CIEE Khon Kaen Newsletter--2012--SP--No. 3

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THAI(ED) TOGETHER

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After many days of sitting in front of our computers researching the topic of “Development Projects in Isaan,” our project group was overwhelmed with the amount information we received. It appeared that Northeast Thailand is a significant area for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nation‟s (ASEAN) Economic Community. Thailand, under ASEAN‟s Economic Community, will join other Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Burma, and Cambodia to create a single market and production base in 2015. In preparation for this transition, Thailand‟s industrial sector is growing and changing for the competitive market it will soon enter.

After a very advantageous meeting with Mr

Lertsak, an NGO that works with development issues, we decided to focus our efforts on developments in agriculture and power because Isaan is the largest producer of agricultural products in Thailand. For agriculture we focused on potash mining, the new

irrigation grid, the agricultural projections for the next four years, and new sugarcane plants. For power we focused on developments in biomass, nuclear, hydroelectric, and solar power.

We presented our finding to the Non

Governmental Organization – Coordinating Committee on Rural Development (NGO-CCORD), which consists of two of CIEE‟s close acquaintances P‟Suvit and Ajaan Decha. We also created an interactive map on Google Earth that showed all of the development plans along with a written research document on our findings. After connecting all of the areas we researched together we were able to draw some conclusions. First, the future in regards to development in Isaan looks very bleak. Industry is growing exponentially and it doesn‟t seem to be slowing down. However, we did find that communities and NGO‟s are having success stalling certain projects such as the

Photo credit Coral Keegan

Sawadee Ka! The final newsletter has arrived. We‟ve spent the last portion of our semester implementing final projects and reflecting on our time in Thailand. Below is the output of many, many exchanges with villagers and NGOs, government officials and businesses. We put time, love, sweat and tears into the work we produced, and are proud of the way we have ended our semester abroad. Enjoy!

CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter III

- CIEE Development and Globalization Khon Kaen, Thailand Spring 2012

- CIEE Kohn Kaen, Thailand S

Isaan Development Plan

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construction of dams and mines. Secondly, we found that almost any development occurring in Isaan eventually leads to China. Finally after two weeks of blurry eyes, carpel tunnel, and very little time spent in the real world, we learned a lot about development in Isaan and were very happy with the outcome of our project.

MavaMarie Cooper, University of Michigan Rachel Pricer, University of Richmond

Mina Dinh, Williams College Hannah Kitchel, Bates College


Seven years ago, Ms. Kwanla Saikhumtung, a 34 year old mother was threatened at gunpoint because she was farming. The man who pointed the gun was one of ten armed officers from Phu Pha Daeng, a local wildlife sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province in Northeast

Thailand. The officers informed Ms. Kwanla and her fellow villagers from Huay Kon Tha Village that they were trespassing on wildlife sanctuary land. They demanded that the villagers come to the police station to talk with them. The villagers refused, stating that they were within their rights because they were hired to work on the land. One officer threatened to shoot any villager that fought back. Ms. Kwanla stepped in front of the gun, grabbed the barrel, pressed it to her chest, and said “If you are going to shoot, shoot.” The officer

lowered his gun, but the villagers still refused to cooperate. That night, however, they were marched through the village and taken to the police station. This incident was the beginning of the long legal battle that has pitted Ms. Kwanla against the Thai government. She and the twelve other villagers -

Charged for Causing Global Warming

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the youngest, only sixteen at the time - were first charged with trespassing. Additionally, they were fined a total of 470,000 baht for causing environmental damage. Most shockingly, this charge included contributing to global warming. This fine was determined according to a formula created by National Parks Department specialist, Dr. Pongsak Wittawatchutikul. One section of the formula measures the increase in temperature on the plot caused by cutting down trees, thus calculating the villager‟s contribution to „global warming‟. While many villagers‟ trespassing charges are currently in appeal, the Land Reform Network of Thailand has launched the first official countersuit against the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in the Administrative Court. Lawyers involved in the countersuit agree that the formula used to calculate compensation that villagers should pay is illegitimate. According to this formula, compensation should be calculated by using a thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil in the degraded land and also in the forested land. The difference between the temperatures of the areas is then measured and the amount of electricity it would take to cool down the hotter, deforested, area is calculated using an air conditioner. This, along with an approximation of the number of trees cut down and the amount of soil loss determines the fine. This formula is met with much criticism from the academic community. Anond Sanitwong, climate change specialist and Executive Director of the Southeast Asia START elaborates, “Scientists agree that this doesn‟t make any sense at all... It is a way to compensate for the ecological value and services, at the local level, though it has nothing to do with global climate change.” Dr. Ponsak himself came out against the use of this formula to prosecute villagers in an interview with the National Human Rights Commission, saying, “I accepted that some parts of the formula needed to be fixed, and I‟ve tried to make it the most accurate and correct. But I cannot fix it right away due to the government system that has complex procedures.” Ms. Kwanla says that she has to fight back on principle: “I want to show them that I am not wrong. If we accept the charges, that is saying I am wrong.” While she has not been to court since last February, she remains hopeful in her pursuit. Her village stands by her side in support, because she represents their communal struggle, and that of hundreds of other farmers throughout Thailand. “Every time I go to court, most of the villagers come and support me, every time... The judge knows when I come... It‟s getting crowded.”

Morgan Washburn, Loras College

Fay Walker, Occidental College

Ellery Graves, University of Wisconsin

Coral Keegan, Georgetown University

Abigail Friedman, Kenyon College


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process that employs extensive law enforcement to protect the land.

Our final project group compared how these two wildlife sanctuaries communicate with local villagers. We investigated their differing models by interviewing villagers from Toong Lui Lai and Huay Rahong who interact with Pha Peung and Phu Pha Daeng, respectively. We then interviewed the head officers of both sanctuaries along with an NGO who works closely with Phu Pha Daeng and its surrounding communities. Villagers in both communities expressed frustration with wildlife sanctuaries, but Toong Lui Lai holds hope for their future. They see P‟Koong as a community-focused leader, but struggle with trusting a system that has harmed them in the past. Through this interview process, the head officers were able to express their contrasting priorities in order to help us understand the overarching system of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

With this information, we were able to see the big picture on conservation in Thailand. Wildlife sanctuaries struggle to balance land preservation, animal protection, and villager rights. This is illustrated by the contrasting policies of the Phu Pha Daeng and Pha Peung Wildlife Sanctuaries. Phu Pha Daeng emphasizes collaboration outside the sanctuary, while Pha Peung policies focus on internal collaboration.

Currently, the major difference in wildlife sanctuary policy lies in perception of the villagers‟ capability to live sustainably within the environment. Pha Peung‟s policies revolve around the belief that villager interaction with natural resources is inherently destructive. The head officer‟s priority is to preserve the wildlife sanctuary, and law enforcement remains. Phu Pha Daeng‟s current policies revolve around the belief that humans can coexist sustainably with natural resources. For both wildlife sanctuaries, increased communication and accessibility from the head officer hold the potential to generate positive change. Our hope is that next semester‟s student group can hold a forum between wildlife officials and villagers to increase an understanding of these prevalent issues in Thailand.

Taryn Orona, Beloit College

Molly Johnson, Texas Christian University

Brenna Kelly, Providence College

Wildlife Sanctuaries: Different Approaches


Thailand‟s rapid development since the 1960‟s put a strain on the country‟s natural resources. The ensuing encroachment on forest land occurred simultaneously with the government‟s campaign to increase preserved forest land. This began with Thailand‟s first environmental law, The Wild Animals Reservation and Protection Act of 1960. By making logging illegal in 1989, Thailand took a major step towards maintaining biodiversity. However, it was The Wildlife Reservation and Protection Act of 1992 that prompted the creation of the Wildlife Conservation Division. Now, with the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries across the nation, the Thai government is prioritizing forest preservation.

The expansion of Thailand‟s preserved land displaced villagers from their forest and mountain communities. In the past, the Pha Peung and Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuaries in Chaiyaphum province absorbed farmers‟ land and sued villagers for trespassing and contributing to global warming. It is not uncommon for wildlife sanctuaries to be involved in land rights cases, or even accused of “land grabbing.” Frustrated with the marginalization of villagers, the head officer of the Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary is taking an alternative approach. Recently, P‟Koong, the head officer, has been utilizing a different model emphasizing collaboration with villagers. This model is in contrast to Pha Peung‟s model, which is based on the government-supported

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lorem ipsum issue #, date CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter III II

This semester we had the privilege to work with villagers of Na Nong Bong, in Loei Province. Na Nong Bong and the surrounding communities have been fighting against Tungkam Limited (TKL), a company that mines gold less than a kilometer from the village. Since the company started its operations in 2006, the villagers have seen an increase in health problems, a decrease in productivity in their crops, and dangerous levels of cyanide in their water supply.

Villagers and NGOs expressed interest in understanding the key players involved in this mining issue. With their guidance we set out to create a Power Analysis of the mining process. We researched all of the entities involved in approving a mining permit, as well as those who have significant influence on decision-making. We were fortunate to talk to P‟Lerdsak and P‟Kovit, two NGO leaders who work with the communities, who gave us a lot of information about key players and the mining process. Professor Kritika from Khon Kaen University also gave us some guidance. We did extensive research online using government websites, Thai business sites, and the website of TKL. Some of this was in English, but we often enlisted the help of our Thai Ajaans (teachers) to translate for us. Though time and our language barrier did prove to be a challenge in collecting all the necessary information, we were still able to generate a reliable and informative document. After analyzing 26 different local, provincial, and national bodies for their strengths and weaknesses, we placed them on a chart to show the relationships of power and their relative support of the mine. On the y-axis on a scale of from “decisive decision-making power or influence” to “can get attention,” we rated each body based on what level of “power” they had. Power, as we defined it, is the ability to make or influence institutional change. On the x-axis we then placed each player on a range from “die hard anti-mine” to “die hard pro-mine.” This chart would then be used for villagers and organizers to see where allies and opponents have

power, who might support them in their struggle, and how they might be able to shift the balance of power in their favor. For example, we found out that TKL has made a lot of mistakes but still holds a lot of power because of the high tax royalties it brings in to the local and national government. Even though the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is supposed to protect the environment, party politics usually drive it to approve projects that harm the environment. The National Lawyers‟ Council is headed by a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, and has sent lawyers to work with the villagers. The Agricultural Land Reform Office is currently suing the company for not paying a lease on its land. This information can be used to appeal and target each of these bodies to work towards closing the mine. On May 12, we presented this to villagers and NGOs, who were appreciative of the information. Immediately after our meeting the organizers met to discuss our chart and began to continue strategizing for meetings with the local administrative office as well as with the provincial governor. We hope that the information we provided will be used to help them calculate their future tactics, and eventually to remove the mine and restore the surrounding environment for their community.

Anaise Williams, University of Rochester Fátima Avellan, Occidental College

Alex Acuña, Occidental College

Power, an Analysis

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Exploring Thailand’s Stock Market Exchange Two weeks ago: we think we‟re researching gold extraction, production, consumption. Turns out we‟re learning about the stock market. Time to step up the acronym game: THL, TKL, SET, SEC, CSR, CG, CIEE. Now we‟re talking business.

One week: “For these reasons, we believe that it is necessary for TKL to publicly disclose all policies and practices concerning environmental, health, and social impact to both stakeholders and future investors.” Trading internet access, computer to computer. The four of us are laughing, and no one can remember if we put on deodorant this morning.

Five days: we‟re editing. Line by line by line by line by line. We‟re editing.

Three days: 11 pages in and we‟re done. Take our collective breath and start again, let‟s: set a schedule, pick some photos, make our presentation legit. Trying to catch up on some naps and it‟s raining outside.

Yesterday: we watch the faces of our readers, presenting the slide synopsis of our work. Explaining, like proud parents, that our baby is ready for the world. Maybe, in some time, with some other input, TKL will understand the true costs of production. Maybe potential investors, stakeholders, consumers will listen.

Today: realizing the potential in collaboration. Remembering our families, communities and hoping to hear the movement of mining change-- of social change.

Tomorrow: our next big adventure.

Hadley Mowe, Whitman College Jennifer Lopez, Whitman College Julia Bowman, Whitman College

Kyle Overman, University of Michigan

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CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II CIEE Thailand Spring 2012 Newsletter II

Two decades ago, the Rasi Salai dam was built in Sisiket province in Northeast Thailand. The dam destroyed much of the wetlands that the villagers in the surrounding area relied on for food, and as a source of culture. The people affected by the Rasi Salai dam organized and fought for compensation for the loss of livelihood the dam caused. Now that the battle for compensation is over, the villagers organize around something new to maintain this sense of community they have built. The communities‟ newest initiative is the opening of a Green Market, selling 100% organic produce and foods. After learning about the success of these markets in the communities of Yasothon and Surin, they hope to incorporate what they have seen into their own unique market. They want to maintain their strong connection to the wetlands that their families have relied on by creating a market that focuses on produce from these wetlands.

As two students passionate about organic, clean, and healthy food, we were excited to share some further knowledge about how the Yasothon and Surin Green Markets were started. After speaking to a former student and intern who helped with the opening of both these markets, we presented this information to some of the community organizers.

At the end of this month, a forum will be held to discuss these ideas with the larger community. However, the organizers are adamant that it must be up to the community members whether these ideas are implemented. It will be exciting to hear what development occurs; after having a home-stay with the organic farmers of Yasothon earlier in the semester, and seeing their market‟s success, we only hope the same for Rasi. Ellery Graves, University of Wisconsin Hannah Kitchel, Bates College

Rasi Salai Goes Green


Ellery Graves

Taryn Orona

MavaMarie Cooper

Fátima Avellan

Dr. David Streckfuss, Program Director [email protected]

Arunee Sriruksa, Assistant Resident Director [email protected]

Jintana Rattanakhemakorn, Language Director [email protected]

John Mark Belardo, Field Study Coordinator [email protected]

CIEE Development and Globalization Khon Kaen, Thailand Staff:

Newsletter Editors:

CIEE Khon Kaen Newsletter--2012--SP--No. 3

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