Economic Development of Pak Dome Community in the Lower Mun River Basin for Good Life Quality in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

This qualitative research was carried out of the Pak Dome community, Mu 1 Tambon Posai, Amphoe Phibun Mang sahan, Ubon Ratchathani. The 15 samples went through learning process by raising plants and animals. The field data were collected using interviews and participant observations. The data were analyzed descriptively and the results were as follows the people who settled at the Pak Dome community migrated from Tapthai Pha Aw and Sao thong villages. The community was located near the area where the Pak Dome creek met the Mun River. The area was and still is plentiful of fish and edible plants. The Pak Dome community experienced change due to external and internal factors as early as 1855 when Thailand signed the Bowring Treaty with the United Kingdom and the Government railway reached Nakhon Ratchasima in 1900. Such events opened up free trade among major towns and large communities located along the Mun River basin. The Kukrit Promoter’s government policy of putting the money or budget back to the countryside for improvement of infrastructure and/or employment in 1990. The change taught the Pak Dome people to readjust their subsistence economy to market economy. To a large extent, the people some people went back to growing food crops and raised animals using home or community made fertilizer. The new experience helped the people to reduce their risk from market economy, improve soil fertility and free of chemical deposits. The impact of the newly selected project was immense. Economically, the people almost doubled their annual income from 15,000 baht to about 24,000 baht per family. Their quality of life improved due to improved environment, food consumption, self-help or subsistence economy and improved learning experience initiated or brought by resource persons from within and outside of the community and reduced cost and increased farm produce.