Vernacular Landscape of Agricultural Communities: A case study in Mueang Khong Basin, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai

Abstract

This research article aims to study the vernacular landscape of the agricultural communities in the Mong Khong Basin. The objectives were 1) to study the land use patterns at the settlement level, 2) to study the land use patterns at the layout level around the case houses, and 3) to study and analyze land use patterns with vernacular landscape and cultural ecology of ethnic groups settle in the study area. This work was field research using the ecological and landscape survey and the unstructured interview as a tool for data collection. The sample group was four agricultural communities, eight case houses, and twenty key informants. The researcher uses physical data analysis and data from interviews, presenting data through description, map, and figure. The results showed that the vernacular landscape of the agricultural communities was related to the settlement on the river delta and the foothill slope. The land use patterns at the layout level include residential areas, agricultural areas, and the surrounding environment. Moreover, the land use patterns at the layout level around the case houses include the house layout, the area around the house, and landscape elements. This area is the settlement of the Tai Yuan ethnic group, which inherited local wisdom in water management for agriculture in the lowlands, and the Pga Knyaw ethnic group, which inherited local wisdom in utilizing natural resources for agriculture in the highlands. The natural and cultural environmental conditions affect the common and characteristics of the land use patterns that form the vernacular landscape of the agricultural communities in the study area.