Abstract:
A studying on the process of the establishment and operation of Farmers Rehabilitation and Development Fund(FRD.) expects to clarify two issues. Firstly, it is to analyse the complicated long term evolution of farmers movement which was enable to force the state to establish FRD. to be the tool to solve their problems. Secondly, it is to analyse whether the farmers participation in pushing FRD. to solve their problem is successful or not. The study found that the back ground of the movement to establish FRD. is a result of the inequality in Thai society caused by social structure, and economic structure . Moreover it was due to the agricultural policy which was decided by the state that reduced Thai farmers to a state of poverty. In the past the state showed no sincere intention to cure their poverty, which led the farmers to voice out against to the state by relying on force and presure by undertaking "collective action". This collective action is achieving by uniting the same locally level people to join their purposes, later expand into provincial network, finally achieving broader alliance to include other classes to force and pressure the state to solve their problems concretely by establishing FRD. However, the aim of the movement was that the representative of the farmers class will have their roles in formulating policy together with the state. Even though FRD. was eventually established but the the farmers problems could not be solved through this mechaism due to many factors. And the most important factor was political intervention which caused replacement of 14 Secretary Generals. Hence the participation of Thai farmers could only be on illusion in democratic regime. Besides, the study also found that the politicians behavior in controlling FRD. resulted as a political tool not only FRD. still cannot solve the farmenrs poverty but it becomes an instrument of the state too.