Developing sustainable solution for village water supply system - A case study of Ban Xia village in Thailand

Abstract

Solving community poverty is a complex issue that requires the involvement of several stakeholders, most notably community members. This article discusses the process of applying Pidthong Lang Phra's approach, which is based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), for strengthening community engagement in problem-solving in their community. The approach involves collaboration of communities, government agencies, and academia in order to discover the root causes of the problem and develop a sustainable solution for villages. Collaborative initiatives with communities, government agencies, and the academic sector were made. The procedure was implemented to solve the water scarcity in Ban Xia village, Phayao, Thailand. After collaboratively exploring, assessing the situation and brainstorming, the final solution was the siphon system and a new pipeline from Nam Chun reservoir to the village water supply system. This solution was selected based on the capability of people in the community, the availability of financial assistance, and technological feasibility. This option was practical for villagers to act independently and capable of future management. Government agencies assisted in the planning of financing and the implementation of policies and laws while academics gave academic assistance, demonstrated the method's viability and assisted in reducing risks in each step that will be done. Key success factors were identified in this case study, including a collaborative approach including communities, government agencies, and academics, an emphasis on sustainability, the use of local skills to tackle problems.