A Synthesis of the Grassroot Economic Development based on the Capital of Urban Poor in Special Economic Zone to Reduce Inequality

Abstract

Special economic development framework in Thailand had been concluded in the research report, Reviewing knowledge situation about inequality for the urban poor: Special economic zone (SEZ) city (author 2016, 2018). That research explains that SEZ in Thailand based on four conceptual frameworks including infrastructure development, regional economic development, neo-liberalism, and new industry - border city. It, moreover, reveals that SEZ pays much more attention to macroeconomic development level, is not easily accessible to the Urban Poor. In fact, SEZ aims to reduce inequality through economic development and will increase economic growth and reducing the poor. Nevertheless, SEZ will affecthe problems, especially in the issue of rights, opportunities, power, and prestige for the urban poor.

This study found that SEZ should not merely be based on economic and politic capitals, also the other various development capitals can be allocated for SEZ, particularly on socio-culture and environmental capitals. There are the major capitals for the urban poor, relating to their productivity To study the different context of the poor, this study based on three various contexts of communities including organic rice, community-based tourism, and informal agriculture (or riverbank agriculture).

In conclusion, the research result reveals that SEZ in Thailand focuses more economic and politic capital approaches than social-cultural and environmental capital approaches relating to the productivity for the urban poor. While the urban poor’s capitals could not be part of development, it is possible that the poor would be ignored in the development processes of the SEZ. Finally, this study proposes a mechanism and policy recommendation. Including the macro level and legal mechanisms and economic, land management, social-organization-participatory, and research and development policies.