The role of indigenous beliefs in the management of wetland resources in Lower Songkhram River Basin, Thailand | |
| Author | Prompassorn Chunhabunyatip |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.NR-18-01 |
| Subject(s) | Wetland management--Thailand--Lower Songkhram River Basin Wetland ecology--Thailand--Lower Songkhram River Basin Indigenous peoples--Thailand--Lower Songkhram River Basin |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctoral of Philosophy in Natural Resources Management, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. NR-18-01 |
| Abstract | Understanding how indigenous people manage their natural resources can provide a basis for formulating appropriate policies for natural resources management that benefits them while preserving their cultural beliefs. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the management of natural resources and the conservation of river ecology by the indigenous people in the Nongchaiyawan wetland. In-depth interviews with 5 key informants and quantitative surveys with 158 households were undertaken in two phases over a period of 3 years. Ancesh·al spiritual beliefs that are still salient in the Lower Songkhram River Basin influence natural resources management because they traditionally link people and natural resources. Such spiritual beliefs in the Lower Songkhram River Basin supported the indigenous people to continue conserving the natural resources in their territory. Indigenous people ·have lived in the Lower Songkhram River Basin (LSRB) for two centuries. They have beliefs in and respect for the holy spirit of the nature, as reflected in their lifestyle and wisdom. The way of life and traditional ecological knowledge of the indigenous people in the LSRB have been based on the belief in the Pu Ta spirit, which led to the creation of the sacred Don Pu Ta area. Traditional spiritual beliefs in ancesh·al spirits are closely related to various aspects of environmental management in the LSRB. The asse1tion that a traditional community's reverence to the natural habitat is a significant factor contributing to sustainable local nature resource management was substantiated during the field work of the project. Indigenous people can claim ownership of the wetland, and accordingly they have the rights to access and use the natural resources. Hence, they utilize these property rights to negotiate with the government, asking for favorable regulations to preserve the ecology of the wetland. This demonstrates the cultural path of the indigenous people, who have a strong desire to preserve and conserve the biodiversity in their local ecosystems. Consequently, indigenous people should be granted the power to paiticipate in the design of natural resource management regulations so that the community will retain the right to control and conserve the ecological habitat in their own environments through the inclusion of their traditional beliefs and rights in the local government master plan to protect their cultural forms, which value the importance of the holy spirits of the environments. In addition, prope1ty rights granted to indigenous people also contribute to the conservation of natural resources. Study findings suggest that policy makers should engage with local beliefs in order to achieve sustainable resource management and, therefore, such practices should be recognized and included in the government's policies on natural resources management in locations, where indigenous people live for generations. |
| Year | 2018 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. NR-18-01 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Sasaki, Nophea; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Tsusaka, Takuji W.;Grnnbuhel, Clemens;Kuwornu, John K. M.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Nakhon Phanom University; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2018 |