The planet and the well-being of its people face a growing existential threat from environmental destruction caused by unsustainable mining and industrial extraction, deforestation, toxic pollution, and climate-driven devastation. In recognition of the widespread man-made crisis, pressure is mounting to recognise crimes against our planet as ecocide and to demand immediate action and accountability from governments and the private sector.
Southeast Asia is one of the regions experiencing large-scale destruction of ecosystems, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Mekong region, as evidenced by the high and increasing number of disasters and disease outbreaks. Beyond the effects of a changing climate, such ecocide is also driven by irresponsible corporate practices and ill-conceived mega-development projects and investments, often tolerated if not boosted by ineffective government policies and administrative actions.
The photo exhibition GEN-F: Living in Fear amid Ecocide by documentary photographer Sayan Chuenudomsavad draws on four years of reportage, partly published in the environmental platform Bangkok Tribune, to expose the ecological collapse occurring in Thailand and the surrounding region and its repercussions for local populations, particularly the most vulnerable. Organized by SEA Junction in collaboration with Bangkok Tribune, it runs 5-17 May 2026 on the Curved Wall, 5th Floor, Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre (BACC).
For instance, the photos document PM2.5 haze and forest fires in the North and beyond, driven not only by precarious rural livelihoods but also by mono-cropping agriculture backed by agribusiness corporations. Meanwhile, toxic contamination in major rivers like the Mekong and the Salween rivers across the region and extending to the Northeast, involves non-state actors engaged in unregulated mining in Myanmar. At the same time, the damming of the mainstream Mekong River for electricity trade, despite relentless calls from local residents, is devastating fisheries and livelihoods.
The exhibition captures what it means to live, adapt, and endure in a world shaped by ecocide and to belong to a generation defined not by age, but by a shared fear for our planet and ourselves, as the title suggests. In doing so, it hopes to serve as a wake-up call for all to recognise the ecocide unfolding in our midst, take action to stop the destruction, champion environmental justice and demand accountability before greater and irreversible damage is done.
To launch the documentary photography exhibition Gen-F: Living in Fear amid Ecocide, the organisers, led by SEA-Junction, are hosting a panel discussion, “Living in Fear amid Ecocide” to delve into the stories behind the photographs.
Further reflections on these themes will be offered at a panel discussion followed by Q & A held at the launch of the exhibition at 5.30 pm on 5 May 2026 at SEA Junction, Room 407-408, BACC. After the panel, participants will proceed to the 5th floor of BACC, where the exhibition opening will be held with light refreshments.
The panel is organized by SEA-Junction, in partnership with Bangkok Tribune, the Rivers & Rights Foundation, and Decode.plus.
Panelists
- Carl Middlelton, MAIDS-GRID and CSDS, Chulalongkorn University
- Phattarapong Leelaphat, Chiang Mai MP, People’s Party, a member of the Clean Air Act Drafting Committee, and former chair of the Sub-committee on Transboundary Water Pollution for the Lower House
- Pianporn Deetes, Executive Director, the Rivers and Rights Foundation
- Sayan Chuenudomsavad, documentary photographer
Moderator
- Panu Wongcha-um, FCCT President
PHOTO EXHIBITION: GEN-F: Living in Fear amid Ecocide
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to “bridge the gap” and “connect the dots” with critical and constructive minds on development and environmental policies in Thailand and the Mekong region; to deliver meaningful messages and create the big picture critical to public understanding and decision-making, thus truly being the public’s critical voice