Social Movements in Chiang Mai Against Problems from Urbanization During 1997-2008

Abstract

This paper is designed to gain an understanding of social movements in Chiang Mai city and its effect on urbanization during the period 1997 – 2008, in which the people began to have stronger roles in local development and/or greater ability to monitor the work of government agencies. The objectives of this study are to examine urbanization in Chiang Mai from social, economic and political perspectives, as well as to study problems of urbanization. An additional objective is to study the pattern of social movements in Chiang Mai city and its effects on urbanization. This study examines 5 social groups: the People’s Organization for Participation (POP), Pakee Khon Hug Chiang Mai, the Chiang Mai Sunday Cycling Club (CSCC), Wat Kate villagers and the Suthep community. The study shows that urbanization in Chiang Mai has resulted from the national policy for promoting Chiang Mai province as a regional center. Urbanization in Chiang Mai can be divided into 3 types: spatial urbanization, social urbanization and other urbanization. Spatial urbanization shows a clear change in land use, especially the development in dense residential and commercial districts, the spread of tall buildings throughout the city, disorganized construction of various types and the increasing cost of land in the downtown areas. Social urbanization entails population growth and population density as a result of government policies at both the central and local levels. At the same time, urbanization can bring problems such as imposing government policies without sufficient public participation, environmental deterioration, cultural lag and economic inequality. In studying the movement of social groups, it was found that all sample groups had the same working goal of building people’s participation in developing Chiang Mai in a clear direction and in correspondence with public demands. This role must entail detailed, in-depth knowledge of pertinent development programs, as well as sharing in proposing recommendations and the decision- making process. For the most part, the sample groups work in a flexible manner and carry out their work on a voluntary basis. They need only to encourage people to solve problems that arise from development in Chiang Mai city, as well as forge a shared awareness of urbanization among people that live in the area to include the younger generation.