The Periodic Markets at The Thai-Laos and Thai-Cambodia Borders

Abstract

Abstract 

            The objective of the present research was to study the backgrounds concerning the trading situation, the sellers and buyers, and the social-economic impacts of the Periodic markets at the Thai-Laos and Thai-Cambodia borders.  The major areas of the study comprised 2 markets at the temporary-permitted point in Tatpanom District, Nakornpanom Province and the temporary-permitted point in Chong Arnmar in Nam-yuen District, Ubol-rajathani Province, and 17 other secondary Periodic markets.  The study employed both the quantitative and qualitative research procedures for the collection of data.  The findings show that the policy of turning battleground into trading ground as promulgated by the General Chartchai Chunhawan’s Administration (1988-1991) gave rise to 17 Periodic markets at the Thai-Laos borders and another 2 Periodic markets at the Thai-Cambodia borders since 1988.  The average sale of each of the stalls at both border markets was 7,742 Thai Baht/day and each stall reaped an average profit of 2,665 Thai Baht each day, or 35.60% of the total sale. The total sale of the two border areas was 510 million Thai Baht per year in 2019, while the total sale of the 17 Periodic markets at the Thai-Laos borders in the same year was 5,559 million Thai Baht which shows an increase in the amount of 4,399 million Thai Baht compared with the total sale of 1,160 million Thai Baht in 2014 which shows an increase of 4.8 times since 2014.  On the other hand the Laos people who come to buy goods at the 17 Periodic markets have increase from 153,600 persons in 2014 to 1,109,760 or 7.2 times more in 2019.   These Periodic markets have also given rise to rural capitalists in the two neighboring countries and opened the ways for many sick persons to come to Thai hospitals or private clinics for medical treatment.