Abstract:
This dissertation is aimed to study the phenomenon of transformation for the survival of traditional water-based communities in Amphawa district. The study consists of 1) study on transformation for the survival of traditional water-based communities; 2) factors to transformation and the survival of water-based communities; 3) trends in transformation and capabilities for the survival of water-based communities; and 4) policy recommendations as appropriate to the survival of water-based communities. The formulation of preliminary concept of the research is based on Rapoport (1977) and Garnham (1985) concepts by which 3 key components have been applied as conditions to examine the specific characteristics that identified the community identities. Those are distinguished geographical characteristics, prominent activities and functions, and conveyance of meanings or symbols. The study revealed that there were two factors that led to changes in the water-based communities i.e. the development of road networks which was the cause to the deterioration and the declining roles of waterway network system; and the construction f dams in the upstream of Mae Klong river basin that significantly changed the balance of ecological environment in the water basin system. As a consequence, inhabitants had to fine-tune themselves for survival by maintaining economic balance of households. With regard to the water-based communities in urban areas, the transformation was on the relocation of water-based houses and shops to the new sites along the community roads in order to sustain their job activities. This had led to the transformation of settlement structure of water-based communities. Regarding the rural water-basedcommunities, some members in households had shifted to work in non-agricultural sector and also adjusted into the new production system in plantation. The transformation has resulted not only in the survival of households but also in sustaining the water-based communities up to nowadays. In connection with the survival of water-based communities, it is contradicted to the level of development or community urbanzation. That is, the more urbanized level the water-based communities are, the higher changes in key components in every aspect of communities will take place. This has brought high risk to the survival of water-based communities. From the case study of Amphawa water-based communities, it can be concluded that in theoretical implication, the concept can examine both the specific characteristics of water-based communities and the evaluation of the community survival. Nevertheless, conditions need to be adjusted are distinguished geographical characteristics, major economic activities of the communities, and people's way of life related to water. In policy implication, it was found that the survival of the water-based communites relied on the attempts to maintain all key factors for the survival. Those are preservation of water resource endowments and waterway system, keeping of economic balance of households by taking into account of sufficiency economy and utilizing of communities' resources as major inputs for production, and upholding of relationships between human and water along with appropriately taking-over by next generation. Those conditions can be applied for the provision of community development policies-the development of road network and water resource in particular. This is to maintain the major components which are accounted to be the specific characteristics of the water-based communities, not to be rapidly deteriorated or changed in untimely manner.