Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy : Social Change of Farmers in Contract Farming Agriculture in Thailand-Myanmar Boundary

Abstract

This article is part of the research topic on Social Change of Farmers in Contract Farming Agriculture under Ayeyawady-Chao phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) in Myawaddy Province, Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The objective of this research were to study; 1) the cooperation of the State in Contract Farming Agriculture with Neighboring countries under ACMECS; 2) different between pre and post the social conditions of farmers in Contract Farming Agriculture under ACMECS in Myawaddy Province, Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and 3) social change of farmers in contract farming agriculture under ACMECS in Myawaddy Province, Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The study found that; 1) the Capitalism influenced to the State economic policy; 2) the social condition was different between pre and post contract farming under ACMECS, The social condition was not intensive farming during pre-contract farming, Farmers used family labor, did not import the technology and factors of production. Farmers planted field crops in form of contract farming with Thai entrepreneurs which entered before contract farming under ACMECS but the investment was not large amount. The relationship between the farmers and Thai entrepreneurs was informal style. After the entering of contract farming under ACMECS, the forms of contract farming were changed including the large amount of investment, the import of technology and agricultural chemicals, the increasing of entrepreneurs and the agricultural land; and 3) These extention led the change of social condition, of family type, lifestyle, beliefs and values, form of occupation, mode of production and model of consumer behavior. In addition, the entering of contract farming under ACMECS led to the positive and negative impacts on farmers and local people, The positive impacts were the increasing of new job and income distribution that help to support the good relationship of members in the family, the expansion of agricultural knowledge, the intenseness of the patron-client system and transportation development. The negative impacts were the loss of forest area, the damage of soil resource that led the health problems and the debts. The farmers were exploited and there was more distance in the relationship between farmers and local people.