Abstract
Thailand is promoting a sufficiency economy (SE) emphasizing community solidarity, mixed farming and sustainable agriculture. We analyze to what extent the SE philosophy is part of the daily lives of communities in Isan, NE Thailand. We interviewed rural household representatives and community leaders on education, employment, community dynamics, aspirations, concerns and social-sufficiency. The majority observed that community values and interaction were essential and were satisfied with living standards and community. However, most want their children to proceed to university meaning many may not return to agriculture limiting the ability of SE values to be transferred to the next generation.
Highlights
Changes in economic relations inevitably impact on relations within communities and on self sufficiency and life-satisfaction (Parnwell, 2007)
In Northeastern Thailand (Isan) these various modernizing forces are intersecting with a rich tradition of cooperative village life and a long lived aspiration to emerge from chronic poverty and benefit from the national economic growth
The majority of villagers surveyed in this study are self sufficient in food to provide for their families and were satisfied with their lives and incomes, in households with low levels of debt
Summary
Changes in economic relations inevitably impact on relations within communities and on self sufficiency and life-satisfaction (Parnwell, 2007) Such challenges are currently being faced by Thai farmers who increasingly need to earn cash incomes to support modern lifestyles and this means producing food for a global market rather than for their own consumption. In Northeastern Thailand (Isan) these various modernizing forces are intersecting with a rich tradition of cooperative village life and a long lived aspiration to emerge from chronic poverty and benefit from the national economic growth. Isan villagers are being pulled in different directions and their complex situation needs to be understood and accommodated by regional rural development programs
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