Phumriang : Community’s Context, Economic Base and Cultural Capital

Abstract

Abstract

This research aimed to find out the answers from 3 questions : 1) how is point of context of Phumriang community in changing condition 2) what are strength of economy based on natural resource and social capital of community and how are they exiting and changing 3) how do above mentioned points  affect to community’s development  and happiness. This research was conducted in area of Tambon Phumrian, Amphur Chaiya, Suratthani province by qualitative research methodology based on participatory research. The data were collected by surveying of area, finding modeling person, observation, interview, conservation, community forum and group discussion. The data analysis was done by content analysis based on concept of community analysis and structural-functional theory but data synthesis were done by mixing the data from interview harmoniously to make it under content’s frame which had been specified according to wanted objectives.

The results of this research showed that The context of Phumriang community are as follow, in side of physical condition, Phumriang was the tambon of amphur chaiya, Suratthani province which was 1 in 3 tambon situated in end of east, it consists of 5 villages. In side of population, in present day there were 7,783 people in Phiumriang. In side of history, Phumriang was used to be important port in the past and was used to be center of government as important Amphur. In the side of society and culture, generally all Phumriang people which consists of Buddhist, Muslim and Chinese emphasizes to the elder persons and were very close with temple and mosque. In the side of economy and occupation, early people ‘s occupations in thambon Phumriang was farming and fishery, later, when system of capitalism economy had spread around Thailand, shrimp farming and gardening of palm happen widely. In side of politics and government/structure of Phumriang, Phumriang had been upgrade to be municipal district since 1999 government’s culture about power which related with support system or friend’s system, it was only changed by condition of capital, political leader and negotiation of various groups which had been occupied by capital’s network. In side of self sufficiency of community, Phumriang lived in the way of product of agriculture and fishery which depend on one-self in matter of labor and product. In side of basic structure, in the present day, public utility and public assistance of Phumriang which consist of water supply, electricity, communication, education, public health had been developed respectively. In side of Phumriang community’s state, due to type of area of tambon Phumriang was law land and up land, it make a settlement of community relating with state of area, that is, spatial distribution of the population in 5 villages. In side of problem’s state of Phumriang community, in the present day, the main problem’s state which had seen consist of trespassing and destroying of public area, public utility’s and public assistance’s problem, environment problem and drug problem.

For economy, formerly, natural resource of Phumriang consisted of soil resource, water resource, forest resource and economic plants and animals were formerly plentiful, but now become lower. Personal resource of Phumriang can be divided into 3 groups ; group which was power in product, group which was age of depending on and group which was age of learning. Wisdom capital or local capital of Phumriang’s villagers may be classified according to application, that is, wisdom capital for sustenance, for protection of life and property, for building the status and power, for management of public benefit and for special creation. Afore mentioned wisdom capital in the present day of Phumriang had maintained in 3 types; that is out of date, up to date and ought to cumulative. But science and technology from outside in the present day had been found that in the part of industry Phumriang had brought modern technology to mix with manpower. It had increased quantity of product very much especially cotton weaving, fishery and food processing. The mental health of person and community of Phumriang in the present day had to confront with many risky factors which affect to mental health of life and property, for example, risky factor in behavior of food consuming and travelling. But the factors and limitations which concerning with explanation of economic status of Phumriang will covered 3 points ; that is, 1) basic factors about transportation, public utility, public health 2) power and base of power and 3) sources of all vices and drug which affect to the economic explanation very importantly.

Cultural capital which including of learning culture, work culture and producing and consuming culture, conscious mind to locality and public mind, ethic and good government of people and way of power of culture about face and identity of people in Phumriang in the present day had changed from the beginning almost all, it arose from modern development of country. The capitalism economic system had entered and destroyed early culture in living along with conscious mind, public mind, ethic, and good government of people in Phumriang community in the present time. All persons in Phumriang community had succumbed in power of trend of globalization. They had no pride to being community, to economy based on natural resource, and to cultural capital of community which was valuable. They had lacked off conscious mind together in forming a group to resist a bad things for community and conscious mind together in intention to restore and to preserve a good things which existing in community to preserve usual.

Keyword : Phumriang, Community’s Context, Economic Base, Cultural Capital