But many vegetables can be harder to find since they do not grow as easily here. The ocean is also very important to how people live. Many people work as fishermen, catching seafood to sell. This common job creates fishermen communities, where groups of people who work in the fishing industry frequently live close together with their families.
Areas of Thailand can be threatened by tsunamis. Tsunamis are giant waves that hit the shore and can be very dangerous. They are usually created by earthquakes. In 2004, a very serious tsunami hit Phuket, an island about four hours away from where I currently live. To face this challenge, scientists monitor the ocean so that if a tsunami wave begins to form, people have time to leave. Flooding is also very common in Thailand. There are many rivers and bodies of water, so when there is a lot of rain, the water can cover the streets and reach several feet high. The tropical climate also is a good home for many bugs, including mosquitos. This can be dangerous since mosquitos can carry diseases, but people are able to get vaccines to protect sickness. It is also common for people in Thailand to put mosquito nets over beds.
Structures in Thailand are built to adapt to potential theats. Many buildings are raised off the ground to protect from flooding and water damage. It is interesting that many houses and buildings in Thailand are still surrounded by jungle, where little has been cleared away to make room for development.
