in the right mood,

the spirit may even
fulfill some wishes.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I want to wish
for my grandchild to get well

and that we'll catch enough
fio pay off our debts.

(boat engine running)

[Voice over] It's a two-hour
journey to the cult site.

(boat engine running)

The village priest,
Prason, has already

started building a shrine
for the forest spirit.

All the people gathered here

lost their homes when
the river was dammed.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] All that's left

of our village is a name.

This was quite a tall mountain.

Now everything's
covered with water.

But we still
respect the mountain

and honor the forest spirit.

[Voice over] While the
men are busy building,

the women arran the ofs

and fill them with
stimulg areca nuts.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] They're tasty

and they prevent bad breath.

If I don't chew them, I have
to eat one all the time.

[Voice over] In the tropics,
the weather changes quickly.

The fisherman and his family
set out in brilliant sunshine.

Now they're arriving
in pouring rain.

A few final adjustments
and the shrine

is ready for the ceremony.

A pig has been sacrificed
for the spirit,

a rare event that's
very expensive.

The music is supposed
to assist the spirit

in finding its
way to the shrine.

A psychic then establishes a
connection with the spirit.

After a while, one of the
men falls into a trance.

The spirit has taken
possession of him.

(fon chanting)

The traditional
Nora dance serves

to keep the spirit
in a good mood.

Then the priest enters
into a dialogue with it.

What the villagers are
really eager to hear

are its hot tips
for lucky numbers.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] Three.

And I won't tell anybody else.

[Voice over] But the spirit
will become indignant.

No one understands
what it's saying.

Finally the spirit blesses
the fisherman's small boy.

Such an opportunity
doesn't come every day.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] I'm happy my

grandchild received a blessing.

I believe everything will
now get better for us

because the forest spirit
protects everybody here.

[Voice over] And
just to make sure

everything turns out well,

the ceremony ends with a bang.

The forest spirit loves noise.

(popping)

In Southern Thailand,

the comical limestone mountains

stretch from the
forests down to the sea

and along the coast.

These spectacular
rock formations

have served as the backdrop
for numerous movies.

In the Gulf of Thailand,
impressive rock islands

rise out of the waters,

ideal hideouts for pirates.

In fact, a treasure lies hidden

on the Isle ok Pow.

The fisherman Lum
is in charge of

protecting his
village's treasure.

He hasn't been up to the cave
where it lies for two weeks.

He tells the men what
dangers they face.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] We might

encounter some difficulties.

It rained and the paths
will be very slippery.

[Voice over] As they
approach the mountain,

they ask Manai for protection.

The team offers candles
and incense sticks

to the buxom goddess
of caves and birds.

They ask her to safeguard them

so that no one falls
or gets injured.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] If you venture

out without praying first,

you have to be very careful.

Praying somehow
boosts my confidence.

[Voice over] The ascent
only takes an hour,

but each step is more
challenging than the previous.

The limestone is
sharp and craggy.

And after the rain, the
thick vines are slippery

and difficult to grip.

(drum music)

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] It's extremely

dangerous, someone
once fell here

and was seriously injured.

He didn't have enough strength

to hold on to the vines.

[Voice over] The group's
oldest member is 76.

He always makes it.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I'm in good shape.

I chop wood and
make coal from it.

I work hard and don't
just lie around.

[Voice over] They
reach the entrance

to the cave system.

(peaceful music)

The villager's treasure
is well hidden.

It hangs from the
cave's ceiling.

It is the edible
swiftlet's nest.

In China they're a delicacy

and fetch over
$2,000 a kilogram.

The birds construct their
nests with their saliva.

Many of them are still
occupied by fledglings.

The men may harvest
only the empty nests

from the cave ceiling.

First a bamboo ladder
must be firmly fixed.

Only the youngest and lightest

can climb the
12-meter high ladder,

otherwise the rungs
would give way.

There's no safety
line for the boy.

From March 'til August, the men

let the swiftlets build
their nests three times.

They take away the first nest

so the birds have to
build another one.

Then they take away
the second nest as well

so the swiftlets have
to build a third one.

Then the birds are allowed
to hatch their eggs.

A nest weighs about 14 grams.

70 nests are needed
to get one kilogram.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] We couldn't
scratch off many s today.

There are still baby
birds in many of them.

We'll have to wait
until they've left

and then we'll return.

[Voice over] They'll return
in about two weeks' time.

(water splashing)

(boat motor running)

Back at Lake Khao Sok, Prewan

is searching for big fish.

His debts are weighing
heavily on him.

He's come up with
a new technique

that will allow him to
stay underwater longer.

A simple compressor
attached to a hose

supplies his mask with air.

He's not feeling
very well today,

but Prewan still goes diving.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] The pressure's

so high it feels like my
teeth are being pulled out.

Actually I shouldn't
go down when I'm ill.

Sometimes I even spit blood.

[Voice over]
Because of the mask,

Prewan isn't able to
equalize the pressure

as he descends.

And if the compressor cuts out,

he'll have to quickly
swim to the surface.

The big fish hide in the deep.

They're his path to freedom

and the end of his debts.

(speaking Thai)

[Voice over] I'll
never lose hope

as long as still
alive and kicking.

[Voice over] And indeed,
six months later,

Prewan is out of debt.

Two weeks later, Joe and his men

return to the headwaters
of Khlong Sang.

His leg is slightly better.

For the past few months,

he's been evaluating the
photos from his camera traps.

Now he's eager to
see the new shots.

A surprise awaits him.

- (speaking Thai)
- [Voice over] Look here,

an elephant.

Our findings so far
indicate that the number

of elephants living
here is increasing.

We've never seen the elephants

in these pictures before.

This means their
population is growing.

[Voice over] Joe is convinced
the number of elephants

will continue to
increase if they succeed

in connecting the
isolated sanctuaries

with habitat corridors.

(speaking Thai) - [Voice
over] Elephants are

like friends to me.

Whenever I see them, I
feel like part of a family.

These animals live
in communities.

There's a father and a mother,

a brother and a
sister and friends.

Whenever I see elephants,
I feel connected to them.

[Voice over] For this elephant
and for little Banana Leaf,

Joe's habitat corridors will
create a path into the future,

a future in the oldest
primeval forest on Earth.

(peaceful music)