Oil palm farmers’ adaptation practices to take part in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) creation: Implications for traditional oil palm zones in southern Thailand

Abstract

     Many research projects have reported the negative impacts of trade liberalization in ASEAN countries on Thai oil palm farmers because their competitiveness is inferior to that of Malaysia and Indonesia. This research investigated the oil palm farmers’ adaptation practices to take part in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) creation, and examined factors affecting their adaptation practices to take part in AEC creation. Suratthani and Krabi provinces were selected as the research areas. A survey of 206 and 189 representative oil palm farmers in Suratthani and Krabi provinces, respectively, was conducted using multi-stage sampling. Primary data were collected using structured interviews. The derived data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics, manifest content analysis, and an ordered probit model. The results identified the oil palm farmers’ negative opinions regarding AEC participation because they considered it would have adverse impacts on their oil palm farming. However, they had only moderately occupational adaptation practices. The statistically significant factors affecting the oil palm farmers’ adaptation practices to take part in AEC creation were: perceptions on occupational impacts of AEC participation, number of training sessions on oil palm farming, membership in cooperatives, satisfaction with oil palm farming, debt level, and the schooling year. The results are useful for related government agencies to formulate appropriate agricultural extension strategies.