Community dynamics in green zone : community adaptation for physical, socio-economic, and cultural change. a case of Bang Nam Pheung community in Samut Prakan
Abstract:
This study aimed at studying physical, economic, social and cultural changes of the community, studying community adaptation and studying problem-solving and community development guidelines in the area of the Bang Nam Pheung community in Samu Prakan. The researcher used a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected using observation techniques and in-depth interviews with 28 related persons in three groups. According to the findings, Bang Nam Pheung was a part of the Kung Bang Krachao area or "Koh Krapoh Mu". In the past, the entire area was a fruit orchard. In 1977, the government had policy to conserve the Kung Bang Krachao area by purchasing the area from the community inhabitants. The area covered 103 rai from the Bang Nam Pheung community and this area has become a rural and agricultural conservation area since then. Community changes on the issue of physical changes found the settling model, which changed from settling adjacent to rivers to settling adjacent to roads had less use of land for agriculture and more use of land for residential purposes. On the issue of economic changes, in the past, the inhabitants were found to be orchard workers and are now company employees and vendors. Production has changed from using traditional methods to using technology. Distribution has changed from trade by water to trade by land. On the issue of social changes, household sizes have changed more from extended families to nuclear families. Concerning the educational opportunities of community members, most of the community members graduated at the level of Grade 6 in the past and most of the community now graduated with bachelor's degrees. In the area of community strength, social grouping in the past had no clear organizational model and social grouping currently had a clearer model. On the issue of cultural changes, housing characteristics in the past were found to be Thai-style houses. AT present, most of the houses are half cement half wood. In the area of local traditions, the Bang Nam Pheung community continued traditions such as Songkran and Tak Bat Nam Pheung from the past to the present day. Concerning community adaptation, changes of the Bang Nam Pheung community were found to have occurred slowly without significant effects on the lives of community members. When the study was conducted, problems from changes and adaptation among community members were found to be environmental problems such as a higher amount of waste. The law requiring houses to take up only 25% of land while leaving the remaining 75% of land as a green zone was a problem for people with limited space; as a result, the people were unable to build houses. Community identities such as boat travel methods have disappeared and forest areas have become degraded because the government did not permit community members to perform activities in the area, thereby causing the forest area to be left to nature and resulting in deterioration. In the area of research findings on guidelines for solving problems stemming from community changes and adaptation, the findings indicated that awareness should be built among community members in order for community members to recognize the value of green zones and maintain a conservation mind. Laws should be revised to be consistent with community area conditions by specifying that building areas be larger than green zones such as by designating 75% of land to be for building houses and designating 25% of the land to be a green zone. Community identity should be promoted by doing things such as conserving traditional house models and returning to use boats for transit rather than using vehicles, etc. Committees and teams should be created to monitor forests in the community.