Abstract:
Songkhla becomes one of the most important provinces in southern Thailand because of its potentials and readiness for high development. The Fifth National Economic and Social Development Plan has set Songkhla/Ha-ad Yai as the secondary province of the South. There are many developing projects to support this policy which generates both economic and social growth in Songkhla and nearby provinces. This thesis is aimed to study basic conditions and development potentials of Songkhla physically, economically, and socially, including problems of the area as well as characteristics and structures of these problems. This will lead to suggestive paradigms and prospects of suitable development. The consequences of this thesis can be summarized as follows. Songkhla has high levels of present development and future potentials of development because of several factors facilitating development physically, economically and socially. However, by considering details of amphor and tambon levels, there are great differentiations of development levels in each area and potentials to support the development, especially at the amphor level. When the province is divided into amphor level in accordance with their potentialities, it is found that Amphor Ha-ad Yai and Amphor Muang Songkhla become areas of high potential development. Whilst Amphor Sadao, Amphor Ranode, Amphor Rattaphume, Amphor Sathingpra, and Amphor Jana become areas of medium potential development. And, Amphor Thaypa, Amphor Natawee, Amphor Sabayoy, King- Amphor Krasaesin, and King- Amphor Namom and areas of low potential development. When considering at tambon level, it is found that the differentiations occur not only because of limitations and problems physically, economically, and socially but also because of the abuse land uses and the inefficient uses of resources. By considering potentialities to support development, problems, and consequent relations of the areas, Songkhla Province can be divided into 4 sub-areas: 1. Sub-area of Economic and Progressive Industrial Area. This sub-area has the highest level of development : highest economic growth. This sub-area is the central part of the province which has 2 main centers : Ha-ad Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality. Both centers function as the inducement of development and service distribution of the outskirts. 2. Sub-area of Border Land. This sub-area grows rather rapidly because of economic activities, especially the international trade with Malaysia. 3. Sub-area of Agricultural Planin Land. This sub-area is the upper part of the province which is a wide plain land suitable for paddy. This sub-area, hence, becomes the major source of Provinces supply of rice. Economic activities in this sub-area do not grow well ; therefore, there is the highest out-migration. 4. Sub-area of Agricultural High Land. This sub-area is the southern part of the province which has physical limitations. Most of the land are forests and mountains. Agricultural soil potential is low. Economic activities in this area are worst. The role of Songkhla Province in the future with respect to the (Southern) Region is the center of economic development of the Region. It becomes the growth pole of the Region. Besides, it eminently functions as the centers of communication and transportation, education, administration, and government. This thesis proposes major development programs : proposals for future land use pattern, suitable community system, future communication system and network, structural set-ups, plans, and infrastructural projects. It is aimed that, if implemented efficiently it will up-grade the levels of development of the problem area as well as up-grading Songkhla as a central core of the southern region. This will induce not only the development of the peripheries efficiently but also the optimum development of resources. This will eliminate the disparities of development in the area and open opportunities for population in the backward areas to receive equal rewards of development spatially.