The Use of Photovoice as Reflections on the Citizens’ Voices in Resolving Land Conflicts in Thaplan National Park

Abstract

The main purpose of this research paper is to discuss how photovoice as a method of visual communication for those in local communities to convey their deepest feelings for the resolution of land conflicts in Thaplan National Park. Participants were 6 Thais a group of 18 people who were willing to participate in the photovoice project. They were villagers, NGO personnel and an activist monk in Thai Samakkhi Subdistrict. The use of photovoice helped the participants to record, convey, and share their knowledge by presenting their own visual testimonies of land conflict as well as to develop their capabilities on the public debate through the contexts of the photographs. Therefore, this study has brought to light some of the roles of photovoice as a tool to achieve deliberative moral sentiment over public spirits through their eyes ‘view in order to brought to community development and to reach policymakers. Implications are drawn for the development of public policies as well as to contribute to the study of deliberative democracy in handling land conflicts.