Community Rights in the Movement for Sustainable Lands, Forest and Water Resources Management : A Case Study of New Social Movements in The Northern Thailand B.E. 1988-2010

Abstract

This research aimed to study : 1) using community rights based on Constitution of The Kingdom of Thailand 1997 and Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand 2007 of New Social Movement in The Northeastern Thailand for sustainable land, forest and walter resources management; 2) main strategies for resource mobilization of this social movemen; 3) using the structural political opportunity, especially open mass media; and 4) instrument for fighting by using discourse. This research used a mixed methodology. The qualitative methodology, population was participated in new social movements in The Northeastern Thailand used purposive sampling for 1,000 samples. Collective data from questionnaires and statistics used for data analysis were percentage, mean and standard deviation. The quantitative methodology used purposive sampling for 83 samples. Data were collected by focus groups and descriptive analysis. Research finding were as follows : 1) respondent overall rating mean for using community rights based on Constitution of The Kingdom of Thailand 1997 and Constitution of The Kingdom of Thailand 2007 was at the high level; 2) main strategies for resource mobilization were goal strategies that were specified by social movement have enough opportunity to success and benefits strategice that they will gain when they come to participate; 3) using the structural political opportunity was at the moderate level because the leaders of the social movement did not pay attention to strong or weak government; and 4) instruments for fighting by using discourse was at the moderate level because the leaders of the social movement did not know or did not understand “discourse” as an instrument to motivate or encourage people to participate social movements