Social Conditions of the Farmers in Khao Phu Luang National Reserved Forest

Abstract

This survey research was conducted in 1979 to find social conditions of the farmers living in Khao Phu Luang National Reserved Forest for planning and development of the farmers and the reforestation of the forest in this area. Four hundred and fifty-eight respondents obtained from systematic sampling technique were interviewed by the enumerators from the Royal Forest Department. Results of the survey were summarized as follows : there were three groups of the farmers, i.e. , small, medium, and large, in this forest area. Majority of the farmers followed clustered settlement pattern and when farm size increased, the farmers who migrated from other provincial areas also increased in proportion. Most of the respondents were married and lived in nuclear family with primary educational level only. The longest residential period of about 23 years in this forest community was found among the small size farmers. Majority of the large size farmers in this area believed in supernatural power, and hence, they practiced some agricultural ceremonies. However, during the study period, when the farmers’ family members were sick, most of them used services from hospitals located in Pak Thong Chai, Pak Chong, and Nakhon Ratchasima municipal areas. Alternatives for rural development in this forest area were suggested by this researcher as follows : ( 1 ) the farmers leaders should be called on to a meeting at least once in a month in order that they could be educated on the importance of the National Reserved Forest and how to conserve the rural environments in this area ; ( 2 ) an experimental community should be organized in this forest area ; ( 3 ) rural adult educational program should be launched among the farmers in this area ; and ( 4 ) all gamblings among the farmers and school children in this area should be absolutely prohibited as soon as possible.