The Use and Transmission of Traditional Beliefs for Environmental Conservation in the Bueng Khong Long Wetland, Thailand

Abstract

This study explores the use and transmission of traditional beliefs about supernatural beings for environmental conservation in wetland areas. The qualitative approach was used and 13 in-depth interviews were conducted with two groups of people–local residents and officials–selected using purposive sampling. The findings suggest that residents’ traditional beliefs in the supernatural promoted an awareness of relations between humans and nature as well as moral concern for nature. Traditional beliefs primarily involved ideas about rewards and punishments bestowed by supernatural entities that encourage proper behavior in socialization and conservation contexts. Moreover, local residents transmitted their traditional beliefs through both traditional and modern approaches. Traditional beliefs were transferred from one generation to another through experiences and elders’ oral stories. Meanwhile, social media applications such as Facebook and YouTube have become a primary channel for communicating with newcomers and new generations to help them understand the traditional beliefs of local residents around Bueng Khong Long wetland.