People’s Politics: The Case Study of the Reactions of Citizens to the Injustices of Government’s Project at Bo-Keaw Community, Kornsarn District, Caiyabhumi Province

Abstract

The article aims to address problems as a result of both governmental projects and actions which have affected to citizen and the mobilization of the social movement in Bo-Keaw community, Kornsarn district, Caiyabhumi province in coping with the dispute with the Forest Industry Organization (FIO). Qualitative methods were conducted for this study by which reviewing relevant documentary, doing participatory observations and in-depth interviewing key informants were adopted. Content analysis, then, was used to analyzing collected data in relation to the objectives. The study found that roughly 100 households have lived and worked there from their ancestor. In 1973, the Royal Forest Department (RFD) announced to reserve a new forest boundary covered 290,000 rai in Tung Pra sub-district. Then, there was a concession of 20,000 rai to FIO in 1978, which in turn launched Konsarn Forest project on 4,401 rai. Commercial trees were planted for profit seeking purpose on the lands. As a consequence, those people were forced to leave the lands, which in turn brought to conflicts between FIO, RFD and the people. Since then, people have fought with that agency by demanding their rights including to cancel Konsarn Forest project, to provide land title deed to the victims, and to allow the community to manage their own forest. The people still continue mobilizing the movement until now by adopting various strategies. Regarding a demand through the normal channel of political system, the people handed in their requirements to bureaucratic mechanism and pushed their members to participate in the Ad Hoc committee. They also fought by claiming legal rights through judiciary process. Apart from that, they also adopted the strategies that obstructed and challenged the normal system, such as by rally, demonstrating, prolonged protesting and communicating with the public. They realized the importance of being attention by media and also developed their own media, such as newsletters, Web site and Facebook.