Place-Based Development: Local Contestation and Policy Implications of the Centrally Driven Landbridge in Ranong Province

Abstract

This article aims to (1) examine the Landbridge project under the Southern Economic Corridor, focusing on Ranong Province as a case of large-scale transportation infrastructure policy designed to support industrial development; (2) critique the policy-making process and the Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA), both of which fail to engage with the specific socio-spatial context of the area and provide meaningful public participation; and (3) propose policy directions for development that align with local potential and the principles of spatial justice. The study applies the conceptual frameworks of place-based development and spatial justice, combined with qualitative research methods that emphasize public participation. The findings show that the implementation of the Landbridge under a centralized policy structure, together with restricted public participation in decision-making processes, not only intensifies ecological and social vulnerabilities but also reproduces structural inequalities and undermines the capacity of local communities to determine their own futures. These policy dynamics have also generated various forms of local contestation, reflecting systemic problems embedded in Thailand’s development processes. The article argues that equitable place-based development cannot be achieved solely through improvements in legal and regulatory frameworks. Instead, it requires broader structural changes in development governance and power relations in order to shift policy-making toward greater recognition of local potential, local knowledge, and the rights of communities to meaningful participation as essential components of development planning and spatial governance.