The Community Beside the Railroad and the Effect of Constructing the Double Railroad Tracks: Case Study; the Community Beside the Railroad, Muang District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

This article is about the community beside the railroad and the effect of constructing the double railroad tracks: Case Study; the community beside the railroad, Muang District, Khon Kaen Province. The content has divided into four parts: 1) The economic expansion in Muang District, Khon Kaen Province, 2) Creating the community beside the railroad, 3) The life condition of people who live beside the railroad as well as struggling and negotiation for their power, and 4) The community beside the railroad that is being affected by the urban development. The result of this study revealed that people who live beside the railroad in the area of Muang Khon Kean; which consisted of the poor people in urban area and the poor people who immigrated from the country side. These people were called “Slum People” or “people who lived in the congestion area”. However, people who live beside the railroad were struggling and negotiating between the community and the government. After that, there was an approval from Thai government to construct the double railroad tracks. As a matter of fact, many families were evicted out of the area and the government demolishes their houses. Nevertheless, the affected families did not receive the rights protection or compensation worthily. These things reflect many rights issues.