Abstract:
Sea salt can be used as a consumable item and a raw material in the industrial sector. Due to urban expansion, the number of salt farms in Ban Laem district, Petchaburi Province, which was once a major salt production area, has been reduced. As a result, Thailand is facing a lack of sea salt, leading to the import of sea salt to meet the domestic demand. This research, therefore, investigated factors that has caused changes in the land use of salt farms in Ban Laem District, Petchaburi Province. The main purposes of this research were to study (1) changes in the land use of salt farms from 1991 to 2012, (2) factors that have affected this land use and (3) trends of these changes and their consequences. The research tools included aerial photographs in that district taken in 1991, 2000 and 2012, a questionnaire and interviews. The research concept regarding theories about the use land of agricultural was based on VonThunen (1850) research to explain category of land use of agricultural, Climate Change base on Joseph L.Bast(2010), Geography of Agriculture base on Singh (2004), factors of land use changes base on Helen Briassoulis (2000), con Helen Briassoulis (2000) cept was also used as guidelines for analyzing the research results. It was found that the number of salt farms has been decreased since 1991 to 2012, resulting from factor of environment. Factor of salt farms changes is The Leam Phak Bia Environmental study research and development project under royal intiatives Petchaburi Province. The objective of the project is wastewater treatment in urban areas and return pure water and result in higher revenue and employment. Social and Technological labour force has been decreased resulting from the knowledge transfer about salt farming. Finance and the marketing competition between sea salt and land salt from Northeast region was transformed to industry and consumers. At present, salt farm has been decreased, so that ought to be managed appropriately. Moreover, the people in nearby areas get more revenue and the younger get knowledge about salt farming