Factors Affecting the Way of Life of People on Both Sides of Mekong River Looking through the Border Trade Dimension, Cultural Assimilation, and Government Policy

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study the way of life of people on both sides of Mekong River, and investigate factors affecting the way of life of people on both sides of Mekong River. A mixed methods methodology was employed. In the quantitative phase, data were collected by using questionnaires from 400 people on both sides of Mekong River via an accidental sampling technique. The statistics used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, and multiple regression analysis. In the qualitative phase, data were collected via in-depth interviews of people on both sides of Mekong River, governing officers, laborers, and tricycles for hire at the border trade facilities in Tha Uthen and That Phanom Districts, Nakhon Phanom Province. A total of 20 people was selected via purposive selection.

The research results found that the way of life of people on both sides of Mekong River in over all aspects were at the high level. The highest perceived aspect was the aspect of creating opportunities to work and making money by the dimension of border trade affecting the highest way of life of people on both sides of the Mekong River in significant difference at the 0.01 level. Findings from the in-depth interviews found that the emergence and existence of border trade had been a long time, it was not only for dependence on goods and economic reasons, but also the results for cultural assimilation, and having traditions together. Moreover, Thailand and Laos had transformed the economic policy into a free market system, having the promotion and development of the border area continuously causing the border trade had never been lost, and having consumer products, employment, and making money to the people on both sides of Mekong River.