Samut Songkhram Research Articles

Burmese Migrant Workers: Dimensions of Cultural Adaptation and an Assimilation Model for Economic and Social Development in the Central Coastal Region of Thailand

This research is aimed at studying the background of Burmese migrant labor, the current state and problems with Burmese migrant labor and the dimensions of cultural adaptation and an assimilation model for economic and social development of Burmese migrant labor in the Central Coastal Region of Thailand. This is a qualitative study carried out between November 2012 and November 2013 that incorporates document study and field research. The research area was purposively selected as Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan and Samut Songkhram Provinces. The research sample was also purposively selected and comprised of 150 individuals, divided into three groups: key informants (n=21), casual informants (n=69) and general informants (n=60). Tools used for data collection were observation, interview and focus group discussion. Data was validated using a triangulation technique. The result of the investigation is a development model in five sections: cost of labor, work conditions, job security, career progression and work sanitation and safety.

The Relationship between the Architectural Style of the Area's Residential Waterfront Communities of Bangnoi Floating Bangkhonthi Districts Samut Songkhram Province

The Relationship between the Architectural Style of the Area's Residential Waterfront Communities of Bangnoi Floating Bangkhonthi Districts Samut Songkhram Province

The Development and Application of Genetic Markers for Giant Freshwater Prawns Macrobrachium Rosenbergii by Microsatellites

This article reports the development of microsatellite primers for giant freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), using the genome library for this type of prawns and biotinylated probe in isolating six types of DNA fragments with base sequence repeats, namely (AG)10, (TG)10, (CAA)10, (CAG)10, (GAT)10 and (TAC)10. Four clones harboring microsatellites were chosen, namely SH2-9F, SH2-10C, SH2-11D and SH3-11G. Base sequencing found no microsatellite sequences. Four pairs of primers were designed, namely DTLSH 7, DTLSH 8, DTLSH 9 and DTLSH 12, respectively. These primers were tested on the DNA of giant freshwater prawns, and DNA band sizes were found to be 131, 174, 210 and 193 per 205 bp, respectively. The developed microsatellite primers may be used in conjunction with primers for other types of prawns. Genetic diversity checking of giant freshwater prawns in Thailand showed that their population in Thailand may be classified into two groups: one with the closest genetic relationship being those from Khon Kaen, Samut Songkhram and Ang Thong provinces while the other with similar genetic characteristics were those from these three provinces as compared to those from Surat Thani province.

Seeking Haven and Seeking Jobs: Migrant Workers' Networks in Two Thai Locales

I IntroductionThere has been an increase in the number of migrants from Myanmar to Thailand since the late 1980s,1) spurred by Thailand's rapid growth. Interviews conducted in the lowland Karen State, in the township of Pa-an, reveal that in the late 1980s the direction of migration among labor from Myanmar switched from westward toward Yangon to eastward over the mountains into Thailand (Hayami 2011). Each household had at least one member working in Thailand-in construction, fishery, agriculture, or manufacturing, or as domestic help. Migrant labor from Myanmar (as well as Cambodia and Laos) filled jobs that Thai workers considered dirty, dangerous, and difficult. The zone may be regarded as an economic dam, where cheap labor keeps flowing in while their way into the interior is blocked. However, migrant workers also make their way into interior prefectures where working conditions as well as social and cultural contexts differ markedly from the border.In this paper we study migrant laborers in two locales, one on the (Mae Sot) and one in the interior (Samut Songkhram). By comparing the two locales, rather than unilaterally arguing on the manner in which state and geopolitical space define mobility, we suggest that transnational migrant workers formulate and define their space through adaptive networks in articulation with macro-level policies as well as local socioeconomic and historical-cultural dynamics.Studies on migration have been carried out in the social sciences for over half a century, either in terms of rural to urban domestic migration, or the migration of Europeans and Asians to North America. The recent increase in migration to destinations formerly deemed sending countries has spurred renewed interest in the subject. Various approaches from multiple disciplines, beginning with the push and pull theories or dual labor market theory, world systems theory, and historical-structural analyses, have been employed to understand the phenomenon. It has become increasingly clear that a far more integrated perspective, which both incorporates the role of the state and pays attention to human agency, is necessary in order to view the migration systems and networks from a historical, political, and perspective, examining both ends of the flow and their linkages.As a way of understanding migration, Caroline Brettell identified three levels of analysis (Brettell 2003, 2)-the macro, micro, and meso. The macro-level refers to the structural conditions that shape the migration flow and constitutes the political economy of the world market, interstate relationships of the countries involved, income differentials, the laws and practices of citizenship established by the state, larger ideological discourses, the demographic and ecological setting of population growth, availability of resources, and infrastructure. Transnational migration impacts the state policies of citizenship and sovereignty (Castles and Miller [1993] 2009), and states must regulate, control, and decide on how to deal with the influx and how to grant rights to immigrants. It is important to take note of changes in policies and regulations over time that control the entry and exit of migrants, which are affected by Thailand's increasing demand for cheap labor.In this regard, a key issue regarding borders and citizenship among migrant workers in Thailand is the registering of illegal migrants with work permits, a system that became institutionalized after 1992 (see next section) and which Pitch Pongsawat (2007) refers to as border partial citizenship. The politico-economic order is constituted as an ongoing process between state exercise of power to control the border, exploitative capitalist development, and illegal immigrant workers' response to the situation, allowing the continued employment of migrant workers with low wages. This system contributes to the maintenance of an exploitative process. …

A molecular marker for in situ genetic resource conservation of Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum (Solanaceae)

The Thailand cultivar pepper 'phrik man bangchang' (Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum, Solanaceae) was originally cultivated in the Bangchang Subdistrict, Amphawa District in Samut Songkhram Province. The cultivated areas are limited; we verified its distribution in Thailand for in situ 'phrik man bangchang' genetic resource conservation. Samples were collected from the original cultivation area of Bangchang Subdistrict (Or) and were randomly explored in Ratchaburi Province (RB), Khon Kaen Province (KK), and Sakon Nakhon Province (SN). A pure line from The Tropical Vegetable Research Center at Kasetsart University was used as the standard indicator. Two more Capsicum species, C. chinensis and C. frutescens, and a species from another genus in the family, Solanum melongena, were included. A dendrogram constructed from random amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprints indicated that the Or, RB, KK, and SN samples were C. annuum var. acuminatum with supportive similarity coefficients of 0.79 to 0.98. Finally, DNA barcodes, from psbA-trnH spacer region, were provided for the 3 wild species, C. annuum var. acuminatum, C. chinensis, and C. frutescens under GenBank accession Nos. JQ087869-JQ087871. The nucleotide variations between species were 0.23 to 0.26. In summary, 'phrik man bangchang' is still being planted in Bangchang Subdistrict, but only in small areas. The distribution of planting areas is expected to be throughout Thailand.

Divergent Pathways of Development: A Comparative Case Study of Human Well-Being in Two Thai Provinces

Over the last two decades there has been a growing interest in shifting the political focus from gross domestic product as an indicator of well-being to more pluralistic concepts. Correspondingly, approaches to development have also evolved. A case study of two neighboring Thai provinces, Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram, provides a means to examine divergent development pathways and the resulting differences in well-being. Samut Sakhon was influenced by traditional economic forces. By contrast, the United Nations Development Programme cited Samut Songkhram as a “showcase of the sufficiency economy”, although the extent to which the sufficiency economy philosophy was deliberately applied is unclear. Today, the gross provincial product is much higher in Samut Sakhon, but Samut Songkhram ranks higher on the human achievement index (HAI). In comparison with traditional economic indicators, the HAI provides a more realistic depiction of the provinces; however, the index has shortcomings in regards to social and environmental issues.

Nutrient loads and their impacts on chlorophyll a in the Mae Klong River and estuarine ecosystem: an approach for nutrient criteria development

Investigations on the water quality of the Mae Klong River and Estuary were conducted from April 2005 to February 2006 during periods of early-, mid-, and late-loading. Nutrient loads and transfer patterns were studied together with clarification of contaminated sites. The results indicated that NH4+, NO2- + NO3-, Si(OH)4 and PO4(3-) concentrations varied by season and were comparatively high in the mid-loading period. Analysis of DIN:P and Si:P molar ratios indicated that P04(3-) could possibly be a limiting nutrient. Highly contaminated sites were in the middle (Ratchaburi province) and lower (Samut Songkhram province) river zones in which anthropogenic wastewater discharges were significantly (p < 0.05) loaded. Analysis of the DIN and P transfer patterns showed that self-remediation efficiencies were rarely found. The highest DIN and P loads of 23.87 and 4.03 t/day, respectively, were found in Samut Songkhram province. Nutrients were found to contribute to the hypertrophic condition of the lower river and the estuary. The baseline level of chlorophyll a in the upper river was approximately 3.3 microg/L, while levels exceeded 10 microg/L in the estuarine zone. Such chlorophyll a levels were highly significant (p < 0.01) related to DIN and P (with correlation coefficients of 0.44 and 0.37, respectively). In order to maintain river conservation to an acceptable degree, levels of about 20 micromol/L DIN and 1 micromol/L P were suggested as the upper limits. To achieve such levels will require serious consideration with regard to the development of nutrient criteria for water resource conservation management and sustainable utilization purposes.

Effect of water exchange with mangrove enclosures based on nitrogen budget in Penaeus monodon aquaculture ponds

A model experiment in which water was circulated between shrimp aquaculture ponds (Ponds 1, 2, and 5), and mangrove enclosures (Ponds 3 and 4), was carried out at the Samut Songkhram Coastal Aquatic Research Station, Thailand, from March through July 2003. Five ponds with a size of 40m×20m and 1.5m deep were used for this experiment. Ten thousand shrimp larvae Penaeus monodon at the PL-15 stage were stocked in Ponds 1 and 5, and 20 000 larvae were stocked in Pond 2. Mangrove Rhizophora mucronata (476 trees) had been planted in each of Ponds 3 and 4 in July 2002. Approximately 30% of the water in Ponds 2 and 5 was moved to the mangrove enclosures by siphon (Ponds 3 and 4, respectively) every Thursday, and the same amount was returned to the shrimp ponds by pump every Monday over the 136-day experiment. Shrimp incorporated 30.3, 25.6, and 33.7% of the input nitrogen as feed in Ponds 1, 2, and 5. Since 2.02 kg N in Pond 2 and 0.76 kg N in Pond 5 was transported to the mangrove ecosystem, and 4.26 kg N in Pond 2 and 3.98 kg N in Pond 5 was retained in water and mud, it was estimated that between 2.1 and 5.2 unit areas of mangroves is required to remove the nitrogen remaining in the aquaculture pond.

Diversity and Community Structure of Macrobenthic Fauna in Shrimp Aquaculture Ponds of the Gulf of Thailand

To compare the diversity and community structure of macrobenthic fauna inhabiting shrimp aquaculture ponds, quantitative samplings using a multilayer cylinder were carried out in culture experimental ponds at Samut Songkhram, along the innermost part of the Gulf of Thailand. A total of 25 species/taxa of macrobenthic organisms were identified from the six aquaculture ponds; four ponds used for active shrimp (Penaeus monodon Fabricius) culture and two ponds planted with mangrove stands (Rhizophora mucronata Lamarck). The dominant species belonged to three taxonomic categories; that is, (1) sedentary, tube-dwelling spionid, Polydora sp., free-living nereid, Perinereis sp., and some other polychaetes (Annelida), (2) gastropods such as Cerithidea cingulata, Cerithium coralium, Thiara riqueti ,a nd Stenothyra spp. which live on the surface or in the shallow layer of the substratum (Mollusca), and (3) barnacles, Balanus sp., and some small arthropods such as ostracods, copepods, harpacticoids, amphipods, and dipterans (Arthropoda). Maximum density and biomass exceeded 10,000 individuals/m 2 and 600 g/m 2 , respectively, and gastropods were the most dominant and representative taxa in most of the ponds. Species composition was clearly distinguished between the shrimp culture ponds and the mangrove planted ponds. Population density, species richness and species diversity indices of macrobenthic organisms in the bottom of the mangrove planted ponds were significantly higher than those of the shrimp culture ponds, suggesting that mangrove was important for maintaining and increasing the biodiversity. There was a tendency that epibenthic mollusks and arthropods decreased evidently as the depth increased from the surface to the deeper layers, while annelids were found not only in the surface layer but also in the moderately deeper layer. A possibility that Penaeus monodon fed on some macrobenthic organisms under the cultured conditions was discussed.

New mouthless nematode of the genus Parastomonema Kito, 1989 (Nematoda: Siphonolaimidae) from a mangrove forest on the coast of Thailand, and erection of the new subfamily Astomonematinae within the Siphonolaimidae

A new species of mouthless nematode Parastomonema papillosum sp. nov. was described based on specimens collected in muddy sediments of a mangrove forest in Samut Songkhram, Thailand. Parastomonema papillosum sp. nov. is the second species of the genus and differs from the type species P. fijiense Kito, 1989 in having short body length (1.5–3.0 mm), short cephalic setae (1.5–2.6 µm), and a weakly cuticularized gubernacular apophysis in the male. Astomonematinae subfam. nov. was erected for the two mouthless genera Astomonema and Parastomonema in the Siphonolaimidae based on the diagnostic feature of a degenerate alimentary canal and female reproductive system with paired ovaries.

Transformations for the Survival of Traditional Water-Based Communities in Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram Province

The water-based communities in Amphawa District have evolved in their settlements over a long period of time. They all have specific and unique characteristics in terms of natural and cultural heritages. In the past, the communities have been affected by various transformations and changes not only in the natural environment but also through the direct and indirect developments which have been undertaken in the Mae Klong River basin. Despite these changes, however, the traditional water-based communities have been able to adjust themselves for survival up to the present day. This study aims to describe certain issues which affect the survival of traditional water-based communities in Amphawa, i.e., (1) transformations of traditional water-based communities, (2) factors affecting the transformations and survival of water-based communities, and (3) trends in transformations and capabilities for the survival of water-based communities. The findings of this research should be useful for preliminary deliberations of the appropriate policy recommendations for maintaining the uniqueness and the survival of water-based communities.

Phosphorus budget in shrimp aquaculture pond with mangrove enclosure and aquaculture performance

An experiment in which water was circulated between shrimp aquaculture ponds stocked with 10000 or 20000 PL-15 stage Penaeus monodon, and mangrove enclosures each planted with 476 Rhizophora mucronata per enclosure, was carried out at the Samut Songkhram Coastal Aquatic Research Station, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Shrimp survival rate was significantly higher (P<0.001, Fisher’s exact test) in ponds where 10000 larvae was stocked and water was exchanged with the mangrove enclosure, compared with the control pond with no water exchange, over the 136 day experimental period. Phosphorus transport to the mangrove enclosure was estimated to be 0.41 kgP and 0.18 kgP over the experimental period and change in phosphorus content in mud was reduced there compared with the control pond. A load reduction effect to the environment was confirmed in this aquaculture system with mangrove enclosure com|pared with the phosphorus budget in the control pond, and 6.2 or 8.9 ha of mangrove area was estimated to be required by 1 ha shrimp ponds to fully process the phosphorus.

Attempt at Purification of Effluent and Sediment in Shrimp Aquaculture Ponds Using Mangrove Trees

Water was circulated between shrimp and mangrove ponds to process effluent from shrimp aquaculture using mangrove trees at the Samut Songkhram Research Station, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Shrimp growth was faster in the ponds circulated with water from mangroves during the first 63 days of culture, before mass mortality occurred. Mass mortality of shrimp occurred after 63 days of culture. Though a load reduction effect to the environment was observed in the nitrogen and phosphorus budgets, this experiment was terminated prior to completion due to mass mortality. Further experiments on processing effluent with mangroves are needed.

Marine fungi on Nypa fruticans in Thailand

Species diversity and collection time variation of marine fungi on Nypa fruticans in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand were investigated. Eighty-one fungal taxa were recorded between October 1997 and August 1999, with 76 new taxon records for Nypa fruticans, and 22 new taxon records (13 pyrenomycetes, 1 discomycete and 8 anamorphic fungi) for Thailand. Percentage occurrence of the nine most prevalent marine taxa ranged from 34.8 to 8.8%. Trichocladium nypae (34.8%), Linocarpon appendiculatum (34.0%), L. nypae (30.8%), Oxydothis nypae (26.8%) and Astrosphaeriella striatispora (26.4%) were the most common fungi. The study of collection time variation revealed the greatest species diversity in the dry months when rainfall ranged between 19 and 11 millimeters. Species richness in the dry and wet months was 38–40 and 29–30, respectively.

Toponyms in the Western Region of Thailand

Village names or toponyms in the Western region of Thailand, i.e. Kanchanaburi, Nakorn Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakorn and Suphan Buri, in this study are drawn from a complete list of names in Thamniap Thongthii 2535 BC (Provincial Records 1992). The aims of this study are: 1) to analyse the linguistic structure of Thai village names 2) to set up dimensions for the semantic features of the village names in the western region of Thailand and 3) to make a frequency count of the general names which are the first morpheme of a name. The result are as follows: 1) the linguistic structure of the village names is the same as that of the grammatical word structure in Thai 2) there are five major semantic dimensions of the village names, namely, the geographical features which include water or sources of water, elevated land areas and other geographical areas, the nongeographical features which consist of plants, animals, uncultivated or the cultivated land and profession, constructed objects, numbers, persons, and other ethic languages, the locative or directional features which are divided into prepositional locatives and noun locatives, the auspicious features and the descriptive features, and 3) the village names to the western region of Thailand rely significantly on physical geography of the area.

Isolation and characterization of Dunaliella salina from Thailand

Screening of Dunaliella was performed in four provinces along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand (Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Samut Songkhram) and in Nakhorn Ratchasima province in the north-east. Six clones of D. salina were isolated from salt fields in Samut-Songkhram province. Clone DS91008 produced the highest carotenoid content of 80.3 pg cell-1, in modified J/1 medium at 30% NaCl under continuous illumination at 270 µmol m-2 s-1.