Comparison of Career Change and Resource Management of Rubber Smallholders

Abstract

     The study aimed to compare the occupation change of rubber smallholding household among different areas, to study the condition of occupation change in different areas, and to identify resource management in the different areas. Three study areas of Songkhla province were selected by the rural development classification as the rural area of Ban Thong Nam, Cha Na district, the peri-urban area of Ban Chai Kao, Bangkhlam district and the urban area of Ban Kaitalad, Hat Yai district, respectively. Data were collected using multi-approach: participant observation, resources and needs questionnaire (RANQ) indepth-interview with key informants and case study. The subject consisted of 90 rubber households. It was found that rural areas and suburban areas in the south had more diversity of careers than those in the urban areas with the adjustments to the socio-economic condition that still maintained the career in agriculture. The study indicated that smallholders still held major resources, skills, land for earning income, relationship in the society that varied to the status of individuals and households. Several resources had been transformed for various careers. In particular, for those groups of young men that migrated from one location to another would need knowledge and existing skills along with conditions to make decision of changing careers. For all the studied areas, children had been expected to have high education for the purpose of career stability. These reflected the interrelated dimension of which education, career, and migration can not be separated.