Status in Land Management of the Community under political ecology in OnTai Sub-district, Sankampang District, Chiang Mai Province Status in Land Management of the Community under Political Ecology in OnTai Sub-district, Sankampang District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this research article was to study the status in land management of the community under political ecology in OnTai sub-district, Sankampang district, Chiang Mai province, and this research was descriptive research by using qualitative research method, content analysis and combined with quantitative data to analyze descriptive statistical data, and collecting data using tools that include household survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key informants.

It was found that there were two significant factors that affected the land management issue of the community as follows: 1) household financial planning against the state of land management of the community issue, especially debt burden that was equal to 31.2% and 2) The type of land ownership against the state of land management of the community issue, it was the land lease agreement between the capitalists and the villagers. 20.9% of the land was verbal rental agreements; consequently, hindering the future land use planning.

The indicators were used in the status in land management of the community as a type of participation in land management of the OnTai sub-district community as follows: participation in receiving benefits and participation in evaluation. The analysis of survey data found that the villagers participated at the moderate level toward a low tendency with a total mean of only 2.65 and 2.55, respectively. When analyzed together with the level of participation, it was found that the level of participation in decision-making, delegated power and the level of citizen control were at the low level. Based on interviews and focus group discussions with stakeholders, including villagers, capitalists and government representatives, it was found that the important conditions affecting the status in land management of the community under political ecology were "a sense of community ownership", which was a feeling that was overwhelmed among the villagers but not in the capitalists, and the one who acted as a middleman between the villagers and the capitalist is the government, but there was a common economic interests with the capitalist while it was necessary for the government representatives to perform duties for the villagers according to the obligations of government officials; thus, causing the status in land management under power relations. Therefore, the land management is not only about the physical land but including the understanding of the political ecological cycle of the area.