On January 21, 2024, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chatchai Kanlayanapaphon, Acting Director of WU Botanic Park, and his team met with Mr. Jaroon Tosakul, an independent scholar with over 20 years of experience working closely with the Mani ethnic group. Recognized as an expert on the Mani people, he has supported numerous studies and research projects conducted by both Thai and international students and scholars over the past two decades, while also being a trusted advisor and caretaker for the Mani community in Satun Province and other areas of the Banthat Mountain Range.

During the discussion, both parties agreed to collaborate on the academic publication titled “The Mani Ethnic Group in the Banthat Mountains, Southern Thailand”. The book will draw upon Mr. Tosakul’s extensive knowledge and collected materials—including notebooks, photographs, and video footage—accumulated over more than 20 years of fieldwork with the Mani people. The publication aims to provide the most comprehensive primary-source documentation of the Mani ethnic group to date, offering accurate and reliable information to both Thai and international audiences.

This forms part of Walailak University’s initiative to contribute to recording and preserving local, regional, and national intangible cultural heritage of displaced people, in support of the SDGs, particularly SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.