gender role in ranong biosphere reserve management

GENDER ROLE IN RANONG BIOSPHERE RESERVE

MANAGEMENT, THAILAND: CASE STUDY ON COASTAL

RESOURCES CONSERVATION GROUPS

DISAORN AITTHIARIYASUNTHON

MAB Young Scientists Award

2016 – 2017

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researcher would like to thank the MAB Young Scientist Awards 2016

Project, UNESCO for funding the research on the Gender Role in Ranong Biosphere Reserve

Management, Thailand: Case Study on Coastal Resources Conservation Groups in Ranong

Biosphere Reserve.

In addition, I am very grateful for Dr. Nittaya Mianmit from Faculty of Forestry,

Kasetsart University, for advice, guidance, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge, which are

very significant for this research. With great pleasure I acknowledge my sincere thanks to

Dr.Wijarn Meepol, Mr. Khayai Thongnoonui, and Mrs.Poonsri Wantongchai from DMCR, for

kindly supporting my research.

I would like to thank all the informants in the study area, including Mr. Paiboon

Swatnan, Mr. Watchara Khumpai, Mr. Un-u Yokyong, and Mrs. Preeya Yokyong, who helped

coordinating group appointments and many thanks to members of Ban Bang Rin Mangrove

Conservation Group/ Ban Tha Chang Mangrove Conservation Group, Tha Chang Nev Group,

and Hat Sai Dam Mangrove Conservation Group in providing information and knowledge

and exchange experiences for this research. Also, thanks to the local government sectors,

Sub-District Administrative Organization Officials in Ranong for basic information of the

village. Moreover, thank you to Mr. Puenkol Suwan and staffs of the Tenth Mangrove Forest

Resource Station at DMCR Ranong for facilitating.

I wish to express my sincere thanks to all friends for helpful, supporting and

commenting as well as a translator who help to accomplish this research.

Finally, I am highly indebted to our moral support and wonderful person, my

beloved parents, for their affection and encouragement that provided me successful

completion of this research.

Disaorn Aitthiariyasunthon

ii

ABSTRACT

A study on Gender role in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management, Thailand aims to

study gender roles in resources management of the BR and gender relationships and to identify

problems and gaps related to gender balance in the BR management by studying data from coastal

resource management group members in Bang Rin Village No. 2 in Bang Rin Sub-district, Tha

Chang Village No. 3 and Hat Sai Dam Village No. 5 in Ngao Sub-district and collecting data from all

members (111 people: 65 males and 46 females) using quantitative and qualitative approaches

included questionnaire, in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and observation.

The results showed that most members are at the age of 41-50 years old and 51-60

years old with the level of education at elementary and middle school, Islam, married, and engaging

in coastal fishing. For role and access to resources of males/females in daily living and in

conservation group activities, there are total of 18 sharing work activities, so males and females have

the right and freedom to access resources in living and access to conservation group activities is

fairly equal as well. In addition, females also have the same leadership opportunities as males but not

as many in which there are only some activities where participation has a statistically significant

relationship with the gender difference and different in context by villages, such as the activities of

zoning resources conservation and breaking down levees of abandoned shrimp farms that males play

the major role. As for releasing aquatic animal activities, promoting professional in processing of

natural resources activities, and ecotourism activities, females play the main role. Males are often

given the role of labor, heavy work, and work that need to go outside or away home more than

females while females often get a work role with delicacy, less labor, and stay at home or in the

village. The difference in roles between males and females is formed by social norms and physiology

affecting the opportunities for personal development, the access to natural resources, the access in

participating group activities, and socio-economic benefits.

KEYWORD: Gender, Gender role, Coastal Resources Management, Biosphere reserve

110 pages

iii

CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i

ABSTRACT ii

LIST OF TABLES iv

LIST OF FIGURES v

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. LITERATURE REVIEW 4-39

2.1 Gender and Gender role 4

2.2 Resource Management in Ranong Biosphere Reserve 9

2.3 Strategies, policies, plans, laws, and international

agreements related to the management of Ranong Biosphere

Reserve, Thailand

12

2.4 General information of the study area 22

2.5 Communities in Ranong Biosphere Reserve area 27

2.6 Related Researches 35

3. METHODOLOGY 40-49

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 50-87

4.1 Characteristic of respondent 50

4.2 Gender roles in Coastal Resources Management of the Biosphere

Reserve Area

65

4.3 Gender relations, identified problems, and gaps related to gender

balance in the biosphere reserve management

82

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 88

REFERENCES 92

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Notification on Appointment of subcommittee for the

MAN and Ranong Biosphere Reserve, Thailand

98

Appendix B: Questionnaire form 101

Appendix C: List of group’s member who participated in Focus

group Discussion and Verification workshop

104

Appendix D: ACRONYMS 108

Appendix E: Photos of data collecting 109

BIOGRAPHY 110

iv

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1 The five-year management plan for RBR, starting from 2016-2020. 13-15

2 Population in villages residing in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area. 28

3 Number of members involved in natural resource conservation in RBR

and the number of target groups in the study.

41

4

Summary of Marine and Coastal Resource Management Activities of

Conservation Groups in RBR Area.

57

5 Socio-economic information of the sample groups by village. 59-61

6

Activities Profile in daily life, group activities, and the distribution in

males/females roles of Marine and Coastal Conservation Group in

RBR Area.

65-66

7

Access to and Control over Resources and Basic Services of the

Members of the Conservation Groups.

69

8 Roles and the decision-making power of the male members of the

group.

72

9 The ratio of male/female with the positions in the group. 73

10

Reasons in joining conservative groups of males/females classified by

village.

74

11 Relationship of Gender in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area. 82-83

v

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 Structure of a model biosphere reserve 10

2 Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area 11

3 General condition of Bang Rin Village 29

4 General condition of Tha Chang Village 30

5 General condition of Haad Sai Dam Village 31

6 Ranong Biosphere Reserve Community Map 42

7 Map of Tha Chang Village, Muang District, Ranong Province, Thailand 44

8 Map of Hat Sai-Dam Village, Muang District, Ranong Province,

Thailand

45

9 Map of Bang-Rin Village, Muang District, Ranong Province, Thailand 46

10 Destroying abandoned shrimp levees Activity at Ban Bang Rin Village,

Ranong Province

52

11 Cultivating mangrove seedlings Activity and Releasing aquaculture

Activity at Ban Tha Chang Village, Ranong Province

53

12 Managing ecotourism Activity and managing community waste Activity

at Ban Haad Sai Dam Village, Ranong Province

57

13 Women Activities in daily life 68

14 Men Activities in daily life 68

15 Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Bang Rin's

group members

76

16 Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Tha Chang's

group members

77

17 Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Hat Sai Dam's

group members

77

18 Percentage of members of male/female members be able to access to the

indicators in each dimension

85

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GENDER ROLE IN RANONG BIOSPHERE RESERVE MANAGEMENT, THAILAND |

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The Ranong Biosphere Reserve (RBR) was proclaimed by UNESCO in 1997

(UNESCO, 2015a) as the first mangrove area in the world to be declared a biosphere reserve

(Meepol, 2012). The terrain of RBR is located on a hillside parallel to the Andaman coast in

the district of Mueang Ranong, Thailand covered the area of 4 sub-districts at about 30,308.96

hectares (ha) consisting of mangrove forest at the approximately of 10,147.84 ha, land forest at

about 1,903.2 ha, villages or communities about 5,940.32 ha. (Faculty of Forestry, 2008), and

the rest is sea water. There are a total of 11 communities lived in RBR; the communities are

located in the mangrove area and not in the mangrove area. Most communities that have

settled closed to the mangrove are exploited and reliant on coastal and mangrove resources,

and most of which are local fisheries. As for communities that have settled far from the

mangroves, most of them are rubber plantations, palm plantation, trading, and general

employment. About 50% of the population is native to the area, and the rest are those who

migrated from different districts and provinces (Division of Mangrove Promotion and

Development (DMPD), 2013). Moreover, many foreign workers have come to live and

work because it is close to the Myanmar border (Ranong Office, 2016).

After being declared as biosphere reserve in 1997, the Core and Buffer zones have

been continued to research and disseminate knowledge of coastal biodiversity, and since 2000

the OISCA Foundation (Japan) has been involved in planting Thai - Japan friendship mangrove

forest in the degraded former mangrove forest and shrimp farms (DMPD, 2015) in the

transition area with villagers and students in the area.This has resulted in conservative

networking groups and the involvement of local people, government agencies, and private

agencies. Furthermore, with the local agencies of the Department of Marine and Coastal

Resources (DMCR) have engaged in providing knowledge about coastal resources and encouraged

continuous participation in sustainable mangrove resource management causing the population

to be more involved in resource management in the biosphere reserve area (DMPD, 2015).

However, managing to achieve the objectives of the Man and Biosphere

Program (MAB) requires integration of interactions among stakeholders, in particular the

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community's role as the key stakeholder. The communities must have strong understanding of

environmental management and be aware of their roles to drive the implementation of

various management plans. Therefore, a research study on Gender role in RBR Management is

another way to show how Gender role is involved in coastal resource management in

Biosphere Reserve (BR), how the communities model relationships, behaviours, and

activities related to biosphere management, which gender plays a dominant role, or does we

have to open the opportunity for any gender to participate more. All these are related to the

rights, the participation, the equal beneficial distribution, and the acceptance of communities

living in the biosphere reserve to raise awareness of the value of participation and equal

representation between females and males. Furthermore, this results in sustainable community

and environment development by applying their skills, knowledge, and traditions.

1.2 Objectives

1) To study gender role in coastal resources management in the RBR.

2) To study gender relationship and identify the problems and the gaps related

to the equality of gender in RBR management.

1.3 Data collection period: October 2016 - May 2017

1.4 Expected results

1) The awareness of communities and relevant sectors on gender role and

gender balance in the communities.

2) Strengthening the capability and participation of different gender and gender

balance.

1.5 Definition

1) Gender

Gender refers to the social and socio-psychological characteristics that are used

as a basis for human “feminine”, "masculine," or "androgenous” not defined by the physiological

or biological system and not what happens naturally but is determined by the socialization

process and the economic and political culture that determines the roles, responsibilities,

limitations, and opportunities of both male and female to perform their roles as males and

3


females. Therefore, the society has an expectation of being a female and a male in specific

respects and has become the social norms of being a female and a male.

2) Gender role

Gender role refers to the act, expression, or behavior of persons, ideas, beliefs,

patterns of being one self and toward others in society in which the society sees fit for each

person to help support each other in society. This is due to two factors: (1) the biological

composition of the body such as the function of sex hormones and genes related to the physiology

and some abilities of males and females; (2)environmental elements:family environment,

parenting, and social and cultural learning which can be adjusted by time and by era.

3) Coastal Resources Management

Coastal resources management refers to the operations on coastal resources of

conservation groups in Ranong Biosphere Reserve in terms of supplying, storing, repairing,

utilizing wisely, and preserving the coastal resources efficiently in order to provide coastal

resources to benefit human beings forever with no shortage and to achieve the ultimate goals of

development including economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

4) Coastal Conservation groups

Coastal conservation groups refer to numbers of people who continual come

together and contact to co-operate based on status and roles with the purpose of the

grouping as to manage natural resources in the biosphere reserve.

5) Biosphere Reserve (BR)

Biosphere reserve refers to the terrestrial of land, marine, and / or coastal

ecosystems which are internationally recognized under the Man and Biosphere Reserves

Program (MAB) with objectives to integrate various issues related to the environment,

society, and development based on three major roles: resource conservation, economic and

social development, and facilitate for research and development at local, regional, and

global level, by supporting the coexistence of human and nature for sustainable

development.

4


2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Gender and Gender role

2.1.1 Meaning of Gender

The concept of "Gender" was invented in the feminism; in the 1970s, this

concept developed from a social constructionist theory. The adoption of the concept of

"gender" into anthropology in the early 1970s resulted in major improvements in the social

constructionist theory, and the conceptual basis was used to study male/female issues of

anthropologists and led to the development in feminism anthropology in the later period

(Thaweesit, 2007) in which gender refers to the level of attributes that distinguish between

"males" and "females", especially in the case of distinction between male and female, and

masculine and feminine as the society creates for them. Gender depends on the context in

the different traits of "sex" until "social roles," "gender identity," and the differences

between "sex" and "Gender” is a separate concept that separates "sex" in the meaning of

the biological mechanism from "gender" in the cultural meaning or a meaning defined by

learned significance of sex (Mekrungruangkul, 2011).

"Sex"as the meaning of the English-Thai Sociological Vocabularies of the Royal

Institute of Thailand (2006) provides the following definitions: (1) in general meaning refers

to the difference between a man and a woman in the anatomy. (2) sociological meaning

refers to social classification which does not necessarily follow the anatomy. (3) in sociological

and socio-psychological meaning "sex" refers to the biological nature that separates human

beings from being male and female. "Gender" refers to the social and psychological characteristics

of the human race used to categorize "feminine" and "masculine"or "androgenous” (which is a

mixture between the distinctive features of masculinity and femininity).

Tapingkae, (2013) defined gender as referring to identification of gender

differences and the expression of gender including the gender identity which is not

restricted by individual gender, but it is defined by society to express one's sexuality.

FAO (2011) stated that “gender does not refer to males and females, but to

masculine and feminine that is, to qualities or characteristics that society ascribes to each

5


sex. People are born female or male, but learn to be women and men. Perceptions of gender are

deeply rooted, vary widely both within and between cultures and changes over time. But in

all cultures, gender determines power and resources for females and males.”

The United Nations Women (2016) defined gender as social characteristics and

opportunities related to being males and females, the relationship between men and women,

and the relationship between boys and girls including the relationship between men and

men and women and women. The social characteristics, opportunities, and relationships are

socially established and understood during the process of socialization, but they are

specifically defined for time and can be changed. Gender decides what to expect, permit, and

revere in females or males in given context. Most societies, the dissimilarities and unfairness

between males and females are resulted from the appointed responsibilities, participated

activities, the access to and control over resources, and decision-making opportunities. Moreover,

gender is part of a broader social and cultural context with the other significant principles for

socio-cultural analysis, such as ethnicity, level of poverty, social rank, and age.

In summary, gender refers to the social and socio-psychological characteristics

that are used as the basis to differentiate human beings to “feminine”, "masculine," or "non-

androgenous."It is not defined by physiological or biological systems and not by nature but is

determined by the socialization process and the economic and political culture that

determines the roles, various responsibilities, limitations, and opportunities of both women and

men in performing a female role or male role. As a result, the society has an expectation of

being a female and a male in specific respects and becomes the social norms of being a

female and a male.

2.1.2 Gender role

Gender roles are social norms and behaviors that fit the context of a particular

cultural society of one or another gender. These practices or discourses will be varied by culture

and according to the changing periods resulting in a different opinion in gender roles. This

is in accordance with the diversity of individual behavior and personality, which is at least

determined by the cultural factors and the social factors in which the person lives from

socialization experiences or different gender roles due to the differences in the origin of gender

and biological or physiological mechanisms (WHO, 2012).

6


As gender varies such roles and responsibilities; in many contexts, women are

expected to be the prime caregiver for the children. However, in some cultures men take more

and more responsibilities in the private forum, and women likewise do on the public. In

agricultural work, women may be responsible for the rice production, whereas men are

responsible for catching fish. A gender analysis must highlight the differences in roles and

responsibilities to understand how men and women, girls and boys interact, what they do, what

can do, and what are expected to do (SIDA, 2015). Gender roles vary considerably in each

person, so these following factors of setting and over time changes can shape and change

gender roles (ILO, 1998):

- Age

- Class

- Race

- Ethnicity

- Religion and other ideologies

- Geographical environment

- Economic environment

- Political environment

From multiple roles in the society of males and females, Moser (1998)

classified types of gender role at the community level as follow.

Reproductive role: The responsibilities for childbearing, child rearing, and

domestic work done by women are required to guarantee the maintenance and reproduction of

the labor force which includes biological reproduction, the care, and maintenance of work

force (male partner, oneself, and working children) and the future-to-be-work force (infants

and school-attending students), and this work is usually free of charge or non-paid work.

Productive role: The work done by both men and women for pay either in

cash or other kinds of payment including market production with market-exchange value and

subsistence or home production with actual use-value, and also potential exchange-value may

also be traded. For women in agricultural production, this includes work as independent

farmers, farmers‟ wives, and wage workers. The work can be underpaid, paid, and non-paid.

Community managing role: It is activities which are primarily responsible

by women at the community level expanding from their reproductive role to fulfill the

7


conditions and the care of limited resources of collective consumption, such as water, energy

sources, health care, and education, and this work is non-paid or free of charge.

Community politics role: It is activities which are mainly done by men at the

community level managing at the formal political level in which these activities are often

within the framework of national politics with directly and indirectly paid.

Segregation of labor by gender specified in the given economic and social

determines the roles that males and females undertake because males and females play a

different role, so they often face different cultural, institutional, physical, and economic

constraints, and many of which are based on systematic bias and discrimination (ILO,1998).

Most males play a variety of roles, but it was found that the roles of most males are mainly a

simple productive role while females must play a role at the same time and balance the needs

of each person within a limited time.

2.1.3 Gender Analysis

Gender analysis is relationship verification between males and females in the

society and inequality in those relationships, roles, responsibilities, the access and control

of resources, and constraints Neelormi and Ahmed (2013) refer Hill (2011), has defined

the questions‟ framework to study the role of males and females as follow.

Who does what? Where? When? Why? How? (Labor)

Who uses what? Where? When? Why? How? (Access)

Who controls what? Where? When? Why? How? (Decision-making and control = Power)

Who knows what? Where? When? Why? How? (Information = Power)

Who benefits from what? Where? When? Why? How? (Benefit-sharing)

Who is included in what? Where? When? Why? How? (Participation)

“Gender analysis break down the divide between the private sphere (involving

personal relationships) and the public sphere (which deals with relationships in wider society).

It look at how power relations within the household interrelate with those at the internation,

state, market, and community level.” (March et al.,1999).

“When considering the way in which resources are allocated between women and

men (the „gendered‟ allocation of resources), it is important to look at the difference between

8


access to resource and control over them. Access: This is defined as the opportunity to make

use of a resource. Control: This is the power to decide how a resource is used, and who has

aceess to it.” (March et al.,1999)

SIDA, (2015) has concluded analytical principles of gender analysis in the

aspects of the access to and control over resources which can be means and goods including:

• Economic (household income)

• Productive (land, equipment, tools, work, credit)

• Politic (ability in being a leadership, information, organization)

• Time

Access to resources means females and males can utilize and benefit from

specific resources (material, financial, human, social, political etc.).

Control over resources can be referred to males and females can access to

a resource and can also make decisions about the utilization of that resource. For example, a

control over land means that females or males can access land (use), own land (can be the legal

title-holders) and decide whether to sell or lease the land.

Benefits are defined as the economic, social, political and psychological

benefits of resource utilization as well as the satisfaction of both practical needs (food,

housing) and strategic interests (education, training, political power).

These are related to broader social relationships and how interconnectedness in

the household is at community and community level.

March et al., (1999) referred to the Harvard Analytical Framework as a conceptual

framework for economically allocating resources to women as well as men. This framework‟s

objective is to help planners design more efficient projects and improve the productivity in

overall by mapping the work and resources of males and females and emphasizing the major

differences with the Harvard Analytical Framework as a grid for gathering data at the micro-

level (such as community level and household level). It is a beneficial method in organizing

data and can be adapted to various situations. Moreover, the Harvard Analytical Framework

has four main parts as follow.

1)The Activity Profile: This tool identifies all relevant productive and

reproductive work and answers the question on who does what?

9


2) The Access and Control Profile - resources and benefits: This tool

enables users to identify what resources are used to perform tasks specified in the Activity

Profile. This means that whether males or females have the access to resources, as for whom

control the utilization, and who controls the benefits of using household resources (or

community resources) is not defined. Access simply means that males/ females are able to use

resources, but this says nothing about whether males/ females have control over it.

3) Influential factors: This tool allows the researcher to define factors that

are influential in the distribution of labor, access, and control in the gender differences as

specified in the Activities Profile and Access and Control Profile. Moreover, identifing the

influences of the past and present can indicate or predict future trends, and influential factors

are all those that shape gender relations, and determine different opportunities and constraints

for males and females. These factors include:

- Community norms and social hierarchies

- Demographical conditions

- Institutional structures include bureaucratic characteristics, and

the creation and dissemination of knowledge, skills and technology.

- General economic conditions

- Internal and external political events

- Legal parameters

- Training and education

- Communities‟ attitude on the development/ support / staff

4) Checklist for Project-Cycle Analysis: It is designed to assist in

investigating a proposal project or an area of intervention from a gender perspective using

gender-disaggregates data and apprehending various effects of social changes on males and

females with lists of questions.

2.2 Resource Management in Ranong Biosphere Reserve

2.2.1 Principles of Biosphere Reserve

The biosphere reserve is declared by the Man and Biosphere International

Coordinating Council and endorsed by UNESCO with three main objectives: (1) conservation

function: to conserve varieties of plants and animals species and ecosystems: (2) development

function: to promote sustainable economic and social development emphasizing on closed-

10


cooperation with the surrounding communities; and (3) logistic support function: for studies,

researches, and training relating to the conservation of natural resources and environment, such

as training and education programs on the environment and researches at all levels including

local, regional, national, and global level, and in order to achieve this objective there has been

divided into 3 zones (UNESCO, 2015b) which are:

1) Core area

Core area is large enough to serve the purposes of preserving genetic

biodiversity with no activity in this area except for studies, researches, and monitoring of

natural changes. The core area consists of strictly protected ecosystems which are essential

for preserving the ecological landscape, species, and genetic variation.

2) Buffer zone

Buffer zone is the area between core and transition areas. It is an area that

allows for activities such as researches and eco-tourisms that do not disturb the conservation

area. The buffer zone is surrounded by the core area and is used for activities conformed to

sound ecological practices that can enhance scientific researches, follow-up, training, and

education.

3) Transition area

Transition area is used for general activities such as agriculture, community

settlement, and so on. It is a part of the reserve area which allows for activities to promote

economic and social development - social, cultural, and ecological sustainability.

Figure 1: Structure of a model biosphere reserve (UNESCO, 2016)

11


Management after announced as the BR is a country-owned-area management taken

care to maintain the core area as a complete and biologically diverse area.The management must

promote a proper care and use of buffer zone to cause no effect on the ecology by adhering the

equality and respect local wisdom and customs.Moreover, it must encourage people to know

consciousness in the conservation of natural resources and take part in the management of the

area to become a biosphere reserve that fulfills its purpose.

2.2.2 Management of Ranong Biosphere Reserve in Thailand

There are 4 BR in Thailand that are designated by UNESCO as 1) Mae Sa-Kog

Ma BR, Chiang Mai Province 2) Huai Tak Teak BR in Lampang Province 3) Sakaerat BR in

Nakhon Ratchasima Province; and 4) Ranong BR in Ranong Province, and each of which has

distinctive ecological and social communities (ONEP, 2015).

For Ranong Biosphere Reserve which is the study area of this research, it is an

area of an outstanding complete mangrove ecosystem. At the same time, it is a place where the

community is living and reliant on mangrove resources for a long time. In Ranong Biosphere

Reserve, there are zones of terrain and abundance forest, as well as aquaculture activities and

community participation (Mepool, 2012) divided into 3 zones (Figure 2) accordingly to the

requirements of the Man and Biosphere Reserve as follow.

Figure 2: Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area

Distribution (Mepool, 2012)

12


1) The core area: The area of 19,148 ha with sea / water/ canals at about

12,626 ha and 6,521.92 ha of land forest and mangrove forests with high biodiversity and

not be disturbed by human activities. There is a large group of mangrove trees about 30

meters high, which is about 480 ha, as the only group in Thailand (Faculty of Forestry,2008).

The area is surrounded by canals and sea, so it is suitable as a reserve and aquatic nursery

and to prevent the breakdown of the coastal; the core zone is divided into 5 parts: core 1/

core 2/ core 3/ core 4/ core 5 (slope).

2) Buffer zone: The area of 4,279 ha is the area outside the core area

and mostly mangrove forest, but in some parts, there are a source of shrimp farming and

agriculture activities that can be used to manage and revitalize the sustainable use of

resources, as a source of tourism and education for the people.

3) Transition area: The area of 6,501 ha is the area where activities such

as habitat are conducted including agriculture, mining, and industry. This requires appropriate

measures and management to control the activities in the outermost area minimizing

impact on the buffer zone and the core area.

2.3 Strategies, policies, plans, laws, and international agreements related to the

management of Ranong Biosphere Reserve, Thailand

2.3.1 Strategies/ Policies/ Plans

2.3.1.1 Ranong Development Strategy

Ranong Province has set up three provincial development strategies

(Ranong Office, 2016), and there are two issues related to Gender's role in managing to

biosphere reserves.

Strategy 1 is a health tourism city: Ranong province has abundant

natural resources, and the environment is clean and beautiful, so there are strategies to

develop tourist attractions to facilitate the standard with creativity, unique, and not destroy

nature including promoting the consumption of food that is fresh, clean, safe, and hygienic.

Strategy 2 is a livable city: Ranong is a province with abundant

natural resources, a good economy, and strong community. Therefore, the development

strategy is to make Ranong a pleasant city as follows: 1) conservation of natural resources

and the environment by managing and rehabilitating natural resources, forests, mangrove

forests and water resources included with creativity in a cost-effective way: 2) promoting

13


career and employment including access to funding sources to create new occupations and

entrepreneurs by empowering and managing One Tambon One Product to the international

market, promoting export, and restoration of fisheries resources.

2.3.1.2 Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management Plan, 2016 - 2020

In 2015, OMC, DMCR as the agency responsible for Ranong Biosphere

Reserve together with Kasetsart University provided the plan for the management of Ranong

Biosphere Reserve, 2016 - 2020, by collecting relevant data and hold stakeholders brainstorming

sessions habituating in the buffer zone, transition zone, and the area outside the biosphere

reserve. Then brought the plan to the four related local governments to participate in

planning and acknowledge the plan.

The vision of Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management Plan is that

"forests can live people can live on a sustainable path," with the aspiration "for planning

the groundwork for the management of Ranong Biosphere Reserve in order to preserve,

develop, rehabilitate, and utilize resources in a participatory manner in line with the way of

life, community, and the sustainability of natural resources. "

The five-year management plan for RBR, starting from 2016 to

2020, comprises of seven strategic programs and 43 projects. Details of each strategic

program are shown in the table below.

Table 1: The five-year management plan for RBR, starting from 2016 - 2020 (OMC, 2015) Strategic program Project Priority

level

1. Preserving,

protecting and

maintaining

mangrove resources

in the RBR

1.1 Mangrove restoration in the critically degraded areas. High

1.2 Enrichment planting by villagers to improve mangrove

ecosystem fertility.

Low

1.3 Collaborating the forest patrol operation program between

community and government.

Medium

1.4 The application of “DRONE” for forest patrol supports. Medium

1.5 Participatory determination of local rules and regulations for

mangrove conservation.

High

1.6 Zoning of mangrove forest for villages‟ management. High

1.7 Waste management for the villages that located nearby the

mangrove forest.

High

14


Strategic program Project Priority

level

1.8 The “energy-saving” and “alternative energy” for local

government and communities buildings.

Medium

2. Mangrove

utilization and

product development

2.1 Development of “green products” from the RBR. Medium

2.2 Establishment of community cooperative/ community

enterprise.

Medium

2.3 Establishment of mangrove forest demonstration area for

sustainable management.

High

2.4 Development and improvement of infrastructures and learning

centers to support Eco-Culture-Health-tourism.

High

2.5 Implementation of Eco-Health-Culture-tourism in the RBR. High

2.6 Development of aqua-culture in the RBR. Medium

3. The improvement

of RBR

administration and

management

3.1 Establishment of “RBR steering committee”. High

3.2 Institutional research for the improvement of RBR

administration.

High

3.3 Monitoring and evaluation of the RBR management plan. High

4. The extension of

people participation

and the development

of network for the

RBR management

4.1 The RBR conservation network development. Medium

4.2 "Knocking the village‟s door” project to strengthen the

relationship between government officers and villagers.

High

4.3 Extension of the extra-curricular activities on mangrove

conservation.

High

4.4 Young generation networking for learning conservation. High

5. The RBR public

relations

5.1 Produce RBR newsletter. High

5.2 Model village for RBR conservation contest. High

5.3 Green products development contest. High

5.4 RBR‟s trademark contest. High

5.5 The RBR‟s slogan contest. High

5.6 Community radio for the RBR public relations. High

5.7 Conservation of RBR youth camp. High

5.8 Volunteer press to support RBR conservation. High

5.9 The RBR-week event. High

6. Research strategies

to support the RBR

management

6.1 Development of a research master plan. High

6.2 Innovative development of goods, services, and administration

in the RBR.

Low

6.3 Establishment of research collaboration network between local

organizations and academic institutions.

Low

6.4 Development of RBR‟s biodiversity, research and culture Medium

15


Strategic program Project Priority

level

databases.

6.5 Dissemination of RBR‟s database. Medium

6.6 Research project on “Payment for Environmental Services”. Low

6.7 Development of basic laboratory to supporting marine and

coastal resources research.

Medium

6.8 Research results dissemination in academic conferences. Low

7. Capacity building

for stakeholders to

support the RBR

management

7.1 A training course on “Capacity Building for Government

Officers and Villagers on RBR Management”.

Medium

7.2 A training course on “Biosphere Reserve Management”. Medium

7.3 A training course on “Ecosystem Services” Low

7.4 A training course on “Biodiversity and Culture Monitoring

Research by Community Participation”.

Medium

7.5 A training course on “Community Adaptation from the Impact

of Climate Change”.

Medium

2.3.1.3 Promoting and maintaining national environmental quality

policies and plans, 1997-1995

Policies and plans to promote and maintain national environmental

quality are intended to provide for the management of natural resources and maintaining

national environmental quality alongside the development of economy and society to

provide the country with sustainable development and strengthen the quality of life of the

people by setting the urgent need to restore the natural resources to the substitution into

balance and determining the solutions to solve water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution,

solid waste and sewage, hazardous substances, as well as guidelines for promoting

environmental quality in the future. This includes six main policies, with the following

policies in relation to the participation of gender in the management of natural resources in

Ranong Biosphere Reserve.

1) Natural Resource Policy consists of the following issues: (1)

increasing the efficiency in using natural resources, coordinating the use, and reducing the

conflicts including accelerating and restoring degraded natural resources as a basis for

sustainable development: (2) enhancing the administration and management of natural resources

by decentralizing the power of administration and management, and by creating synergies

between the public, private, NGO, and people sectors: (3) improving regulation to support

16


administration and management of natural resources to be effective: (4) supporting the study,

research, and development of basic infrastructure for natural resource information systems;

and (5) promoting consciousness to all stakeholders to coordinate the concept of development

and conservation in the same direction.

2) Natural Resources and Fine Arts Centre Policy - It is a policy of

protecting, preserving, and restoring natural resources and fine arts to have the appropriate

potential and be the natural and cultural heritage of the country.

3) Community Environmental Policy - It is a policy that provides for

the environmental management, community, and green area to enhance the quality of life

of people in the community by providing a healthy, hygienic, safe, and ecologically sustainable

way of life consistently with the natural, economic, social, cultural, and technological ecology.

4) Education Policy and Public Relations for the Environment - It is

a policy that empowers the community at all levels to be strong and effective environmental

management cooperation.

However, the policy and plan for the promotion and preservation of national

environmental quality, 1997-2016 which already ended in 2016, and the National Environmental

Quality Promotion and Preservation Policy and Plan, 2017- 2036 (ONEP, 2017) is currently

under preparation.

2.3.1.4 The 12th National Economic and Social Development

Plan (2017-2021)

The 12th National Economic and Social Development Plan of

Thailand was prepared during the country's reforms amid rapid global change by the Office

of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) (2017). The plan emphasizes

the participation of all development partners at the community, regional, and national levels

to develop the country towards "stability, prosperity, and sustainability" in economic, social, and

environmental dimensions. The six major principles of the 12th National Economic and

Social Development Plan are as follows and relate to gender roles in managing four

biosphere reserves:

1) To adopt "philosophy of sufficiency economy" is in order to

integrate all aspects of development in a sensible way. This is a prerequisite for sustainable

development with a focus on human development to create opportunities for everyone in

17


society. While the economy of the country is growing steadily, quality, and stability, the

distribution of wealth should be thorough and fair, and it is an eco-friendly growth that

maintains biodiversity, community life, values, tradition, and culture.

2) To adopt "People-centered development" is to develop people to

have the knowledge, skills, creativity, a good attitude, social responsibility, ethical, and

moral in developing people of all ages and preparing them for the elderly with quality. It is

to help people to make use of and be environmentally supportive, conservation, restoration,

and utilization of natural resources and environment appropriately.

3) To adopt "Vision under the 20-year national strategy" as the

framework of the vision of Thailand in the 12th National Development Plan is for Thailand

to develop the country with the vision of "Thailand with a stable, prosperous, sustainable,

and developed country with a philosophy of sufficiency economy." Such a vision responds

to the coexistence of peace, social stability, and the dignity of humanity, the welfare of the

people, and the sustainability of natural resources and environment.

4) To adopt "economic growth principles that reduce disparity and

drive the growth by increasing productivity on the basis of wisdom and innovation" is to

target income and equity, reducing disparity, and expand the middle class in order to build

a quality society with good governance and environmental friendliness.

For the strategies identified in the 12th National Development Plan, there are

10 strategies, with consistent principles and related to gender roles in management of

Ranong Biosphere Reserve as follows:

Strategy 2: To create fairness and reduce social inequality.

There is a community empowerment approach, community economic

development, and strengthening the financial foundations of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy

to enable communities to be self-reliant with the right to manage capital, land, and resources

within the community.

Strategy 4: Environmentally friendly growth for sustainable

development.

The issues that need to be urgently preceded is the security of

the natural resource base and raise the quality of the environment to support friendly

growth with environment and people's quality of life. It is the way to preserve and restore

natural resources to balance the conservation and sustainable and fair use by increasing the

18


forest area to conserve the economic forests and mangrove forests, to reduce the loss of

biodiversity, to resolve the problem of land invasion of the country and provide land for

poor people by giving them the right to share, to create good environmental quality to

reduce pollution, and to decrease the health effects of people and ecology by developing a

management system and a mechanism for resolving natural resource conflicts and the

environment. This is to push forward the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process,

raising consciousness, awareness, and the improvement of the public participation process

in the area and in all related sectors. It also supports researches and studies on international

environmental obligations.

2.3.1.5 MAB Strategy 2015 - 2025

Man and Biosphere Strategy is a long-term plan that will cover the

next 10 years with a focus on Man and Biosphere Projects which will support member

countries and stakeholders. In the field of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration,

and the support in sustainable use of natural resources is to create a healthy and well-

socialized society to encourage the economy and balance between human settlements with

nature, to promote science in biodiversity and sustainability, education, sustainable development,

and capability development, and to support for mitigation and adaptation toward the

climate changes and other aspects of environmental changes as a whole. It is in order to make

the World Statutory Framework of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) network an effective model

for sustainable development for all member countries in maintaining the quality of

operations as standard. There are 4 objectives as follows (UNESCO, 2017).

Strategic Objective 1 is to conserve biodiversity, restore, and

enhance ecosystem services, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources.

Strategic Objective 2 is to engage in creating societies with

sustainability, healthiness, and equity and contributing prosperous economics and human

settlements in harmony with the biosphere.

Strategic Objective 3 is to facilitate biodiversity and sustainability

of scientific-education for sustainable development (ESD) and empowerment.

Strategic Objective 4: is to support mitigation and adaptation to

climate changes and other perspectives of global environmental changes.

19


2.3.1.6 Lima Action Plan (2016 -2025) with the Sustainable

Development Agenda (2030)

The 2015-2025 Strategic Plan for Man and Biosphere Projects (MAB)

and the Lima Action Plan are based on the Seville Strategy and the WNBR and on the

evaluation basis of the Madrid Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves (2008-2013), an effort

to balance the growth between human society and nature in accordance with the goals of

sustainable development and the implementation of the sustainable development agenda

for 2030 both inside and outside of the biosphere reserve through the publication of sustainable

development developed in Biosphere Reserve.

For the Lima Action Plan, it is presented in tabular format based on

the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan for MAB Projects including expected outputs, productive, and

activities that support the objectives of the strategic plan and identification of those

responsible, timeframes and measurement indicators. Both MAB Projects and this Lima

Action Plan will be a reference for the committees of the MAB Projects at national level

and the network under the MAB Projects to develop tactics and strategies for each country

/ network (UNESCO, 2017).

2.3.2 Related laws

The management of natural resources in the area of RBR has following related laws:

2.3.2.1 The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2017

The issue of "gender" is provided in the Constitution of the Kingdom of

Thailand, 2017 on Section 3: Rights and freedoms of the Thai people, Section 27: Individuals

are always equal in law, have rights and liberties and protection neutrally. Both men and

women have equal rights, and the discrimination against persons regardless of the differences

in origin, race, language, sex, age, disability, physical condition, or health status of person,

economic or social status, religious beliefs, education, training, or political opinions that do

not conflict with the provisions of the Constitution, or any other reasons will not do. The

government has imposed the measurement to remove obstacles or encourage people to

exercise their rights or liberties like other people or to protect or facilitate children, women,

the elder, the disabled, or the underprivileged which are not considered as unfair discrimination

under the Section 3 (the Royal Gazette, 2017).

20


2.3.2.2 Marine and Coastal Resources Management Promotion

ACT, B.E.2558

The key points of this Act and the management of biosphere reserves

are Section 2 "Coastal Communities" and Section 3 "Marine and Coastal Resources Protection".

The objective of this Act is to promote the participation in coastal community and local

government organizations to be engaged in the conservation, rehabilitation, and utilization

of marine and coastal resources in a balanced and sustainable manner with the DMCR as a

support agency in providing academic knowledge and information.The DMCR also

encourages participation of coastal communities and local government organizations

including accepting comments for policy and plan management of marine and coastal

resources both at provincial and national levels (DMCR, 2015).

For the "Marine and Coastal Protection" section, it can be used if

there is any activity that could seriously damage the resources in the Ranong Biosphere

Reserve area. The DMCR has the authority to suspend those activities and has the power to

declare mangrove forest conservation area or marine and coastal protection areas. This will

make the management in the area more effective.

2.3.2.3 Fisheries Act, 2015

The Fisheries Act, 2015 requires the measures to promote and

develop management, maintenance, utilization of aquatic resources, encouraging people or

local fishing communities to participate in management, maintenance, and equitable use to

sustain resources. Furthermore, there are also measures to promote the quality of aquatic

animals or fishery products derived from fisheries or aquaculture to hygienic standards.

Safe for consumers Include measures to regulate and regulate the use of Thai fishing vessels.

2.3.2.4 National Park Act, 1961

The National Park Act,1961 is used to enforce, restrict, and regulate

natural resources in the National Park. In 2009, Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and

Plant Conservation (DNP) announced the area of Pak Nam Sub-district, Ngao Sub-district,

Koh Phayam Sub-district, and Ratchakrut Sub-district, Mueang Ranong district, Ranong

province are the area of Ranong Islands National Park due to some areas overlap with

Ranong Biosphere Reserve. According to the Act, the area cannot be used for economic

purposes but to preserve the natural condition in order to maintain the balance of the

21


ecosystem as priority. With strict provisions, there are severe penalties to prevent the

destruction of national resources.

2.3.2.5 National Forests Act, 1964

According to this Act, all mangroves in the biosphere reserves are

declared as national forest reserves. The mangroves that have been designated as National

Forests are protected and prohibited in performing any activities which may be a deterioration

of national forest reserves, such as habitat, construction, clearing, burning, logging, forest

collection, etc.

2.3.2.6 Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, 1992

The Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, 1992 provides an

extensive protection for wildlife species and rare sea animals. In Ranong Biosphere Reserve

Area, sea animals which are announced as conserved animals are dugongs and sea turtles,

which are found in Koh Phayam, Ao Nang, Ao Phang-nga, and Hat Sai Dam Island. In the

area of natural resources management in the Biosphere Reserve area, housing and food

sources needs to be considered including reducing the threat that may affect rare animal

resources.

2.3.2.7 Environmental Quality Promotion Act, 1992

The Environmental Quality Promotion Act, 1992 has laid the

foundation for environmental protection and environmental management to control the use

of land without damaging the natural ecosystem or environmental value by prohibiting to

do any activities which may be dangerous or have an impact on ecosystems in that area.

This Act also defines the authority of state agencies, state enterprises, and local government to

coordinate and share a common duty to promote and maintain environmental quality and to

set guidelines to act in the absence of any agency directly responsible for the establishment

of pollution control measures by providing air-polluted treatment systems, wastewater

treatment systems, waste disposal system, and tools or equipment to solve the problem of

pollution. Defining responsibilities and duties of those involved in pollution-related activities

and specifies that all authorized government agencies, state enterprises, and local government

to have fundraising promotion and assistant measures to encourage the acceptance of the

22


duty to preserve the quality of the environment and to support people and NGOs to

participate in promoting and maintaining the quality of the environment (DEQP, 2016).

2.4 General information of the study area

2.4.1 Location and territory

Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area is located in the southwest of Thailand at the

latitude 9 43 North to latitude 9 57 North and the longitude 98 29 East to latitude 98

39 East covering the area of Ngao Sub-district (Tambon) and some parts of Pak Nam Sub-

district, Bang Rin Sub-district, Ratchakrut Sub-district in Mueang Ranong district, Ranong

province (Meepol, 2012) with an area of about 30,308.96 ha, consisting of mangrove forest

at approximately 10,147.84 ha, land at about 1,903.2 ha, villages or communities at about

5,940.32 ha, and water as the remaining area.

- In the North, Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area is adjacent to Ranong

canal and Ranong bay.

- In the South, it is adjacent to the Andaman Sea and Sai Khao canal.

- In the East side, it is adjacent to Ngao Waterfall National Park.

- In the West, it is adjacent to the Andaman Sea.

2.4.2 Terrain

Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area is located on a hillside parallel to the Andaman

coast. In the past, some areas were mangrove forests concessions, mineral mine concessions,

and shrimp farming behind mangroves where there are hills, grasslands, and rainforest

spreading over the coastal area of Ranong resulted from the drowning of the shoreline due to

the formation of slides in the peninsula causing widespread landslides and is influenced by

floods of the sea on a regular basis. Therefore, it causes this area to have mangrove forests

spreading widely (Meepol, 2012).

2.4.3 Climate

Mueang Ranong district, Ranong province is under the influence of the

southwest monsoon covered Thailand between mid-May to October causing a cloudy and

raining in general especially along the coastal area of Ranong Province. Moreover, the

23


mountains on the wind side get more rain than other places making Mueang Ranong

district has 2 seasons. Summer is in February - May. Rainy season is in June - January.

2.4.4. Characteristics of the rise and the fall of the sea levels

The shoreline of Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area is influenced by the frequent

floods of the sea (flood tides) with diurnal or semidiurnal tides which have the mean of

tidal differences at 1.3 meters in water level during the neap tide (around the 7th - 11th day

of both waxing moon and waning moon) and 3.5 meters during the spring tide (around the

12th – 6th day of waxing and waning moon). Furthermore, during the spring tides there will

be more water in the canal than usual with the rapidly flow of water and the rather fast rise

and fall of the sea levels. For the high tide, the sea water will flood into the mangrove

forest at the approximately of 1 meter high, and the low tide is when the water in some

areas of the canal is dry such as the end of the canal may be completely dry. On the other

hand, during the neap tide there is less water in the canal, and the water does not rapidly

flow like during the spring tides (Meepol, 2012).

2.4.5 Diversity of organisms

2.4.5.1 Fauna

Many species of land animals are found in mangroves including

crab-eating macaque monkey, squirrels, Bengal monitor lizard, varieties of snakes, fish-eater

birds, cormorant (Microcarbo niger), red-backed sea-eagle (Haliastur indus), and etc.

Furthermore, the "Lutraperspicillata", a mammal that usually lives in the perfect mangrove

forest with other three endangered rare extinct birds included Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes),

Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), and Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) are

also found here. According to the results of a survey on the diversity of organism in the

mangrove forest in RBR area of the Office Mangrove Conservation, DMCR, there are about 278

species of insects and 86 species of local and migratory birds found habituating in RBR area.

Generally, the most common-found aquatic species in RBR area

are crabs, shrimps, and shellfish, and the most common crabs are Sesarma mederi, Fiddler

crab, and sea crabs (Scylla serrata) with black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon), Banana

shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis), Jinga shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis), and paste-

making shrimps as the most-found shrimp species with the valuable economic significant.

24


In addition, the important fish species that are mostly found in the canal of the mangroves

include white perch (Lates calcarifer), mullet (Mugilidae), milkfish (Chanos chanos), and

target fish (Terapon jabua). Significantly, in accordance with the studied results of

mangrove forest organisms in Ranong province of Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart

University (2008) found that there are 98 species of fish, 124 species of phytoplankton, 28

species of crustaceans, 77 species of benthic animals and soil fauna, and 30 insects species

living in the mangroves.

2.4.5.2 Flora

Meepol (2012) had surveyed mangrove vegetation species in Ranong

Mangrove Biosphere Reserve area and found that it consists of 26 families, 38 genera, and 52

species with the most-found plants families is Rhizophoraceae, for instance, Rhizophora

mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera, Ceriops, Fabaceae, Avicenniaceae, Meliaceae,

Combretaceae, and Sonneratiaceae by exploring three regions of the mangrove forests

including the areas near the sea, the middle areas between the sea and the forest land, and the

areas that are adjacent to the land or forest. The survey results are as follows:

- At the areas near the sea (at the range of 0-1000 meters distance

from the shoreline), it consists of 12 vegetation species, such as Aegiceras corniculatum,

Avicennia officinalis, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera parviflora, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza

(black mangrove), Ceriops decandra, Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora

mucronata, Sonneratia alba, Xylocarpus granatum, and Xylocarpus moluccensis.The

dominant vegetation species is Rhizophora apiculata, followed by Bruguiera parviflora (black

mangrove), Rhizophora mucronata, and Bruguiera cylindrica with the average density of

trees, fruits, and seedlings at 237, 160, and 1,160 trees per Thai rai, respectively. Moreover, the

average diameter and height of the trees are 10.5 centimeters and 13.4 meters, respectively

with the average cross-sectional area of 2.5689 square meters per Thai rai and the average

index of diversity at 0.7245.

- In the middle areas (at the range of 1,000-2,000 meters from the

shoreline), it consists of 12 vegetation species, including Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia

marina, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera parviflora, Bruguiera sexangula, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza

(black mangrove), Ceriops decandra, Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora

mucronata, Xylocarpus granatum, and Xylocarpus moluccensis with Rhizophora apiculata as

25


the dominant vegetation species followed by Bruguiera parviflora (black mangrove),

Bruguiera cylindrica, and Rhizophora mucronata, respectively. Moreover, the average density

of trees, fruits, and seedlings were 240, 135, and 834 trees per Thai rai, respectively with the

average diameter of the trees at 10.53 centimeters, the average height at 15.26 meters, the

average cross-sectional area at 2.5227 square meters per Thai rai, and the average index of

diversity at 0.6351.

- The area adjacent to the forest land (about 2,000-3,070 meters

from the shore) consists of 13 vegetation species: Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia alba,

Avicennia marina, Dios malabarica, Ceriops decandra, Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora apiculata.

2.4.6 History of Ranong Mangrove Forest

The history of Ranong mangrove forests can be divided into five major events,

namely, the mining concession era, charcoal brazier era, shrimp farm era, mangrove

rehabilitation era, and associated mangrove rehabilitation era (DMPD, 2015).

1) Mining concession era

In the Ayutthaya period, Ranong province had many "tin" ore under

the ground, and then later in the early Rattanakosin period in the reign of King Rama III

(1824-1851) there were license auctions for tin ore concessions in Ranong city. As a result,

Ranong became important as a tin city, and mining career was a major occupation of

Ranong people in those days. Later in 1911, Siamese Tin Syndicate Company applied for a

tin mining license for the tin mine in Ngao Subdistrict, and the territory covered the

mangrove forest area of Ngao Subdistrict resulting in more people began to live in Ngao

plain, and the mangrove forests were converted into mines and housing including cutting

firewood and sold to the company used as fuel for tin dredge. Mining era in Ngao

Subdistrict continued until 1982 when the slumped price crisis of tin ore had occurred, and

in 1987, the overflow of tin ore into the market was subsequently befallen causing the tin

mining gradually decrease and ended in 1989.

2) Charcoal brazier era

In the period prior to 1961, the area of mangroves in Ranong was still

fertile, and there were people living in some areas of the mangroves. Also, the government

allowed the private companies to utilize mangrove wood by licensing the mangrove wood

concession to only produce charcoal with a limited number of concessionaires. After 1961, the

government improved mangrove management plans by adjusting the concession period for

26


a period of 15 years and determining eligibility of long-term concessionaire by auction

method, only Thais who were domiciled in the province of the forest in accordance with

Cabinet's resolution on January 4th, 1966 leading to the continuing removal of timber from

the mangrove forests. However, in 1996, the cabinet resolution terminated the timber concession

in the mangrove areas, and the last concession period ended in 2003, with the concession

period of about 40 years.

3) Shrimp farming era (1979 - 1995)

During 1979 – 1987, black tiger prawn culture in the mangroves was a

very popular career with high paid and short payback, so the shrimp farming business

expanded rapidly. As a result, the mangrove areas in Ranong province were decreased due

to the invasion and the demolishment for shrimp farms, but after the shrimp epidemic crisis

in 1994-1995 causing many shrimp farmers to quit their shrimp farming businesses.

4) Mangrove Rehabilitation era by reforesting on deteriorated

areas by Government Sector (1990-2000)

After Department of Forestry had explored the mangrove area of

the country, and found out that since 1964-1993 the mangrove forests were destroyed at

approximately of 54.15% of the total mangrove areas. In 1961, the government therefore had

the Cabinet on 27th February, 1990 to accelerate the mangrove rehabilitation in Ngao Subdistrict,

Ranong Province, so the mangrove reforestation has been started since then, and began to

rehabilitate seriously after the announcement on abrogating concession of timber production in

the mangrove forest in 2003 to present.

In 1982, the Forest Department under the Ministry of Agriculture

and Cooperatives established the "Ranong Mangrove Research Center" at Ngao Sub-district

resulting in ongoing research on mangrove ecosystems in the area until 1997 when the

UNESCO announced the establishment of Ranong Biosphere Reserve. Therefore, Ranong

mangrove forest is well known to many countries and a source of research for both

domestic and foreign researchers.

5) Participatory mangrove rehabilitation era (2000 - present)

Since 2000, the OISCA Foundation (Japan) has been involved in

planting mangrove forests linking Thai-Japanese friendship in deteriorated former

mangrove forest that had been mined and farmed shrimp farming in Mueang Ranong

district, and this resulted in the Ngao Conservation Network and the involvement of

villagers, government agencies, and private agencies. In 2002, the DMCR was established

27


causing Ranong mangrove research center moved into this department. Furthermore, the

Department has set up a mangrove resource development station No. 10 (Ranong) to manage

mangrove conservation and rehabilitation in Mueang Ranong district by emphasizing on

understanding and promoting people's participation in sustainable mangrove resource

management making this era is the era of mangrove management in supporting the

participation of all sectors.

2.5 Communities in Ranong Biosphere Reserve area

2.5.1 Settlements and population

According to the study by DMPD (2013) found there are 11 communities in

the RBR area (Table 2) both living near the mangroves and not near the mangrove forest.

The communities that live near the mangrove rely on mangrove forests as a source of

livelihood using wood from mangroves to create habitations, firewood, and fishing equipment

maintaining the fishery as a main occupation. As for the communities that do not live near

the mangroves, most of them are rubber plantation, palm plantation, trading, and contracting.

Considerably, the communities can be divided by BR area management.

A. Core area - There are 3 communities, namely, Ban Haad Sai Khao,

Ban Ko Chak and Ban Ko Kam which are small communities located on the island in

village no. 4 in Ngao Sub-district, village no. 5 in Ngao Sub-district, and village no. 6 in

Pak Nam Sub-district, respectively, with a total population of 80-90 people and fishing as a

main occupation.

B. Buffer zone has two communities, namely, Ban Haad Sai Dam and

Ban Ko Lao in Pak Nam Sub-district with the most population doing a local fishery and shrimp

paste.

C. Transition area has 6 communities which are Ban Bang Rin and Ban

Pae Mai in Bang Rin Sub-district, Ban Ta Chang and Ban Lang in Ngao Sub-district, and

Ban La Ong in Ratchakrut Sub-district with population mostly working in palm plantation,

fruit orchard, and general contractor.

28


Table 2: Population in villages residing in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area Order Village

No.

Name of

Village

Sub-district BR Area Population No. of

Household

1 2 Bang Rin Bang Rin Transition area 3,648 1,320

2 5 Pae Mai Bang Rin Transition area 5,636 2,934

3 2 Ngao Ngao Transition area

(No mangrove forest)

557 233

4 3 Ta Chang Ngao Transition area 3,384 860

5 4 Lang Ngao Transition area 1,549 422

6 Haad Sai Khao Core area

7 5 Haad Sai Dam Ngao Buffer zone 698 242

8 Ko Chak Core area

9 1 La Ong Ratchakrut Transition area 1,346 526

10 6 Ko Lao Pak Nam Buffer zone 426 112

11 Ko Kam Core area

Total 17,244 6,649

Source: Ratchakrut Municipal District, Ngao Municipal District, Bang Rin Municipal District, and Pak Nam

Municipal District, 2012

2.5.2 Socio-economic conditions of Ranong biosphere reserve communities

The socio-economic status of the communities in the RBR is as follows.

1) Bang Rin Sub-district

Bang Rin Sub-district is generally the mountain on the east, and

there is a central plain with the sea on the west. The mountainous area is about 30% and

70% is the plain area and mangrove forest. Moreover, people in Bang Rin have varieties

of work which can be divided into as follows:

• Agriculture – The areas where the agriculture is cultivated are

Village No. 1, 2, and 3; most of which are rubber plantation, palm, cashew, coconut, parkia

speciosa, and fruit orchard such as rambutan, mangosteen, and durian.

• Livestock as breeding farms such as meat-chicken, eggs-chicken,

pig, cow, duck, and buffalo in Village No.1, 2, and 3.

• Fisheries are saltwater fishing in the Andaman coast, and there

are some of the freshwater fisheries in the family scale or in the canal and ditch, but in a

small number.

29


• Trading - most of the commercial is food, clothing, equipment,

hotel, and car showroom.

• The industrial business - there are varieties of factories, such as

ice factories, water factories, cold storage, sawmill, charcoal braziers, seafood processing

factory, and etc.

• Hiring laborer – the laborers are from two sources, local people

and foreigners (Myanmar).

Two villages in Bang Bum Sub-district located in BR area are Village No. 2 Ban

Bang Rin and Village No. 5 Ban Pae Mai. As for Village No. 1 Ban Bang Klang and Village

No. 6 Ban Bang Klang Bon, they are adjacent to mangrove forest on the outer rim of RBR.

Village No. 2 Ban Bang Rin According to the data in 2016, it showed

that there were 810 households, 856 men and 945 women, who have earned a living by

trading, farming, livestock (rubber plantations, palm plantation, breeding cattle), coastal

fishing, shrimp farming, and general contracting. The average household income was 181,023

baht/year with the average personal income at 81,415 baht/year and the average monthly

expenditure at 46,430 baht/year (Ngao SAO, 2016), and most population is Buddhism.

In the community, there are 2 monasteries, one elementary school,

one high school, two small docks, and one healthcare center.

Figure 3: General condition of Bang Rin Village

2) Ngao Sub-district

Ngao Sub-district has the most mangrove area in Mueang District

with the approximately of 5,440 ha of mangrove forest. Significantly, 40% of mangrove forest

area in Ngao Sub-district is perfect mangrove forest, and another 17% was converted into port

30


and shrimp farms which in the past this area was a tin mine. Furthermore, there are 4 villages in

the biosphere reserve: Village No. 2 Ban Ngao, Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang, Village No. 4 Ban

Lang, and Village No. 5 Ban Haad Sai Dam with only Village No. 2 without mangrove area.

Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang has a mangrove area of 800 ha, and

in the past this area was for mining and making charcoal with 95% of community population is

Islamic. In 2016, there were 741 households, 952 men and 912 women, so the total of

population was 1,864 people. Most of the population is Islamic with the average household

income at 249,573 baht/year, the average personal income at 99,213 baht/year, the average

household expenditure 114,763 baht/year, and the average monthly expenditure at 45,622

baht/year (Ngao SAO, 2016).

The villagers have a variety of occupations, such as agriculture, livestock

(rubber plantation, palm plantation, cattle farming), coastal fishing, shrimp farming.

Figure 4: General condition of Tha Chang Village

Village No. 4 Ban Lang 80% of the population is Thai Muslim, and

the remaining 20% are Buddhists. Most of the people living in Village No. 4 are migrants

who migrated coming to work in the mine. After mining concession was expired, the

villagers started planting palms and rubber trees and began to rehabilitate mangrove forests.

Village No. 4 Ban Haad Sai Khao is a small community on the island,

and at present there are about 10 people with a tendency to move out more. Since most moved

up on land, the population who resides in this village work as coastal fishermen such as

capturing crabs and fish in the mangroves. Therefore, the houses are built next to the mangrove

forest, and mostly are Buddhist. The village is located in the core area, and in the mangrove

area of Ban Haad Sai Khao contains with a group of mangrove giants which is about 200 years

old with 201 meters in diameter and a height of about 25 meters.

31


Village No. 5 Ban Haad Sai Dam A village is on the island, so the

travelling of people in this village relies on boat, and most population engage in coastal

fishing and mostly Islamic. From the database of the Ngao SAO in 2016, found that the

current population was 104 households with a total population of 377 people, 196 men,

181 women, and 80% of the population is Islamic and 20% of Buddhists.

Figure 5: General condition of Haad Sai Dam Village

The average income per household was about 143,763 baht/year

with the average expenditure per household at 102,220 baht/year, the average income per

person at 39,659 baht/year, and the average household expenditure at 37,558 baht/year

(Ngao SAO, 2016).

In Ngao Sub-district, there are two conservation groups of coastal communities

in RBR which are Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang located in the transition area and Village

No. 5 Ban Haad Sai Dam located in the buffer zone with the cooperation of Village No. 4

Ban Lang located in the transition area.

3) Ratchakrut Sub-district

The geography of Ratchakrut Sub-district on the east side is the

mountain, and about 75% of the western side is connected with the Andaman Sea with a

perfect mangrove forest due to the whole Ratchakrut Sub-district is adjacent with the

Andaman Sea along the coast with the communities located in the central plain. Moreover,

approximately 75% of the population is Buddhist, and about 25% are Islamic. Most of the

population is engaged in agriculture such as oil palm plantation, rubber plantation, fishery,

and livestock breeding. In addition, among Village No. 7 and No. 8 there is a major

industrial household as OTOP product which is a shrimp paste, and only one village in

Ratchakrut Sub-district is located in the biosphere reserve area, Village No. 1 Ban La Ong.

32


4) Pak Nam Sub-district

Village No. 6 Ban Koh Lao is the only village in Pak Nam Sub-district

with mangrove forest located in the Buffer zone. Ban Koh Lao is a small island located in the

southeastern part of Ranong Province, about 5 kilometers from Pak Nam Pier, and on the

opposite side is Koh Song province, Myanmar. It consists of two small fishing communities,

Thais and Moken, living on the opposite sides of the island with about 3 kilometers apart

and can be reached both by boat and by foot. The majority of the population is Islamic

making a living with local fishery activities, including the netting of crabs or fish pots and

shrimp paste. Presently, people in the community have migrated causing the decreasing

numbers of Koh Lao communities.

2.5.3 Utilization of coastal resources

From the socio-economic study and the mangrove utilization of communities in

RBR area of Division of Mangrove Promotion and Development (2013), found that the

majority of the population (45.1%) had their own residential land but no work land. The

population with both residential and work land, such as rubber plantation, palm plantation,

was about 32.7%, and 22.2% of the population did not own their own land. The non-landowners

were located in public areas along the coastline and mangrove forest utilizing the coastal

resources for living, with about 85% of the population living in the buffer zone benefiting

from mangroves. Furthermore, the population in the transition zone utilizes about 50% of

the mangrove forests, and the people outside the RBR area utilize the mangrove at about

43%, where the villagers will take advantage of resources as following:

The coastal communities with the mangrove forests will rely on the mangrove

as their work land; most of them are fishery folk by using simple fishing tools such as push

nest, fishnet, spring-trap, dip-net, noose, and aquaculture such as soft shellfish, sea bass,

red snapper, mussel, and oyster with the species of aquatic animals brought to the villagers

are captured from the mangroves. In addition, villagers also rely on mangrove forests to

build habitat, make firewood, and make equipment for catching aquatic animals.

The communities in this area have wisdom to utilize mangrove resources, such

as Village No. 5 Ban Haad Sai Dam in Ngao Sub-district, which has the wisdom to do the

handicraft of Hibiscus tiliaceus L. into various souvenirs, such as mudskipper key chains,

33


dolls, and making dyed tie from mangrove wood. Essentially, this wisdom has been passed

to the youth of Ngao Sub-district by providing a local curriculum, the course of "Teaching

Art for Conservation" at Ban Thung Ngao School for the students to learn how to cultivate and

preserve mangrove conservation and to make use of mangrove resources to generate income.

2.5.4 Coastal Resource Conservation Group

The communities in the RBR Area have groups of coastal resources conservation

with continuous activities and operations.

2.5.4.1 Marine and Coastal Conservation Groups

The DMCR has supported the establishment of the "Mangrove

Protection Volunteers Group" or "Mangrove Resources Conservation Group" to promote

and encourage local communities to engage with government officials in the prevention of

invasion and smuggling mangrove trees by maintaining the forest areas that have been

designated as Mangrove Forest Protection Area and Aquaculture Conservation Area by

specifying the conservation area of approximately 800 ha of land per a community or by

the terrain of the area. The DMCR will provide budgets to support the communities for the

cost of hosting and enhancing participation. The areas that have been designated as

protected areas are mostly mangrove areas with abundant natural resources, so the

purposes of the groups are as follow (OMC, 2014).

1) It is to protect, prevent, and preserve the mangrove forest

where is a habitat of various aquatic species as well as for the environment.

2) It is to encourage and support the communities adjacent to the

Mangrove Protection Areas and participate in mangrove resources management with officials.

3) It is to strengthen the groups/ community networks and to

co-maintain in guarding the protection areas.

Mansilp (2009) concluded that the management of Mangrove

Conservation Group in Mangrove Protection Area as the main activities of the group is

mangrove planting, mangrove rehabilitation, and teaming patrols to keep guard and protect

the area for the appropriateness of habitat and the reproduction of aquatic animals. The

academic principles are: 1) trimming the branches on the bottom of the trunk and thinning

the top branches that wither or die out to help trees grow taller and taller. It also improves

the condition of the forest as the light can reach the forest floor making the aquatic species

34


more diverse: 2) thinning the vines that bundle the trunk of the trees. This will help in the

growth of trees, especially fruits and seedlings, which should be done at least twice a year:

3) excavating the higher area where the sea is not flooded regularly to help the circulation

of the tides and for the groups‟ activities in releasing aquaculture activities, such as sea

crabs, sesarma meder crabs, mussels, and horn shell continuously, and there are activities

to collect waste and debris from the forest floor because these waste will hinder the growth

of mangrove trees because of the interruption of the rising and ebb tide. In addition, the DMCR

has organized activities to strengthen the Mangrove Conservation Group / Network, such as

organizing seminars to develop group knowledge, educational tours, and propaganda publicity

creating the conscious in the conservation and continuously follow-up the group operations.

2.5.4.2 National Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer

Group – NEV Group

The NEV Group established from the fact that the Ministry of

Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) of Thailand sees the importance of natural

resource management as a result of the participation of all concerned parties especially

local people, who are closest to natural resources to co-preserve, restore, and protect

natural resources and to work together. Therefore, there are training courses in Natural

Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer: NEV (DEQP, 2016) by regulating "the

Regulations of MNER on NEV” to protect natural resources and the environment since 2006.

The purpose of NEV Group is to: 1) strengthen the capability, strength,

learning process, and self-reliance of the community in sustainable management of natural

resources and the environment in their own local communities; 2) to link the management of

natural resources and environment between policy level and community level.

NEV's activities include encouraging people to participate in the

natural resources and the environment management raising awareness about the conservation

of natural resources and environment in the local people, monitoring and checking the

natural resources and environment of the community including promoting environmental-

friendly careers to the community. Therefore, those who are members of NEV must be

interested persons seeking knowledge, sacrifice, and dedicate to the work of conservation

and restoration of local natural resources and environment. Furthermore, NEV is operated

as network to coordinate and exchange information between the NEV Groups of other

35


villages, called Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer Network:

NEV-Net (Ratana, 2015).

2.6 Related Researches

Phanthurat (1999) studied the household in activities‟ participation in Thai households

found that almost all household activities husbands participated in activities, and each

activity was about 3 times less than women, except for the care of young children and the

care of the elderly in which the percentage of participation between husband and woman

was not very different. Based on the cross-sectional and chi-square data analysis, it was

found that the variables influencing the level of participation in the household activities of

the husband. The statistically significant difference was the period of marriage, occupation

of a husband, occupation of women, residential area, number of household members,

difference between education of a wife and a husband.

DMPD (2013) studied on the participation of communities in different areas of

13 villages in the biosphere reserve areas. In the mangrove conservation activities, found

that the activities in which people participated in were mangrove planting and releasing

aquatic animals. Mangrove Conservation Group has joined in defining rules and regulations for

mangroves conservation, joining the training on mangrove knowledge, attending the meeting

to set the agenda / projects related to mangrove conservation, making mangrove conservation

zone, monitoring and patrolling the mangrove intrusion, and engaging the mangrove

knowledge training. If separating by the zone, it showed that most people in the Buffer

Zone (75%) participated in mangrove planting and releasing aquaculture activities followed by

training on mangrove knowledge (45%) and co-ordinating the rules and regulations in mangrove

forest conservation (35%). People in Transition zone (60.7%) mostly participated in mangrove

planting activity followed by releasing aquaculture activity (41.0%), training on mangrove

knowledge (20.9 %). Conclusively, the involvement of communities in conservation activities

found that mangrove rehabilitation and releasing aquatic animals are activities that the

communities have engaged at high to moderate level. On the other hands, the participation

in other activities include setting up mangrove conversation group, joining to set rules and

regulations for mangroves conservation, training on mangrove knowledge, meeting to set

the agenda / projects related mangrove conservation, setting mangrove conservation zone,

36


checking and patrolling for the intrusion, and joining the mangrove conservation knowledge

were still at low level.Lastly, for mangrove management activities, the participation of people

in the community was also, so the relevant agencies should encourage participation to suit

local conditions, socio-economic conditions, and the needs of each community.

Upadhyay et al. (2013) researched about the specific role of male/female and

forest communities. The lesson from Ban Thung Yao, Lamphun, Thailand, by analyzing

different accountability and responsibilities between men and women was to determine the

level of participation and extent of participation in the utilization, management and

conservation of forest resources in Thung Yao Forest Area, Lamphun Province, Northern

Thailand. The results indicated that both men and women participated in community forest

activities on both co-decision and action. It was found that women paid special attention in

protecting traditional knowledge, wisdom, beliefs, and rituals about the forest, fund

management to encourage villagers to have the right to own forest products, and the role of

women's responsibility is to care for the family and have knowledge of product trading and

expertise in networking more than men. Men often do activities like catching insects at

night, finding new hiking trails, and undertaking forest patrol duties. However, for activities

that focus on reinforcing capability, such as using the initiative, conflict resolution, and training

and coordination with outside organizations are usually conducted by male members.

Whereas women are often less involved in the process; it is more receptive and informative

than co-decision. According to this study, it showed that we need to focus on the representation

of a woman more deeply than just the proportion of women in the representation.

Wimonpusit (2004) conducted a study on Gender Role and Coastal Resource

Management in four communities in Klong Suan Sub-district, Bang Bo District, Samut

Prakan Province, by collecting data from elders, community leaders, and government

officials in the area. It was found that the role of males/females and the management of

coastal resources were evidently divided into three roles: leadership roles, participatory

roles as coastal resources users as a career base, and the role of transfer and management

that affects coastal resource management as follows: 1) both women and men have similar

leadership roles. However, men's leadership qualities are different; male leaders are skilled

in fishing with high potential for controlling the capital and technology used in the

occupation while women will have a social status with high education and life experience

37


in associated with coastal fishing. 2) Women play an active role in coastal resource

management as family representative in training, conferencing, and debt management,

whereas men are often participated with government leaders and network groups which are

related to managerial development of appropriateness or suitable technology for coastal

resources conservation. 3) Men play a more prominent role in transferring and managing

occupations related to coastal resources than women. With these three roles, there are also

other conditional factors include giving a value of coastal resources, the conflicts in coastal

resource management, intervention of the capitalist system, and the opportunities in

accessing to information.

Bista (2005) researched Gender Roles in the Resource Management of Agricultural

Systems in Jhapa District, Nepal found that women spend more time in their daily tasks than

men and in activities that require meticulousness, such as vegetable planting in which women

are more involved than men while men mainly participate in raising buffaloes more than

women. It was also found that the women have the access to agricultural loans and access

to revenue less than men including knowledge and promotion of agriculture is insufficient

for women's access with less participating in decision making. However, both men and

women make decisions together in trading, mortgaging, leasing land, selecting types of

plants to grow, loaning, and the use of capital in agricultural production more than women

in the local community. The study also shows that there is no significant difference in the

division of work in the different activities of plant and animal production among low-

income, middle-income, and wealthy women. On the other hands, it was found that women

in low-income level are landowners accounted for a higher percentage than women in

other economic classes and also be able to have the right to make decisions in comparison to

women in the higher economic classes. In addition, the decision-making of both men and

women in low-income household is more common than in the middle and wealthy classes.

Somountha (2008) studied the Changes in Livelihood Strategies and Gender

Roles in a Fishery-Dependent Floating Community in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia, found

that at the household level, men and women have different responsibilities for earning

income and crisis management. Although man is the fish catcher, the woman will be a

person who sells the fish and manage the household finances. In most cases, women often

cope with food shortages and the family's economic crisis, so social relationships are

38


essential for women. Men and women gain knowledge of fisheries differently according to

the types of work they do and the distribution of work done among family members. Even

Though spouses go fishing together, they work differently on different knowledge bases

and abilities. However, dividing tasks by gender does not have the same characteristics

throughout the year because men and women work differently each season. Tasks may also

vary depending on economic status, age, and assets, so the gender roles are not fixed and

are influenced by fisheries policy and other limitations of unstable resources.

Vichitporn (2001) A study on the modification of the male/female role in resource

management of the Karen community in Northern Thailand, found that in the production of

self-reliant agriculture for community consumption both men and women play an equal

role in managing the home and community resources, but when the Thai government

started controlling resources by declaring forest restriction areas and promoting commercial

cropping, under limited resources use makes a change in male roles in resource production and

management. The more commercial production is less principal role of women in production

and become more mercantile workers. Later, when villagers set up a natural resource

conservation group, women found themselves joining the group with men and the village

council to claim the right of land and the right to protect nature in the community are.

Kanitthanupong (2013) A study of Coastal Resources Management by Community

with a case study of coastal communities in Bo Hin Sub-district, Sikao District, Trang

Province, found that the process of coastal resource management by community was

divided into four processes: 1) planning to express opinions on the plans and policies for

the operation and exchange of information between communities or the relevant

governmental agencies: 2) managing process: 3) the implementation of the plan 4) the

evaluation to follow up the solution. Success factors in coastal resource management of

the community are due to internal factors such as having a serious and dedicated leader in

resource management resulting in go-on activities, the cooperation of people in coastal

communities who have awareness and appreciation of resources, and external factors such

as the support from various agencies. Moreover, problems and obstacles in coastal resource

management by communities consist of knowledge, changing in local leaders, continuity

of policies, local politics, budgets, and unregulated fishing equipments.

39


Kunaporntham (2008) studied on Community organization network on environmental

and natural resourece management case study of the mangrove conservation and development

group of Prednai community, Trat province, Thailand found that the factors that enabled

conservation groups to manage mangrove forests effectively were: 1) experiencing the

resource crisis: 2) having potential leaders; and 3) social relationships of community with

kind of relatives. In addition, the community has applied sufficiency economy by altering

the way of production not to affect ecosystems for sustainable economic benefits.

Furthermore, there is social control by establishing agreements on the sustainable

utilization of mangrove and aquatic resources to make the community, the restoration of

local wisdom, establishing welfare fund, and mangrove conservation, so that the

community members can become self-reliant including a learning process for members to

be conscious by training activities, exchanging knowledge, and continuous studying.

Khuain (2009) researched on local knowledge and natural resource management:

development impacts on the transfer of knowledge of the Urak Lawoi in southern Thailand

Provinces on the issues of relationship in the family level found that men in the family are

responsible in working to get things that family needs, whereas women work as

housewives, cooking dishes, washing, taking care of children. In addition, women have

been taught how to find food such as small shells and small squid while children are

mainly about the nature.

40


3. METHODOLOGY

The research on gender Role in RBR Management - Thailand, the researcher

focused on the expression of male and female in the community related to the management

of natural resources in the RBR, Ranong Province, Thailand by selecting only villages in

the RBR area where the population is grouped to manage resources together as a direct

participant in natural resource management. The purpose of this research was to study the

gender roles of resource management in RBR and to study relationship patterns and gender

issues in managing biosphere reserves.

This research used questionnaire as a tool for quantitative data collection to

support quantitative findings by qualitative research with document review, so In-depth

Interview (IDI), Focus group discussion (FGD), and observation were conducted to obtain

information that served the purpose of the study.

3.1 Target group

Selection of target groups was conducted using a purposive sampling technique

by collecting data were collected from all the villagers who were listed as members of the

conservation group in RBR. From the preliminary study, found that in all 11 villages

located in the RBR area, there are 3 villages where the villagers have formed groups to

maintain their resources in terms of career development and conservation groups. There

are a total of 10 groups, and among Village No. 2 and No. 5 found that one villager is a

member in more than one group. Therefore, in this research, the data were collected from

111 target groups, 65 males and 46 females.

41


Table 3: Number of members involved in natural resource conservation in RBR and the

number of target groups in the study

Village

Name of the Group

Numbers of Group

Members

Numbers of Data

Providers

Male Female Total Male Female Total

Bang Rin Village

No. 2, Bang Rin

Sub-District

1) Mangrove Conservation 9 5 14 11 7 18*

2) Coastal livelihood

Conservation

8 2 10

Tha Chang

Village No. 3,

Ngao Sub-District

1) Mangrove Conservation 8 6 14 19

25 44

2) Tha Chang NEV 11 19 30

Hat Sai Dam

Village No.5,

Ngao Sub-District

1) Crab eggs outside the

carapace 1

14 1 15 35 14 49*

2) Crab eggs outside the

carapace 2

9 5 14

3) Food Processing 1 10 11

4) Breeding fish in creel 1 21 0 21

5) Breeding fish in creel 2 15 2 17

6) Homestay 4 8 12

Total 65 46 111

Note* Village No. 2 and No. 5, one villager is a member of more than 1 group.

42


Figure 6: Ranong Biosphere Reserve Community Map

Sub-District

Buffer

Amphoe Mueang Ranong

Ngao Sub-district

Bang Rin Sub-district

Ratchakrut Sub-district

Ban Pae Mai

Ban Bang Rin

Ban Ko Kam

Ban Ko Lao

Ban Haad Sai Khao

Ban Lang

Ban Tha Chang

Ban Ngao Ban Ko Chak

Ban Haad Sai Dam

Ban La Ong

Village

Amphoe Ranong Biosphere Area

Core(Slope) Core1 Core2 Core3 Core4 Transition Target Village

MYANMAR THAILAND

43


3.2 The area of study

In this research study, the researcher specifically focused on the villages that have

formed groups to share resources in the nature of conservation groups and professional

development groups related to coastal resources. Based on preliminary data, there are 3

villages as follows:

1) Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang in Ngao Sub-District

Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang, Ngao Sub-district has the western area next to the

mangrove forest, and the east side is adjacent to main road which serves as the boundary

between Village No. 3 and No. 4 located in Transition area of Ranong Biosphere Reserve

Management Area. The population is scattered settlements due to certain populations of

rubber farming and palm plantation.

2) Village No. 5 Ban Koh Hat Sai Dam in Ngao Sub-District

Village No. 5 Ban Koh Hat Sai Dam, Ngao Sub-district, is the island at about 7

nautical miles from the coast. There has mangrove forest on the east and beaches on the

west. The area on the island is covered with rainforest which is in the buffer zone of the

zoning in Ranong Biosphere Reserve and in the Ranong Islands National Park (Park

Service data). Population has a cluster settlement on the east coast of the island.

3) Village No. 2 Ban Bang Rin in Bang Rin Sub-District

Village No. 2 Ban Bang Rin in Bang Rin Sub-district is located in Transition area

of Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management Area with scattered settlements. About 80 % of

households set up homes in Bang Rin canal and adjacent to the road, which is far from the

mangroves with the households located adjacent to the mangroves account for about 20%.

44


Figure 7: Map of Tha Chang Village, Muang District, Ranong Province, Thailand

Map of Tha Chang Village, Muang District, Ranong Province

Tha Chang Village

Village

National Mangrove

SCALE 1:10,000

45


Figure 8: Map of Hat Sai-Dam Village, Muang District, Ranong Province, Thailand

Map of Hat Sai-Dam Village, Muang District,

Ranong Province

Hat Sai-Dam Village

Village

National Mangrove

SCALE 1:1,500

46


Figure 9: Map of Bang-Rin Village, Muang District, Ranong Province, Thailand

Map of Bang-Rin Village, Muang District, Ranong Province

Bang-Rin Village

Village

National Mangrove

SCALE 1:4,000

47


3.3 Tools used to collect data

The researcher selected tools to collect data using qualitative research methods

and qualitative research methods as follows.

3.3.1 Qualitative research methods

Qualitative educational tools used include document review, in-depth interview

(IDI), direct observation, and focus group discussion (FGD)

1)Document Inspection: The researcher collected general information

about the study area by reviewing documents on the terrain, boundary area, natural resources,

population, socio-economic status of the community, and review the researches related to

gender roles, including plans and policies for resource management in RBR from related

agencies.

2) In-depth Interview (IDI): Researcher used semi-structured interview

with open-ended questions and key informants which were 10 group leaders or 9 people (the

leader of two groups is the same person) for information on resource dependency, community

problems in resource use, community member relations, group history, group purpose, group

management, gender roles, and supporting organizations used along with the direct

observation method.

3) Focus Group discussion (FGD): The researcher selected 5 FGD

participants (numbers of participants) about 5-10 people in each group, and in each group

consists of females and males who simultaneously are members of the conservation group

in the target villages by separating one FGD per village, including three FGDs. The key

aspect of the discussion consists of daily activities, household duty, ability to access to

natural resources, roles within the group, and influencing factors on male/female role.

3.3.2 Quantitative Research Methods

Quantitative study collected data from the target groups of 111 people as per Table 3

by questionnaire consisted of Part 1 and Part 2 in open-ended questions and Part 3 in

closed-ended questions.

Part 1: Personal information and socio-economic conditions include

gender, age, religion, education, marital status, number of household members, primary

occupation, income, and domicile

48


Part 2: Information about group membership consists of the main

purpose of joining a group, position in the group, and participation in group activities.

Based on the query from the leaders of 10 groups, found that there

were activities in resource management in total of 18 activities and to be consistent with

DMCR's RBR Management Plan (OMC, 2016), the researcher classified the activities into

four groups:

Group 1: Conservation, Protection, and Preservation of Resources

(Strategy 1)

1) Resource conservation area activities

2) Community waste management activities

3) Forest area preparation activities

4) Breaking deserted shrimp levee activities

5) Mangrove seedling cultivation activities

6) Mangrove rehabilitation activities

7) Thinning and weeding forest plantation

8) Aquaculture activities

9) Patrolling activities to prevent the invasion and destruction

of resources.

10) Setting rules and agreements activities

Group 2: Resource utilization and product development (Strategy 2)

11) Aquaculture bank activity (Crab and Horn Shell)

12) Product-processing promotion activities

13) Ecotourism activities

Group 3: Promotion of public participation and networking (Strategy 4)

14) Meeting activities to set a group plan

15) Participation in the Resource Conservation Forum

16) Knowledge passing on activities for young people /

villagers in the area

Group 4: Empowering participants (Strategy 7)

17) Attend training courses on conservation activities

18) Educational study activities

49


Part 3: Opinions on the issues / constraints on the role of female-

male participation in the community and suggestions on increasing the role of male/female

participation which were conducted by using closed-end questions.

3.4 Analysis and validation of data

Data analysis of this research, the researcher analyzed the data obtained from

in-depth interviews, group discussion, and questionnaire using the data analysis and

statistics approach as follows:

3.4.1 Qualitative Data Analysis

The researcher analyzed and summarized qualitative data by descriptive

lectures summarized a daily activity calendar including activities within conservation

groups and analyzed gender roles in the management of the BR separately in each village

by the analytical method:

1) Activity profile was to identify differences when males and

females spent their time and ascertained some of the gender issues at the household level.

2) Access control profile was to analyze who could access to the

resources, control, and decide to use resources.

3) Analyzing the influencing factors was to make gender displaying

a different role.

3.4.2 Quantitative Data Analysis

The researcher analyzed the data obtained from the questionnaire by using

statistical tests with descriptive statistics in order to statistically summarize important

characteristics of data with percentage and arithmetic mean by SPSS and Microsoft Excel

Programs.

In this study, the results of the review of the relevant documents were

examined, and stage-setting was to conclude the preliminary data analysis provided to

three village representatives with one village at a time for three times in total for

comments, suggestions, and additional information on some issues that were useful for

analyzing more information and then analyzed the data again to get more accurate data.

50


4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

According to the study on gender role in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management,

Thailand, the data were collected from all villagers who are members of the Coastal Resource

Conservation Group in RBR Area, Ranong Province. There are 3 villages: Village No. 2 Ban

Bang Rin in Bang Rin Sub-district, Village No. 3 Ban Tha Chang in Ngao Sub-district, and

Village No. 5 Ban Hat Sai Ha Dam in Ngao Sub-district with a total of 10 groups and 111

members. The study results are divided into 3 parts as follow.

1. Characteristic of respondent

1.1 Background and activities of natural resources management

1.2 Socio-economic conditions

2. Gender roles in resource management of the biosphere reserve

2.1 Gender role in everyday life and activity participation

2.2 Accessing and controlling of resources and services

2.3 Participation in marine and coastal resources management activities

of males in the groups

3. Gender relationships, identified problems, and the gaps related to gender

balance in the biosphere reserve management.

4.1 Characteristic of respondent

4.1.1 Background and activities of coastal resources management group

According to the historical study and marine and coastal resources management

activity of the group from activity framework defined into 18 activities using the method of

direct observation, in-depth interviews with group leaders, and focus group discussion

were as follows:

Bang Rin Village, Bang Rin Sub-District, Ranong Province

Village No.2 Ban Bang Rin has two conservation groups which are Bang Rin

Mangrove Conservation Group and Bang Rin Coastal Livelihood Conservation Group as follows:

1) Bang Rin Mangrove Conservation Group was established in 1993 to:

(1) restore mangrove forest resources; (2) prevent mangrove deforestation with the group's

51


main activity as mangrove rehabilitation activities. The group has cooperated with the 10th

Forest Resources Development Station, Department of Marine and Coastal.

2) Bang Rin Coastal Livelihood Conservation Group: The group is

supported by the 10th Mangrove Resource Development Station which under the DMCR,

and its objective is to preserve career in the community and reduce waste in the forest and

community. There are currently no organized community groups and non-registered funds

group, so the group's activities will focus on supporting activities with the Bang Rin

Mangrove Conservation Group.

Bang Rin Conservative group:There are 13 activities in marine and coastal

resources management including building conservation zone, preparing forest planting

area, breaking abandoned shrimp levee, cultivating mangrove seedling, rehabilitating

mangrove forest, thinning the planting mangrove area, releasing aquaculture, patrolling

and protecting the encroach on the mangrove forest, setting up the meeting for group‟s

plans, participating in conservation meetings, joining on conservative training, conservation,

and educational tours. The agencies that co-support group‟s operations are as follow.

1) DMCR: supporting group establishment and allocating budgets for all

activities of Bang Rin Mangrove Conservation Group.

2) Provincial Administration Organization: participating in mangrove

planting activities, releasing aquaculture on the important days, and supporting the fund in

mangrove seedling cultivation, boat fuel, mangrove planting activities, and releasing

aquatic animals in an integrated tactical pattern to cooperate with DMCR.

3) DEQP: to support the development of environmental knowledge and

group management guidelines by some group members who have attended the training

organized by the Department of Promotion, such as the training on the conservation group

management, waste pollution, etc.

4) Forest Department: to participate in mangrove planting activities and

release aquatic animals on the important days, and support the development of knowledge

about forest resources in the area in which some members have attended.

5) OISCA International: to support the mangrove planting project together

with agencies and people in the area.

52


Figure 10: Destroying abandoned shrimp levees Activity at Bang Rin Village,

Ranong Province

Tha Chang Village, Ngao Sub-District, Ranong Province

Village No. 3, Ban Tha Chang, Ngao Sub-district- There are two conservation

groups; Ngao Sub-District Mangrove Conservation Group and Tha Chang NEV Group

(National Resources & Environment Protection Volunteer – NEV), which are set up to

participate natural resources conservation activities of the village and operate activities

together with the public and private sectors. The detail is as follows:

1) Ngao Sub-District Mangrove Conservation Group established in 2003,

aims to: (1) conserve mangrove forest resources: (2) cultivate mangrove seedling: (3) increase

the quantity aquaculture in the community. In addition, there is the promotion of supplementary

occupations which is the invention from the scraps of mangrove wood, such as keychain,

mudskipper doll, etc. The group will work with the 10th Mangrove Resource Development

Station under DMCR without group funding but members get paid from DMCR.

Group rules

- Mangrove trees for household use only

- Cut down 1 plant must re-plant with 10 plants

2) Tha Chang NEV Group was established in 2010 with registration by

the DEQP, and the objective of the group is to conserve resources and environment in the

community, to build knowledge on mangrove rehabilitation and utilization, and to conserve local

fisheries, such as the activities of mangrove planting, releasing aquatic animals, Horn Shell

Bank, garbage collection in the community, mangrove products-processing such as shampoo

made from Derris trifoliata Lour., tea from Indian Marsh Fleabane (Pluchea indica (L.)

Less.) leaves, and shrimp paste. Moreover, the activities of mangrove planting, releasing

aquaculture, and collecting waste will be held 4 times a year on the important days. There is

53


also a one-time conservation training program per year for the youth propelling by head

villages with no group‟s funds and the participants as volunteers not earning.

Ban Tha Chang Conservation Group has about 16 activities in marine and

coastal resources management, including making conservation zone of resources, collection of

waste in the community, preparation of mangrove plantation, destroying abandoned shrimp

levees, mangrove planting cultivation, mangrove rehabilitation, thinning mangrove

rehabilitation, mangrove rearing, releasing aquatic animals, patrolling and preventing the

invasion and destruction of resources, setting up group‟s rules and agreements, aquaculture

banks (Horn Shell), promoting the products-processing profession, organizing the group's

agenda, participating in the conservation forum, providing knowledge to the youths /

villagers in the area, participating in conservation workshops, and participating in

educational tours, with the agencies that support the group's operations include:

1) DMCR: supports group establishment and budget for all activities of

the Tha Chang Mangrove Conservation Group including mangrove planting support,

mangrove forest resources training for Tha Chang NEV Group.

2) DEQP: supports the establishment of groups and registered members

of the Tha Chang NEV Group by providing guidelines for group operations included with

providing knowledge on environmental management and natural resources in the village.

3) Department of Forestry: participates in mangrove planting activities

and in releasing aquatic animals on the important days and supports the development of

knowledge about forest resources in the area that some members have attended.

4) Department of Fisheries: supports aquatic animal for releasing on the

important day.

5) OISCA International: supports the mangrove planting project together

with agencies and people in the area.

Figure 11: Cultivating mangrove seedlings Activity and Releasing aquaculture Activity

at Ban Tha Chang Village, Ranong Province

54


Hat Sai Dam Village, Ngao Sub-District, Ranong Province

Koh Hat Sai Dam Village is a small community located on the island closed to

the community: there are plenty of beaches and mangroves with approximately 112 ha of

mangrove near the village.

Nearly 100% of the population is engaged in coastal fishing, such as making

shrimp nets, fish nets, crab nets, fish traps, squid traps, shellfish and crap fisheries, and

breeding fish in floating basket/creel. Most fishing professions have a secondary job, for

example, rubber plantation which is about 30 rubber plantations, employing foreign workers

(Myanmar) to harvest their produces, in addition with trading including 4 people in seafood

trading and 8 people in making shrimp paste.

Hat Sai Dam Village uses electricity from generators and solar cell with water

supply to the village from the mountains-water. The transportation can be made only with

boat but no taxi-boat. There are 11 community grocery stores, one kindergarten to one junior

high school, one elementary school, one healthcare center, one mosque, and one monastery.

Hat Sai Dam Village has 6 related conservation resources groups as follows:

1) The 1st breeding fish in creel group was established in 2007 with no

organization registration and group fund, and the only objective is to promote more

revenue by breeding fish from nature, such as grouper and sea bass breeding in the creel.

2) The 2nd breeding fish in creel group was established in 2010 with no

organization registration and no group funds. The main objective is to promote more

income, help members in breeding fish in creel by distributing fish species derived from

the Department of Fisheries to be raised in a floating basket, and buying fish from

members for selling. Members must have a fish creel (most of them have about 4 creels)

and will have to register in the breeding culture group with the Department of Fisheries.

This group was up due to the needs of help from the government in the event of a disaster.

Department of Fisheries will also distribute fish species, fish medicine, and provide

academics to check on the water quality for members in the group.

3) The 1st crap egg outside the carapace was established since the tsunami

in 2003, aims to: (1) increase the amount of aquatic resources: (2) create community responsibility

for the conservation of aquatic animals and the environment: (3) promote harmony in the

community, but the group stopped working in the period 2007-2011 and started to operate

55


again in 2012. The group was registered with the Department of Fisheries with group

funds, with the initial funding coming from the SML project of the Government Savings

Bank of 30,000 Baht. The members bring blue crab with eggs outside the shell to the creels

of the group and wait for crabs to release the roe out. Then the group board will bring the

crabs to sell, bring the crab selling money into the group, and notify monthly expenses to

members. The group board will reward members who bring in a lot of crabs by giving

prizes like boat paint.

4) The 2nd crap egg outside the carapace was established in 2014, aims

to conserve blue crabs, and the community registered as a juristic person with group fund

but no money for members to loan members because there is not much money. Presently,

provincial fisheries and district fisheries provide help by supporting the fishing equipment

to the group members.

5) Seafood Processing Group, founded in 2005, aims to enhance the

career of the villagers and thanks to the support of the Chaipattana Foundation in providing

funds to build the housing. The members gather money as a share at 100 Baht per shares

to buy fish, raw materials to sell, and share the profit by the number of shares, but from

2012 onwards the group has not used the housing already. The group members live and

work at home, and nowadays, it is not in group form, but there are still 3-4 members

processing seafood and put up for sale in the stores.

6) Homestay Group – its purpose is: (1) to conserve natural resources by

providing villagers with the benefits of conservation: (2) to improve the cleanliness of the

community: (3) to present the way of life of local fishermen. Hat Sai Dam Village was

established as a Home-Stay Village since 2004 with the support of Ranong Community

College but no group registration. The home that joined the homestay group must have two

conditions in which the house must be clean in order to welcome tourists, and a house must

be with a boat with 6 life jackets (private fund). Currently, there are 11 homestay members,

and the home-stay group will usually meet on the fifth of the month. 3% of the income be

put as group fund, which is not much now, so it is not used yet. Nevertheless, in the future

if there is more money in group fund, the group plans to purchase life jackets, which

belong to the group.

56


For rules of resources conservation, the community will mainly follow the

national park law and the regulations of the Department of Fisheries because the area is in

the Ranong Islands National Park. In addition, the community has agreed to conserve

marine and coastal resources as below.

- Do not trade small crabs

- Anti-push net boat

- Members of the community have to participate in the mangrove

planting activity if not participating for more than 3 times will not be

allowed to take advantage of mangrove forest.

- The mangrove area is designated as a 22.4 ha, and the rest is a

conservation area. In the mangrove conservation area, there are

rules that cutting woods must be permitted by the head villages

before the cutting.

- Do not buy commercial mangrove wood and do not take wood out

of the area. It is to be used only in the household.

Ban Hat Sai Dam Conservation Group undertake 10 marine and coastal

resources management activities, including community waste collection, mangrove

reforestation, aquaculture, group agreements, aquaculture bank (crab), product processing

promotion, ecotourism management, a meeting to set up the group's agenda, attending a

forum on resource conservation, and educational. Moreover, the group‟s operations are

supported by the agencies including;

1) DMCR: supports for mangrove and imitation reef planting activities.

2)Department of Fisheries: supports aquacultures for releasing aquatic

animal activities on the important days, provides Fish Aggregating Device (FADs), and

takes the villagers to see the work.

3)Department of Community Development:supports Sufficiency Economy

Village Project

4)Ranong Community College: supports knowledge and development of

village and environment to develop eco-tourism and homestay.

5)Government Savings Bank: provides funding for the SML project

supporting the blue crab bank activity.

57


Summary of marine and coastal resources management activities in the Ranong

Coastal Resources Conservation Group of Bang Rin Village in Bang Rin Sub-district, Tha

Chang Village in Ngao Sub-district, and Hat Sai Dam Village, Ngao Sub-district by

analyzing each village separately is shown in Table 4

Figure 12: Managing ecotourism Activity and managing community waste Activity

at Ban Haad Sai Dam Village, Ranong Province

Table 4: Summary of Marine and Coastal Resource Management Activities of

Conservation Groups in RBR Area

Villages Activities

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Bang-Rin √ - √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ - - - √ √ - √ √

Tha-Chang √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ - √ √ √ √ √

Hat Sai-Dam - √ - - - √ - √ - √ √ √ √ √ √ - - √

Activity 1=Organizing resource conservation zone, 2= Managing community waste, 3=Preparing mangrove

planting area, 4=Destroying abandoned shrimp levees, 5=Cultivating mangrove seedlings, 6=Mangrove rehabilitation,

7=Thinning/weeding mangrove plantation, 8=Releasing aquaculture, 9=Patrolling & Preventing the invasion and

destruction of the resources, 10=Setting group rules & agreements, 11=Aquaculture Bank, 12=Promoting natural

resources processing, 13=Managing ecotourism, 14=Meeting for setting up the group plans, 15=Participation

in the forum for resource conservation, 16=Passing on the knowledge to the youth / villagers, 17= Participation in

conservation training, 18=Educational tour.

From the Table 4, found that Ban Bang Rin Group and Ban Tha Chang Group

have many of the same activities more than the group of Ban Hat Sai Da. It was also found

that Bang Rin Village and Tha Chang Village have the mangrove conservation group with

the same network group and have the 10th mangrove resource development station of the

DMCR in supporting the group's activities, particularly the activities of organizing

resource conservation zone, cultivating mangrove seedlings, preparing mangrove planting

58


area, mangrove rehabilitation, thinning and weeding mangrove according to academic

principles, and patrolling and preventing the invasion and destruction of the resources. All

these are DMCR‟s main activities cooperated with community groups in the area with the

members of the conservation group who has been trained in DMCR's "Marine Volunteers

and Coast Guard Volunteers Program" since 2003 and in 2016. DMCR has implemented a

government policy to survey the mangrove area that has been compromised to confiscate

back to the state; most of the invading area is converted to shrimp farms. Therefore, there

is an activity in destroying shrimp levees for mangrove rehabilitation. Such activities are not

found in Hat Sai Dam Village because there is no mangrove conservation network group.

However, Ban Bang Rin Group and Ban Tha Chang Group also have 3 different

activities, including community waste collection, aquaculture bank (Horn Shell), the

promotion for natural resources products-processing profession due to there are only two

conservation groups in Tha Chang Village, namely Mangrove Conservation Group with

the support from DMCR, focusing on mangrove resource management as only planned by

the DMCR. Another conservation group is Natural Resources & Environment Protection

Volunteer, called NEV supported by the DEQP, focusing on conservation restoration and

the natural resources and environment management as a whole by working with different

sectors from household level to community level as well as integrating with civil society

groups. For the NEV Group of Ban Tha Chang, most activities will focus on environmental

improvement in the village such as garbage collection in the community, professional

development to reduce the use of resources, mangrove planting, and releasing aquatic

animals on the important days. Furthermore, the members of the local fisheries together

made more of the horn shell bank as it was found that the number of horn shell in the

mangrove forest has decreased.

Group of Ban Hat Sai Dam is different from Ban Bang Rin and Ban Tha Chang

Groups because it was found that the groups were established to primarily aim for

occupational promotion, aquaculture banking, aquaculture farming, seafood processing,

and home-stay for ecotourism. However, in the groups‟ operations the issues related to the

restoration and utilization of natural resources have been included, and the group members

will regularly take part in mangrove rehabilitation activities and aquatic resources on the

island. In addition, due to the community of Hat Sai Dam Village was settled down in

59


cluster settlements and has a population of only 104 households resulting in closed

relationship to each other, so most of the activities are not done by the group members but

by all the villagers participating together.

The agencies that support the operations of all three villages are comprised of

public, private, educational institutions, financial institution, and private organizations in

providing the budget, knowledge, and tools which further help supporting the ongoing

work of the group. In addition, relevant agencies have also integrated the management of

the Biosphere reserve area. In 2015, the committee of the MAN and Biosphere Thailand has

appointed a subcommittee for the MAN and Biosphere Ranong project, which comprises all

relevant agencies including the Governor of Ranong Province, DMCR, DNP, Mayor, Chief

Executive of the SAO (Sub-District Administration Organization), Provincial Fisheries, Office

of Educational Service Area, Tourism and Sports, Thailand Environment Institute Foundation

–TEI, Provincial Chamber of Commerce, and Ranong Public Relations to oversee the

operation of the MAN and Biosphere Ranong projects in accordance with the objectives of

the establishment of the biosphere reserve (Appendix A).

4.1.2 Socioeconomic status of group members

The results of the study on socio-economic background data were as follows:

gender, age, marital status, religion, primary education level, main occupation, family

income per month, domicile, settlement period, number of household members, and number

of members needed to take care; the data were collected from the questionnaire as follows.

Table 5: Socio-economic information of the sample groups by village (numbers and

percentage) Information Villages Total

Bang Rin Tha Chang Hat Sai Dam

Numbers % Numbers % Numbers % Numbers %

Gender

- Male

- Female

11

7

61.1

38.9

19

25

43.2

56.8

35

14

71.4

28.6

65

46

58.6

41.4

Age

- below 20

- 21-30

1

2

5.6

11.1

0

1

0

2.3

0

8

0

16.3

1

11

0.9

9.9

60


Information Villages Total



- 31-40

- 41-50

- 51-60

- over 60

2

6

4

3

11.1

33.3

22.2

16.7

7

15

17

4

15.9

34.1

38.6

9.1

15

12

9

5

30.6

24.5

18.4

10.2

24

33

30

12

21.6

29.7

27.0

10.8

Marital Status

- single

- married

- divorced

3

13

2

16.7

72.2

11.1

4

32

8

9.1

72.7

18.2

1

47

1

2.0

95.9

2.0

8

92

11

7.2

82.9

9.9

Religion

- Buddhism

- Islam

18

0

100.0

0.0

13

31

29.5

70.5

11

38

22.4

77.6

42

69

37.7

62.2

Education Level

- Did not study

- Elementary

- Middle school

- High school

- Diploma

- Bachelor Degree

or higher

0

1

13

3

1

0

0

5.6

72.2

16.7

5.6

0

1

1

25

9

6

2

2.3

2.3

56.8

20.5

13.6

4.5

1

31

10

4

3

0

2.0

63.3

20.4

8.2

6.1

0

2

33

48

16

10

2

1.8

29.7

43.2

14.4

9.0

1.8

Occupation

- Coastal fishing

- Agriculture

- Breeding

aquacultures

- employment

- Trading

-Personal business

- Unemployment

6

1

0

11

0

0

0

33.3

5.6

0

61.1

0

0

0

8

8

3

12

10

2

1

18.2

18.2

6.8

27.3

22.7

4.5

2.3

44

0

0

3

2

0

0

89.8

0

0

6.1

4.1

0

0

58

9

3

26

12

2

1

52.3

8.1

2.7

23.4

10.8

1.8

0.9

Income (Baht)

- Less than 10,000

- 10,000-20,000

- 20,001-30,000

14

4

0

77.8

22.2

0

19

10

15

43.2

22.7

34.1

27

22

0

55.1

44.9

0

60

36

15

54.1

32.4

13.5

Domicile

- Since birth

- Moved from

elsewhere

16

2

88.9

11.1

38

6

86.4

13.6

43

6

87.8

12.2

97

14

87.4

12.6

61


Information Villages Total



household

members

- 1 people

- 2 people

- 3 people

- 4 people

- 5 people

- More than 5

0

3

3

9

3

0

0

16.7

16.7

50.0

16.7

0

1

9

7

17

9

1

2.3

20.5

15.9

38.6

20.5

2.3

1

2

12

18

11

5

2.0

4.1

24.5

36.7

22.4

10.2

2

14

22

44

23

6

1.8

12.6

19.8

39.6

20.7

5.4

taken care

- None

- 1 person

- 2 persons

- 3 persons

- 4 persons

12

6

0

0

0

66.7

33.3

0

0

0

19

7

12

5

1

43.2

15.9

27.3

11.4

2.3

10

16

21

0

2

20.4

32.7

42.9

0

4.1

41

29

33

5

3

36.9

26.1

29.7

4.5

2.7

public health

services

- no received

- received

0

18

0.0

100.0

0

44

0.0

100.0

0

49

0.0

100.0

0

111

0.0

100.0

Total 18 100.0 44 100.0 49 100.0 111 100.0

From the Table 5, found that the results of the study on the socio-economic

status of The group members from three villages in terms of sex, age, marital status,

religion, primary education level, main occupation, family income per month, domicile,

settlement period, number of household members, and the number of members to take care

were consistent with the literature review and from the in-depth interview as follows:

- Gender found that Bang Rin Village and Hat Sai Dam Village have

more male members than females whereas Tha Change Village has more females than

males. However, in overall number of male members is slightly higher than females with

the male population at 58.6% and female at 41.4% which is consistently with the study of

Tangpiew (2013) studied the factors influencing volunteerism in the conservation of natural

resources and environment of Makham Sub-district, Makham District, Chanthaburi

Province, Thailand. The results of the study showed that people with different sexes have

62


no differences in volunteering in the conservation of natural resources and the

environment, and the study of Kongdechadisak (2014) - a study of participation in the

conservation of natural resources and environment in Koh Chang Islands National Park,

Trat Province, Thailand found that people with different sexes had in-different

participation in conservation.

- Age found that most members are between 41-50 years old and 51-60

years old with only about 0.9% of members with less than 20 years-old and 9.9% for 21-30

year-old members. In accordance with Nenlaeard et al. (2015), the sample populations

with age differences participating in mangrove resource conservation at Hat Sa Bua area

had statistically significant difference (F = 4.803, p-value = 0.001). The population aged

50-59 years and over 60 years-old participated in mangrove resource conservation more

than the sample population aged 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 years due to the relationship with

mangrove forests. Their occupations are related to the mangrove, and these people have

also witnessed the changes of mangrove from past to present as well as problems for a

longer period of time resulting in a conscious effort in valuing mangrove forests highly and

becoming a leading group that initiated the mangrove conservation officially. Therefore,

the populations at the age of 50 - 59 and over 60 years have engaged in mangrove

resources conservation more than the younger sample population.

- Marital status showed that most members are married in the high

proportion (82.9%), and it was consistent with the study of Thamamatikul (2007: 82) that

marital status factor affected participation in mangrove forest management of people in

Ngao Sub-district, Muang District, Ranong Province.

- Religion found that the members of Ban Tha Chang Group and Hat Sai

Dam Group are mostly Islam more than Buddhists, but some members of Ban Bang Rin

Group are Buddhism more than Islamic. This corresponds to an in-depth interview with

group leaders and is consistently with the in-depth interviews with group leaders and the

research of the DMPD (2013) which found that the population of Tha Chang illage and Hat

Sai Dam Village is over 90% Islam.

- The level of education found that members of Ban Tha Chang Group

and Ban Bang Rin Group are mostly graduated from junior high school unlike the

63


members of Ban Hat Sai Dam Group with mostly finished elementary. Based on

observations of the area and from the interviews with group leaders, when compared with

all 3 villages, found that Tha Chang Village and Bang Rin Village are located on land in

the city and have public utilities while Hat Sai Dam Village is located on the island,

several kilometers from the shore with no taxi-boat and no electricity resulting in different

education levels.

- The occupations found that most group members engaged in coastal

fishing except for members in Bang Rin Village who mostly engaged in general contracting

because houses in Bang Rin Village are scatteringly built near canals and roads (DMPD,

2013), which is far from the coast than Tha Chang Village and Hat Sai Dam Village

causing a difference in occupations. The cause is that the numbers of coastal fishing

professionals are members more than other professions because the people who work in

the local fisheries can see the change of mangrove such as invasion and destruction better

than other occupations. In addition, this group is also exposed to mangroves and resources

directly (Tharasook et al., 2013).

- The average monthly income found that the group members had an

estimated household income at 10,000-20,000 baht per month, or about 120,000 - 240,000

baht/year, but it is not certain depending on the season, such as during the monsoon season

(June - August). The revenue of coastal fishing is reduced due to the inability to leave the

boat daily, and in this period some families have to work as a general contractor as a

supplementary occupation. For a person who works as a general contracting as a main

occupation, the daily wage is about 300 baht per day or about 108,000 baht/year, which is

the amount of income from this study is close to the study of primary data in 2016 of

villages of Ngao SAO and Bang Rin SAO.

- The domicile and settlement period found that over 85% of the group

members were natives in the area and have lived in the community since birth. Further

inquiries indicated that in the past the coastal resources of the villages were more abundant

than the present. Villagers who became members of the group were significantly affected

by the decline in the number of aquatic animals and mangrove forests are degraded.

Therefore, the villagers are aware of the importance of resources and would like to engage

in resource restoration. When compared with the historical data of the mangrove area in

64


Ranong province, mangrove forest area in Ngao Sub-district and Bang Rin Sub-district

was destroyed from 1964 to 1993 because of the mining, mangrove wood charcoal, and the

widespread of shrimp farms (DMPD, 2015). For those who move from elsewhere when

more inquiries were made, found that everyone has lived in the community for more than 6

years, moving from other districts in Ranong Province, from other provinces in the

southern provinces, the eastern provinces, the central, Central, and neighboring country,

Myanmar corresponding to the research of Sue Leum et al.,(2012), studied the participation of

local communities in mangrove conservation area with the case study: Ban Sahakon and

Ban Chaitalay communities of Samut Sakhon. It was found that the settlement periods in

community has affected the participation in mangrove preservation, since the people in the

community have been born, they have benefited from mangrove resources in their careers

and have been living for a long time until they feel ownership and cherish local resources

causing them to cooperate and participate in mangrove conservation.

-Number of family members and the number of members needed to take

care found that most members have about 4-5 family members, and most (36.9%) do not

have anyone in the home to care for which corresponds to Lertphitayanon (2009) studies

about people‟s participation in mangrove conservation in Muang Kluang Sub-District,

Kapoe District, Ranong Province. The results of the study showed that the number of

different household members had different effects on participation in which the sample

groups with 7-8 members were more involved than those with 1-2 members and those with

3-4 members were more involved than those groups with 5-6 members because many

household members can send representatives to participate in activities to conserve marine

and coastal resources.

- Receiving public health services include access to public health services

such as health centers or hospitals. According to the study, it was found that all members

(100%) have received health services from government agencies.

65


4.2 Gender roles in Coastal Resources Management of the Biosphere Reserve Area

According to the results of the study on Gender roles in Natural resources

management of the Ranong biosphere reserve case study which is divided into 3 groups: 1)

the distribution of responsibilities/ roles of male about daily living routine, occupation, and

resource management activities of the Coastal Resources Conservation Groups: 2) access

to essential resources and services in daily life, roles, and the decision-making power of the

male/female members of the group; and 3) participation in marine and coastal resources

management activities of the men in the group. The details are as follows.

4.2.1 Roles of GENDER

From the results of a study on the distribution of responsibilities / roles of

males/females in resource management groups in daily life activities, occupation, and

resource management activities of the Coastal Resources Conservation Group from the in-

depth interviews with 10 group leaders and 3 focus group discussions (1 group per 1 village)

were as follows.

Table 6: Activities Profile in daily life, group activities, and the distribution in

males/females roles of Marine and Coastal Conservation Group in RBR Area

Activities

Bang

Rin

Tha

Chang

Hat

Sai

Dam

When

Where

M/F M/F M/F day year

Productive

1) Coastal Fisheries

- Fishing

- Fishing processing

- Selling aquacultures

- Repairing tools

- Making drying beds

- Sun-Drying fish

- Repairing boats

2) Breeding fish

- Feeding

- Catching

- Repairing creels

M

F

F

M/F

-

-

M

-

-

-

M/F

M/F

F

M/F

-

-

M

-

-

-

M

M/F

M

M/F

M/F

F

M

M

M

M

5-8am,1-4pm

8am-1pm

10am-1pm

8am-3pm

8-9am, 1-3pm

10-11am,2-3pm

8am-1pm

5-6pm

1 hour

1 week

Everyday

Everyday

Everyday

6-10 times

6-10 time

4-5 months

3-6 times

Every day

2-4 times

1-2 times

Sea, Coastal

Home, Dock

Home, Village, Dock

Home

Home

Home, Village

Village

Coastal

Coastal

Coastal

66


Activities

Bang

Rin

Tha

Chang

Hat

Sai

Dam

When

Where

M/F M/F M/F day year

3) Trading

4) Tobacco Handicraft

5) Agriculture

6) Homestay

- Sailing boats as

transportation

- Cooking for tourists

- Preparing the

accommodation

-

F

M/F

-

-

-

F

F

M/F

-

-

-

F

-

M/F

M

F

F

10am-6pm

10am-4pm

5am-16pm

9-11am, 3-5pm

10am-12pm, 4-6pm

8-10am

Every day

4-5 Months

6-12 Months

5-10 times

5-10 times

5-10 times

Home

Home

Plantation

Sea

Home, Village

Home

Reproductive and household

- Cooking

- Child care

- Cleaning

- Supervising account

payable/receivable

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

4-5am,5-6pm

6am-8pm

6-7 am

1 hour

Every day

Every day

Every day

12-60 times

Home

Home

Home

Home

Social and Community

- Village meeting

- Village ceremony

- Group meeting

- Collecting waste in

the community

- Mangrove planting

and releasing aquacultures

- Mangrove seedlings

- Preparing seedlings

before planting

- Preparing planting area

- Patrolling

- Zoning conservation area

- Thinning/weeding

mangrove planting areas

- Aquaculture Bank

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M

M/F

-

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

F

F

M/F

M

M

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

M/F

-

-

-

-

-

-

M/F

5-6pm

7am-8pm

1-2 hours

1-2 hours

1-6 hours

8am-5pm

8am-4pm,10am-

3pm

7am-4pm

9am-1pm,

10am-3pm

8am-5pm

8am-5pm

1-2 hours

6-12 times

1-3 times

6-20 times

2-4 times

5-10 times

2 months

6-10 times

6-10 times

12-24 times

3-6 times

6-12 times

6-12 times

Village

Village

Village

Village

Village, MG

MG

Village, coastal

MG

MG

MG

MG

MG, canals

67


From the details in Table 6 was a result of the qualitative study which found

that the distribution of males/females roles of the marine and coastal resources conservation in

the Ranong Biosphere Reserve has the following trends influencing activities:

1) Productive Activities

The roles of duty in productive activities or occupational activities to earn is

that most men play a greater role than women in fishing activities in the parts of labor and

being away from home or taking time out of the house for a long time, such as sailing boat to

the sea or along the coast to catch fish, making boat trips to the city to sell aquatic animals,

sailing boats as tourists‟ transportation, repairing boats, and breeding fish in the creels.

For production activities, women play more roles than men, and most are

related to financial activities which are a careful work with not much labor and it can be

done at home or community areas, such as trading, handicrafts, catering for tourists,

repairing nets, and removing crabs‟ shell.

The activities that women and men in the family do together and cannot tell

who is doing more or less is the rubber farming, fishing gears repairmen, and bring the fish

out of the net after the man returns.

2) Reproductive and Household activities

Roles in reproductive and household activities: cooking, child caring, house

cleaning, and household accounting in the groups of population of all three villages is found

to be female which most of these activities are daily routines and non-revenue activities.

3) Social and Community Activities

Male/female roles in community activities including the activities of the group,

it was found that most men and women play an equal role, and in one social activity every

member of the community, of all sexes and ages, will join hands and help out with social

tasks, so there is no split role that gender should do. However, some activities in Bang Rin

Village and Tha Chang Village that must go outside the village and intensive labor, such as

bringing cement sticks to the conservation zone and patrolling men will play a greater role.

In addition, at Tha Change Village, in seedling activities and planting seedling preparation

activities women will play a role more than men unlike Hat Sai Dam Village where men

and women play the same role.

68


Figure 13: Women Activities in daily life

Figure 14: Men Activities in daily life

4.2.2 Access and Control Profile

The researcher collected and analyzed the Access and Control Profile data of

gender by grouping into two areas: access to and control over resources and services

needed in daily life, roles, and the decision-making power of the male/female members of

the group.

69


4.2.2.1 Access to and Control over the resources and services

needed in everyday life

The researcher has considered the access to and control over the

resources and services needed in everyday life and divided into 3 topics: (1) living factors

and basic services include housing, basic education, medical treatment, information, and the

use of natural resources: (2) family assets include home appliances, finance, agricultural land,

boats, fishing equipments: (3) self-potential improvement such as training and educational

tours. The results are shown in Table 7

Table 7: Access to and Control over Resources and Basic Services of the Members of the

Conservation Groups

Resources and Services Bang Rin Tha Change Hat Sai Dam

access control access Control access control

Living factors and basic services

1) Housing M = F M = F M = F M < F M = F F

2) Basic education M = F F M = F F M = F F

3) Medical treatment M = F F M = F F M = F F

4) News and information M = F M = F M = F M = F M = F M = F

5) Natural resources

- MG

- Fishing sources

(sea)

- Sources for

breeding aquatic

animals (coast)

M = F

M > F

M > F

State/Group

State

M > F

M = F

M > F

M > F

State/Group

State

M > F

M = F

M > F

M > F

State/Community

State/Community

M

Assets

1) Home appliance M = F M < F M = F F M = F F

2) Finance M < F F M < F F M < F F

3) Agricultural land M = F M = F M = F M = F M = F F

4) Boat M > F M M > F M M > F M

5) Fishing tools M > F M = F M > F M = F M > F M = F

Self-potential improvement

1)Training/educational tours

- Within the province

- Other provinces

M = F

M > F

M < F

M < F

M < F

M = F

M < F

M < F

M < F

M > F

F

F

70


From Table 7 found that male and female of the Coastal Resources Conservation

Group in the RBR area have access to basic resources and services:

1) Living factors and basic services

Male and female members of Ban Bang Rin/ Ban Tha Chang/ Ban

Hat Sai Dam Coastal Resources Conservation Groups have access to living factors and

basic services in housing, basic education, medical treatment, news and information, and

natural resources (coastal/ sea/ forests) equally, but the majority of control power in the

household on the housing, basic education, and medical treatment of family members,

wives are more likely greater than men who serve as the heads of the households.

For the access to natural resources, it was found to be related to

occupation due to most of the informants, who are group members, are engaged in

traditional fishing, and from the Activities Profile showed that most men make boat trips to

catch aquatic animals including breeding fish in the creel at the coastal area of the villages,

so in one household, men have access to marine and coastal resources better than women.

However, the power in controlling the access to and the utilization of natural resources for

these three villages is largely governed by the laws of the state due to being in the

conservation area means under the laws of the DMCR and DNP. Furthermore, local

conservation groups have also established community agreements to control the utilization

of resources.

Access to and control of information by men and women in coastal

resources conservation groups have been found to be equally between women and men due

to the rapid development of communication and technology. Almost everyone in the

community has a mobile phone, which makes it easy to access information and much faster.

However, for Hat Sai Dam Village which is located on an island

without transportation and a taxi-boat causing the delay of living factors and basic service

later than other villages.

71


2) Properties

Access to and control over the family properties of male and

female members of the Coastal Conservation Groups of Bang Rin Village, Tha Chang

Village, and Hat Sai Dam Village have the same pattern:

Agricultural land (rubber plantations): men/women in the family

equally have access to land which is to help the whole family farming, but the inheritance

in the land is mostly women (wife).

Finance: women have greater access to and control over family

expenditures than men as the group members provided reason that women are more careful.

Household goods: women/men in the family have access to home

applicances such as TVs, refrigerators, cars, motorbikes, but the control is mostly of women (wife).

Boat: men have access to and have control over the vessels used in

coastal fishing more than women because men play a greater role in catching fish.

Fishing equipments: men have access to and have control over

coastal fishing gears more than women, but the control like decisions to buy, repair, and

throw away are both women and men.

3) Self-potential development

Male and female members of Ban Bang Rin/ Ban Tha Chang/ Ban

Hat Sai Dam Coastal Resources Conservation Groups have access to the factors and self-

potential development by participating in knowledge training and studying to enhance the

occupational skills including adding more knowledge of resource conservation. From the

group discussions, it was found that the members of Ban Bang Rin Group whether men or

women have the right to attend training and educational tours within Ranong Province

equally. As for the members of Ban Tha Chang Group and Ban Hat Sai Dam Group,

stated that women have access to the training and educational tours within Ranong

Province better than men because during the day at home women do not go out, so they

have more time in attending the events, whereas men go out to fish for time. Moreover,

training and educational tours outside Ranong Province the members of Ban Bang Rin

Group and Ban Hat Sai Dam Group said that males are more accessible than women, with

group members‟ reason that women have a duty to take care of their children and their

homes, so it is not easy to travel to other provinces.

72


However, family decision-making power is dominated by women (wives) and

the fact that women decide not to attend training or educational tours in other provinces

and willing to let the males go; mostly from the voluntary nature of the women themselves.

4.2.2.2 Roles and decision-making power of men in the group

Based on study data about group structure, roles and the distribution

of responsibilities in the group analyzed between men and women on how roles are played

and who has the power to control and decide on the operations of the group are shown in

Table 8 and Table 9

Table 8: Roles and the decision-making power of the male members of the group

Groups

Numbers of members Position Status in

the group Male Female Total President Vice-

President Treasurer

Bang Rin Village

Bang Rin Mangrove

Conservation

9 5 14 M - - active

Coastal Livelihood

Conservation

8 2 10 M - - active

Tha Chang Village

Ngao Mangrove

Conservation Group

8 6 14 M M - active

Tha Chang NEV Group 11 19 30 M F - active

Hat Sai Dam Village

Breeding fish in the

creels Group 1

21 0 21 M M - active

Breeding fish in the

creels Group 2

15 2 17 M M - active

Crab eggs outside the

carapace Group 1

12 0 12 M M M active

Crab eggs outside the

carapace Group 2

9 5 14 F - F No active

Seafood-processing

improvement

1 10 11 F - - No active

Homestay 4 8 12 F - F active

73


Table 9: The ratio of male/female with the positions in the group

Role in Group Male Female Both

# % # % # %

President 7 70 3 30 10 100

Vice-President 4 80 1 20 5 100

Treasurer 1 33.3 2 66.7 3 100

According to Table 8 and Table 9, found that

- Groups related to Mangrove Conservation have more men than women, and

importantly the president is male.

- Groups related to coastal fishing have more men than women, and most of

them are men.

- Seafood Processing Improvement Group and Homestay have more women

than men with the group president is a woman

- Men and women have the same opportunity in leading a group, but the ratio

of men and women who are presidents of the groups are 70:30 and a ratio of men and

women who are vice-president is 80: 20.

- Women act as treasurer more than men at the ratio of 2: 1.

- 2 out of 3 women who are presidents of the groups have discontinuously

operated the groups.

The reason is that the ratio is different in accordance with the group

discussions; it was found that the selection of leaders and the key positions within the

group, in addition to personal potential and the well-known people in the community also

depends on the purposes of the group and gender stereotypes such as female are more

thorough, so women take care of the finance better than men but men can do harder work

better than women.

4.2.3. Participation in marine and coastal resources management activities

of males and females in the groups

According to the study, the research studied the main reasons why males and

females joins and participate in the activities of marine and coastal resources management

by quantitative data to support qualitative study results with 111 questionnaires as follows:

74


4.2.3.1. The main reason for participation

The main reasons in joining as one of the members of the conservation

groups of each gender in each village (Table 10) are as follows

- Most men in Bang Rin community (45.4%) and Tha Chang community

(89.4%) have joined the conservation groups because they want to restore the natural resources

in the community to be more abundant for future generations while most men (71.4%) Hat Sai

Dam community have joined the conservation groups because of the problem of

occupation causing the reduction of income in the family.

- Women have a primary reason for joining conservation groups

differently; most women in Bang Rin Village (57.1%) have joined the groups because it is

a participatory activity in the form of compensation. On the other hands, most of women

in Tha Chang Village (88.0%) have joined because of the needs to restore natural resources

in the community to be more abundant while most women in Hat Sai Dam Village (78.6%)

have joined the conservation groups because of the problem of occupation resulting in

reduced family income.

Table 10: Reasons in joining conservative groups of males/females classified by village

Factors Bang Rin Village Tha Chang Village

Hat Sai Dam

Village

%Male %Female %Male %Female %Male %Female

Environmental Factors

- The need to restore the

natural resources 45.4(5) 28.6(2) 89.4(17) 88.0(22) 22.8(8) 21.4(3)

Economic Factor

- Difficult in making a

living

- - - - 71.4(25) 78.6(11)

- Get the compensation 9.1(1) 57.1(4) 5.3(1) - 2.9(1) -

Social Factor

- Persuaded by family

members

9.1(1) - - - - -

- Persuaded by friends/

relatives

18.2(2) - 5.3(1) - 2.9(1) -

- Persuaded by

community leaders

18.2(2) 14.3(1) - 12.0(3) - -

Total 100(11) 100(7) 100(19) 100(25) 100(35) 100(14)

75


According to the results, it showed that women and men who are members of

conservation groups in RBR Area have a major difference in participation in which women

consider the economic factors more than men. This is consistently with the findings from

Khuain (2009) and Somountha (2008), suggest that women are more likely to consider the

living within the family, finding food, earning income, child caring, and managing the

household finances while most men participate because of environmental factors.

Moreover, the study found that most of the studied communities engage in coastal fishing

which mainly relies on natural resources, and most men will go out to the coast and in the

sea to catch aquatic animals, so men have more access to natural resources than women.

As a result, men see the changes or degradation of natural resources that affect their lives

more than women causing men to be more aware of resource recovery. This is consistently

with the research of Wimonpusit (2004) that men play a major role in transferring and

managing occupations related to coastal resources that are more inherited than women.

In addition, the history and the different locations of the communities in all

three villages have differently influenced the participation of males and females, namely,

Bang Rin Village and Tha Chang Village. In the past, there were rich mangrove resources

but after mining concession and shrimp farming resulted in mangrove destruction and

deterioration. When the mining concession ended and shrimp farming was experiencing

epidemics (DMPD, 2017) causing most of the villagers returned to fishery, so it was

affected by the degradation of coastal resources. This results in a combination of

conservation and restoration of resources, and there are also support agencies in resource

conservation. The reasons in participation of both villages are environmental factors and

social factors as well.

The group members of Hat Sai Dam Village gave out an economic factor as the

most significant reason due to the village is an island and all areas are under the

responsibility of Ranong Islands National Park, so there is no encroachment on the

mangrove forest or the forest land because it is controlled by law. Moreover, with the

access to resources of man and woman is limited by the conditions in the area and law

causing almost all population on the islands are occupied by coastal fishing. Therefore,

government agencies often support and promote extra occupation and sustainable use of

resources with more emphasis on conservation than restoration. However, the DMCR has

76


encouraged Hat Sai Dam community to be part of the Conservation Network together with

Bang Rin Village and Tha Chang Village resulting in all these three villages commonly

participating in conservation activities.

4.2.3.2 Participation in Marine and Coastal Resources Management

Participation in all 18 resource management activities, included the

creation of a resource conservation zone, waste management in communities, preparing

planting area, breaking down the shrimp levees, mangrove seedlings, mangrove

rehabilitation, thinning mangrove planting area, releasing the aquatic animals, patrolling

the resources intrusion and destruction, setting up rules and agreements, aquaculture bank,

promoting profession of natural resources processing, managing ecotourism, meetings to

set the agenda of the group, participating in the Resource Conservation Forum, passing on

knowledge to the youth / villagers in the area, attending training on conservation, and

educational tours of Bang Rin/ Tha Chang/ Hat Sai Dam Conservation Groups, the details

are shown on Figure 15, Figure 16,and Figure 17

27.8

27.8

16.7

27.8

55.6

33.3

33.3

44.4

61.1

27.8

50

50

44.4

38.9

11.1

22.2

0

16.7

33.3

22.2

11.1

38.9

38.9

11.1

0

27.8

16.7

5.6

Educational ToursTraining

Passing on knowledgeMeeting stages

Group meetingsSetting rules

PatrollingReleasing aquacultures

Mangrove plantingSeedlings

Breaking down shrimp leveesPreparing planting area

Collecting wasteZoning Conservation

Figure 15: Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Bang Rin's group members

Males Females

77


27.3

38.6

27.3

31.8

38.6

20.5

18.2

29.5

18.2

40.9

40.9

18.2

18.2

38.6

18.2

31.8

56.8

34.1

45.5

56.8

38.6

34.1

56.8

13.6

56.8

56.8

13.6

13.6

56.8

4.5

Educational Tours

Training

Passing on knowledge

Meeting stages

Group meetings

Processing

Aquaculture Bank

Setting rules

Patrolling

Releasing aquacultures

Mangrove planting

Seedlings

Preparing planting area

Collecting waste

Zoning Conservation

Figure 16: Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Tha Chang's group members

Males Females

30.6

32.7

57.1

10.2

2

71.4

51

71.4

71.4

71.4

30.6

10.2

14.3

20.4

20.4

24.5

16.3

18.4

18.4

22.4

26.5

10.2

Training

Meeting stages

Group meetings

Home Stay

Processing

Aquaculture Bank

Setting rules

Releasing aquatic animals

Mangrove planting

Collecting waste

Zoning Conservation

Figure 17: Percentage of conservation activities participation of Ban Hat Sai Dam's group members

Males Females

78


The study results of Ban Bang Rin Conservation Group in Bang Rin District,

Ranong Province were:

- The activities that most members participate in were: mangrove

planting activities (100%) followed by group meetings (88.9%) and releasing aquaculture

activities (83.3%). All three activities accounted for the same percentage of men and

women.

- The least participatory activity was the transfer of knowledge

(16.7%) and found that there was no female in the participating figure.

- Activities with no female members attending were 2 activities:

breaking down the shrimp levees and knowledge transfer. However, it was found that both

activities were attended by only 50% and 16.7%, respectively.

For activities other than those mentioned above, both male and female

members participated but the majority of attending members were males. The

participation in marine and coastal resources management activities of Ban Bang Rin

Conservation Group in quantitative terms in line with the depth interview and group

discussions stated that most activities engaged by Ban Bang Rin Conservation Group were

activities with intensive labor, such as breaking down the shrimp levees, weeding weeds in

the forest, and thinning in which most of which went from morning to evening or to go

patrol boat including attending the meetings in other provinces for several days. Male

members are more convenient and flexible because female members have to take care of

their children at home. Therefore, the activities that women engage in are usually seedling

preparation for planting and handicrafts activities.

The study results of Ban Tha Chang Conservation Group in Ngao District,


- The activities that most members participated in were mangrove

planting (97.7%) and releasing aquatic animals (97.7%), followed by group meetings (95.4%) and

training (95.4%).

- The least participation activity was making conservation zone

(22.7%) with male members at the greater percentage.

- Most of Ban Tha Chang's activities found that there were a higher

percentage of women participating than men, except for nursery activities, planting area

79


preparation activities, zoning conservation area, and the activities of patrolling for the

intrusion in the mangrove forest. This is because all these 4 activities are specific activities

of mangrove conservation group in Ngao Sub-district with 14 members and more men than

women.

Participation in marine and coastal resources management activities of

males/females members of Tha Chang Conservation Group in quantitative terms in line

with the depth interview and group discussions found that the majority members of Ban

Tha Chang Conservation Group are females because they have more free time, so they get

together and join the groups. However, in some households participate for the whole

family. The distribution of duties usually involves labor: activities that need to stay outdoor

for longer time will be done by men, such as the preparation of planting mangrove and

weeding weeds, whereas women will be collecting wood chips from the planting area.

Also, another activity is a making keychain activity made of Mudskipper and Hibiscus

Tiliaceus in which it is still in practicing stage of both men and women.

The study results of Ban Hat Sai Dam Conservation Group in Ngao District,


-The activities that most members participated in were waste

collection activities (97.9%), followed by mangrove planting (93.8%) and group meetings

(77.5%).

- The activity that members participated at the least was processing

activity (26.5%).

- Most of the activities in Hat Sai Dam Village are found to have a

higher percentage of men than women, except seafood processing and homestay activities.

Participation in marine and coastal resources management activities of

males/females members of Ban Hat Sai Dam Conservation Group in quantitative

consistently with the results from in-depth interviews and group discussions is that males

work as a resource-management group quite distinctly than women. This is due to the

island community with the only transportation by boat, and most of the activities are away

from home to the mangrove, the sea, or the coast, whereas most women work at home and

in the village rather than outside because of the duty to take care of children and

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housework. According to the interviews, no woman rides the boat or goes fishing, so the

activity which women play an obvious role is a homestay because most jobs are in the

community. However, in the home-stay home when tourists come, both men and women

in the family will join to help. Furthermore, the community has rules to draw a circular

home for tourists and to circulate to all the houses where one house can get no more than 6

tourists if it comes to any house. The woman in the house is responsible for preparing food

and accommodation as men are responsible for transportation. In case the tourists come to

a big group and stay overnight; female members will come together to cook and welcome

tourists at the house of any one of the members or of the president of the group. In

addition, it was found that the 1st crab egg outside the crustacean has no woman as a

member, so the leader‟s wife will responsible in helping her husband in behind by

supervising income and expenditure of the group.Therefore, the distribution of the

male/female role in the community is to support each other.

In accordance with the study results of Gender in Ranong Biosphere Reserve

Area, found that the demographics of the rural population and their occupations depend on

natural resources, so the role of daily living and access to resources for males and females

is in a divided form, and everyone has equal access to the resources. It also depends on the

given roles as for the hard work and work that needs to leave houses will be the duty of

men, and women work at home, take care of their children, and work on delicate tasks such

as financial management. These results are in line with Moser (1993), who concluded that

the men in the family are engaged in productive work outside the home, while the woman

is a housewife and homemaker with reproductive and domestic tasks in organizing the

household. Moreover, it is also consistent with the researches by Bista, (2005), Khuain

(2009), and Somountha (2008).

For the role of men and women participation in natural resource management,

it was found that men and women have equal access to conservation activities of the

groups, and women have the same leadership opportunities as men, but men's leadership

qualities are different. Men are leaders in resource conservation groups and fishing groups,

whereas women will lead extra careers, such as processing groups and home-stay groups

which is in line with Wimonpusit's (2004) research. The proportion of male involvement varies

depending on the types of job; the men and women are divided according to the

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physiological differences between sexes and the cultural mainstreaming. However, it was

found that in the Hat Sai Dam Village, there was a woman who played a leading role but

the group is discontinuous. The interviews revealed that they had problems with networking

and budgeting for activities from various agencies.Due to the island environment and

transportation, it is inconvenient because most women are only in the village which is also

consistent with Upadhyay et al. (2013) found that coordination with external organizations

is often performed by men. Women are often involved in a little process which is more

receptive and informative than co-decision.

In addition, gender roles in resource management in Ranong Biosphere

Reserve Area, Thailand also depend on the government's natural resources management

policy, which, according to the constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2017, men and

women have equal rights and is protected by laws (The Royal Gazette, 2017), and the

National Economic and Social Development Plan of Thailand has brought “Sufficiency

Economy” of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to use since the year 2002, focusing

on developing people to be perfect, creating opportunities for everyone in society, sustainable

development of the country economy with quality and stability, environmentally-friendly,

biodiversity conservation, communities, ways of life, values, traditions, and culture (NESDB,

2017). All agencies have adopted the framework to set policies and action plans in line with

national laws and policies. The principles and plans must specifically be consistent with

the main objectives of declaring the area as a biosphere reserve are 1) to conserve the

diversity of plants, animals, and ecosystem; 2) to promote sustainable economic and social

development emphasized on closed-cooperation with the surrounding communities and 3)

to research, educate, and train about the conservation of natural resources and the

environment (UNESCO, 2015). The study found that the agencies involved in the management of

RBR Area, Thailand have promoted people in the area to maintain and utilize resources in

areas of the Buffer Zone and Transition Zone properly to not affect the ecology, based on

the principle of image consistency, respect local wisdom and customs to encourage people

to have consciousness in the conservation of natural resources and participate in

management areas (DMCR, 2016).

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4.3 Gender relations, identified problems, and gaps related to gender balance in the

biosphere reserve management

4.3.1 Gender relations

Gender relations are created through social rules, tradition, and norms which

are the ways in which the society determines specific roles, rights, and behaviors for each

gender in a relationship emanating the relationship of the individual and the group in the

way of life. Therefore, the researcher analyzed the situation of Gender Relations in

Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area by gender roles and level of relationships in a daily life

and in group activities participation, and the details are shown in Table. 11

Table 11: Relationship of Gender in Ranong Biosphere Reserve Area

level Gender Dominant Features and Limitations Social Expectations and Roles

Indi

vidu

al a

nd H

ouse

hold

Males Dominant Features

- Strong muscles more than women and

better work force

- Less emotional change than women.

- Use intuition to make decisions

- like taking risks and challenges

Limitation

- lack of thoroughness

Social expectations

- Producing new members

- Men need to help and honor women who are

weaker sex.

- Must be a good family leader supplying

housing, going out to work, finding food, and

earning money for family.

Roles

- Out to the sea to catch aquatic animals.

- Finding the sources of outputs.

- Repairing homes and boats

Females Dominant Features

- Thoroughness and careful

- More patience than men

- Use intuition to make decisions

Limitations

- The sizes of body and muscle are

smaller than men and can work in less

force tasks.

- When have menstruation, often feel

uncomfortable.

- Need to conceive and breastfeed babies,

so can work inconveniently.

Social expectations

- Producing new members

- Must be a good wife in the frame of traditions

and customs.

- Taking care of family members

Roles

- Pregnant

- Caring for family, stay at home, housework,

cooking, parenting children

- Taking care of family expenditure and handle

financial problems and liabilities

- Fishing Processing

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level Gender Dominant Features and Limitations Social Expectations and Roles

Gro

up a

nd c

omm

unity

Males Dominant Features

- Leadership, powerful, and imposing

- Go outside the community for a long

time.

Limitations

- During going out to the sea, there will

be no time for group activities

- Lack of thoroughness in financial

management

Social expectations

- Living according to social norms.

- Joining a religious ritual and community

tradition.

- Maintaining community resources.

Roles

- Being a group leader and distributing jobs

include benefits to group members.

- Joining group activities and they play a major

role in labor-use activities and life-threatening

activities.

Females Dominant Features

- More free time because most do not

have to leave with the boat.

- Like talking, networking.

- Ability to manage finance.

Limitation

-When have menstruation, it will be a

hindrance to forest planting activities and

releasing aquatic animals.

Social expectations

- Living according to social norms.

- Joining a religious ritual and community

tradition.

- Maintaining community resources.

Roles

- Motivating members to practice by the rules and

creating a collaborative network.

- Joining group activities and play a key role in

Activities, such as meeting, processing,

handicrafts, taking care of accounting and

finance, and public relations.

From Table 11, it was found that gender relations in RBR at the levels of

individual, household, group, and community with most of the roles are performed by the

social norms. It is a role that benefits each other to meet the needs of the community

members on the basis of living; each of which has status and many roles at the same time,

such as roles in the family, roles in the group, and roles in the community by the time of

arising opportunity. However, due to the villages in this study are rural communities that

have to rely on natural resources to live and make a living, and transportation in some

communities are not yet convenient resulting in men are more likely to have a choice or

access to resources than women and more convenient than women. For example, families

with fishing in the coastal in Hat Sai Dam Village men are responsible for boat trips to the

sea to find aquatic animals as women are at home helping to manage the aquatic animals

after catching them and rarely leave the community. The convenience of transportation and

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local government system are a community context that affects the changes of relationships

and roles of men and women in the communities, Wimonpusit (2004).

According to the tests of the relationship between women and men and

participation in various activities for each village in term of quantitative to validate the

correctness of the results of qualitative data analysis with Chi-Square at the level of

statistical significance at 0.05 (see Appendix B), males and females have the rights and

freedom to express their roles in society to access the group's conservation activities

equally, and only a few participatory activities have statistically significant relationships

with gender differences, with Asymp. Sig less than 0.05 as follow.

- Bang Rin Village found that gender relations had a statistically

significant relationship with the participation of two activities in the activities of the group,

such as zoning conservation activities and breaking down the shrimp levees activity with

the Asymp. Sig at 0.040 and 0.001, respectively.

- Tha Chang Village found that gender relations had a statistically

significant relationship with the participation of four activities in the activities of the group,

such as zoning conservation activities, setting group‟s rules and agreements activities,

aquacultures bank activities, and attending in resources conservation stage activities with

the Asymp. Sig at 0.007, 0.002, 0.046, and 0.006, respectively.

- Hat Sai Dam Village found that gender relations had a statistically

significant relationship with the participation of three activities in the activities of the

group, such as releasing aquaticultures activities, promoting professions of natural

resources-processing activities, and ecotourism activities with Asymp. Sig at 0.007, 0.000,

and 0.000, respectively.

4.3.2 Problems and Gender gaps related to gender balance in the biosphere

reserve management

Analysis of problems and gaps related to gender balance in the biosphere

reserve management was to bring out the part 1 and part 2 data of the study results to

further analyze for quantitative and qualitative analysis in the meta-data analysis by using

85


4-dimensional indicators, such as getting education, getting health services, participation in

group activities, and getting a leadership position of the 111 members compared the equality

between males and females by applying metrics from all four dimensions according to The

World Economic Forum (2016) and supporting the results with qualitative from in-depth

interviews with group leaders and group discussions as follows Figure 18.

Group leader position/ Healthcare services/ Education/ Participation in group

- Getting education found that men were educated at 98.5% and

100.0% for women, which is a similar number.

- Getting healthcare services have found that all (100%) members of

both men and women have access to health services.

- Participation in group activities by average, all activities in resource

management and in the overall picture of all three villages showed that men are more

involved in group activities than women. Men are involved in group activity at 59.0% of

all members while women participated in group activities at 55.4% of all members.

- Gaining leadership positions, men were assigned to be the group

leader at 10.8% of all members more than women, which accounts for 6.5% of all members.

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

GainingLeadership

Participation ingroup

Education

Healthcare

Figure 18: Percentage of members of male/female members be able to access to the indicators in each dimension

Men

Women

100.0

100.0 100.0

10.8

98.5

6.5 55.4

59.0

86


In accordance with the analysis of the 4-dimensional metrics as shown in

Figure 18, found that men and women in Ranong Biosphere Reserve have no gap in the

dimensions of access to education and access to health services.Everyone in society is

equal in accordance with the constitutional law governing the country and according to

government policy plan which defines the right to freedom of all Thais equally, regardless

of gender differences, race, place of origin, religion, age, and different personal status are

different. However, there are gaps in inequality between men and women in the dimension

of participation in group activities and leadership which the data from in-depth interviews

with the group leaders and group discussions showed that these two dimensions are related

to factors that differentiate the physiological nature of men and women naturally and

expectations from different societies such as age, health status, marital status, beliefs, and

traditions; men and women divide responsibilities and roles at the family, group, and

community levels for mutual benefits.

Even though men will play the role of group and community leaders in a

greater number and more pronounced than women, the women who are the wives of the

leaders are often supporters of her husbands‟ work by coordinating group members to

schedule meetings and ensuring group accounting accuracy. It is also found that although

men are heads of households, the control power of most family decisions are made by

women. The sample groups reasoned that this is because it is a family distribution by doing

the outdoors is a man's duty and housework is a woman's duty. Because of this, most

female and male members of the conservation groups in RBR have the same opinion that

men and women have equal rights properly according to the differences and limiting

factors of each gender, so there is no problem in the relationship. Although men are more

likely to have access to certain resources than women, the women in the sample groups do

not feel that the problem was a problem and do not feel the gap between genders, isolation,

exclusion, or social oppression due to;

- Allocate resources for living and group resources appropriately.

- Assign duties and responsibilities suitable for gender, age, marital

status, and skills.

- Communities value or see the importance.

- Have the power to drive groups and communities.

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However, considering Figure 18, it has been found that there are no more

than 60% of those who have access to resource management activities in biosphere

reserves, and the relevant agencies should encourage more non-participating members to

get involved to effectively manage natural resources in Ranong Biosphere Reserve, so

people in the area are allotted the benefits thoroughly.

88


5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion

The summary of the Gender Role in Ranong Biosphere Reserve, Thailand:

Case Study on Coastal Conservation Groups is as follow.

1) Characteristics of respondents

The groups in coastal resources management in RBR, Thailand, are found in

three villages with two villages located in the transition area, namely, Bang Rin Village

No. 2 in Bang Rin Sub-district and Tha Chang Village No. 3 in Ngao Sub-district, and

another one is located in the buffer zone which is Hat Sai Dam Village No. 5 in Ngao Sub-

district. The total numbers of coastal resources management groups are 10 groups with

111 members in total, 65 men and 46 women. In overall membership, most are at the age

of 41-50 years-old and 51-60 years with the level of education at elementary and middle

school, Islam, married, most of them engaged in coastal fishing due to their proximity to

the mangrove forest and the sea, and the household income at 10,000-20,000 baht per

month depending on the season. Furthermore, more than 85% of group members who are

local in the area have utilized mangrove and coastal resources in their both working and

living for a long time and have been affected by the degradation of resources resulting in

desire and consciousness to gather into groups in order to conserve and restore resources.

The purpose of setting up groups of three villages in managing coastal

resources can be summarized into 3 objectives: (1) to maintain and rehabilitate the mangrove,

aquatic, and environmental resources in the village: (2)to preserve the way of life of the

community; and (3) to make income and create a profession by sustainably utilizing resources, with

these 18 group activities including setting up the resources conservation zones, managing the

waste in community, preparing the reforestation area, breaking down the abandoned

shrimp levees, planting the mangrove seedlings, rehabilitating mangrove forests,

maintaining the mangrove planting area, releasing the aquatic animals, patrolling and

preventing the invasion and destruction of resources, defining rules and agreements of the

groups, aquaculture bank, promoting natural resource processing, managing eco-tourism,

meetings to organize groups‟ plans, attending meetings on resource conservation,

89


transferring knowledge to young people / villagers in the area, attending conservation

trainings, and educational tours. Significantly, these 18 activities are supported with funds,

knowledge, and tools from government and private agencies, educational institutions,

financial institution, and private organizations.

2) Gender roles in resource management of the biosphere reserve

According to the study on group members of coastal resources management

groups, found that the roles and access to resources of males/females in the BR area of

Ranong Province are more on dividing up or sharing the work which means everyone has

access to resources for living and access to the conservation activities of the groups varied

by roles.The roles that have been given are usually categorized accordingly to the

physiology of sex, age, health status, marital status, and cultural motifs.

The results of the Activities Profile found that the productive activities and

social and community activities of males were more likely to be in the labor force (heavy

work) and outside from home than females, such as riding a boat to catch aquatic animals,

repairing home, and placing the cement bars for the conservation zone. Most males‟

working areas and times are located on the coast or on the seashore while females are often

given the role of work that requires carefulness, not very laborious, and with the limitations

to take care of family members females' working areas are often at home and in the village,

for example, processing aquatic animals, taking the fish to sell, repairing fishing tools, and

taking care of family and group accounts. For reproductive activities such as home-based

cooking and child-rearing, it was found that the participants in the three villages considered

them as the role of the wife (female), and this reproductive activity was mostly a taking-

time activity that need to work from getting up till going to bed. Therefore, considering

the working hours between males and females it was found that females have more

working hours than males, but most jobs are non-income.

According to the results from the analysis of Access and Control to resources

and services required in everyday life and group resources including the male/female

decision-making power within the group, it was found that all males/females had equal

access to resources in their daily lives, and access to resources will vary depending on the

role they receive under the Activity profile. For example, males are responsible for

90


catching fish, so they have access to marine and coastal resources than females, and

females tend to work at home, so they have more access to and control over family

properties than males.

For the access to group resources, both males and females have access to

knowledge-based training and educational tours to study to enhance their career skills

included with more knowledge about resource conservation quite equally, but women have

restrictions on places in which if women have to travel to other provinces for a long time,

they will not be able to go because of need to take care of home and family. In addition,

women have the same leadership opportunities as men but not many, and the study found

that the groups with females as leaders are groups with discontinuous operations.

3) Gender relationship, and identify problem and gaps related to gender

balance in the biosphere reserve management

For the relationship of Gender in RBR at Individual Level, Household Level,

Group Level, and Community Level, most of the roles are performed by the social norms.

It is a role that benefits each other to meet the needs of community members on the basis

of living in which each has status and many roles at the same time including roles in the

family, roles in the group, and roles in the community; males and females have the right

and freedom to express their roles in society in equal access to conservation activities.

However, only a few participatory activities have statistically significant relationships with

gender differences and different in the context of each village, such as Bang Rin Village

and Tha Chang Village that gender correlates with zoning resource conservation activities

and breaking down the abandoned shrimp levees activities. The same with Hat Sai Dam

Village with the gender is associated with releasing aquatic animal activities, promoting

the profession in processing of natural resources activities, and ecotourism activities, so

this relationship is based on the gender role as mentioned above.

In accordance with the results of the analysis of problems and gaps related to

gender balance in the biosphere reserve management to compare male and female

relationships on each side found that men and women had no gap in accessing to education

and health services due to the constitutional law of the Kingdom of Thailand and the

government's action plan that supports the equality and equality of all people. There are

91


only gaps in inequality in group activity participation and leadership concerning the factors

of male and female physiological differences and role sharing in society.

Conclusively, gender roles in resources management of the biosphere reserve

showed that gender roles are the result of attitudes, experiences, socialization processes

including the factors in location of the community causing the differences in roles between

males and females. These differences can be categorized into four main differences which

are energy or strength used in the work, professional skills, working time, and place of

work. Moreover, these differences affect the opportunities in personal development,

access to natural resources, participation of group activities, and socio-economic benefits.

Therefore, the different roles of these males and females should be taken into account to

find a method, a process, or a tool to fill the gaps between existing genders and to promote

the potential of gender in knowledge and capability relevant in livelihoods and

conservation of natural resources in order to achieve equitable sharing of benefits, so

members of all age groups are potentially involved in resource management in Ranong

Biosphere Reserve. As a result, the management of biosphere reserves is to meet the

objectives of the MAB project with more effectiveness.

5.2 Recommendation

Recommendations for the further researches should study in the following

subjects:

1) Due to this research study only the roles of males and females who

participate in the management of Ranong biosphere reserve without studying the roles of

girls and boys, so this issue should be further studied. Furthermore, this will be able to

illustrate the changing trends of society and the inheritance of resource conservation ideas

in the new generation.

2) There should be a study about the changes in socio-economic and the

environment arising from the community's participation and related agencies to

continuously manage resources in biosphere reserves, so it can be a way to improve and

correct the operations of the relevant agencies.

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APPENDICES

98


APPENDIX A : Notification on Appointment of subcommittee for the MAN and

Ranong Biosphere Reserve, Thailand

99


100


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APPENDIX B: Questionnaire form

Name of Interviewer Tel.

Name of group

Name of Village Village No. Sub-district Muang Ranong

Part 1: Personal information

1.1 Gender Male Female

1.2 Age below 20 21-30 31-40

41-50 51-60 over 60

1.3 Status single married divorced

1.4 Religion Buddhism Islam Christianity

1.5 Numbers of household members people

1.6 Numbers of household members who need to be taken care None Yes people

1.7 Education Level

Did not study Elementary

Middle school High school

Diploma Bachelor Degree or higher

1.8 Major Occupation

Coastal fishing General employment

Agriculture Trading

Breeding aquacultures Government officer

Personal business Unemployment

Others

1.9 Monthly household income

Less than 10,000 Baht 10,000 – 20,000 Baht

20,001 – 30,000 Baht 30,001 – 40,000 Baht

40,001 – 50,000 Baht More than 50,000 Baht

1.10 Domicile

Since birth Moved from (where) .

........ How many year? .

1.11 public health services no received received

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Part 2: Group information

2.1 Important Reasons to joining conservative groups

The need to restore the natural resources

Difficult in making a living

Get the compensation

Persuaded by family members

Persuaded by friends/ relatives

Persuaded by community leaders

2.2 Position in the group

President Treasurer

Vice-President Member

2.3 Activities of group on Ranong Biosphere Reserve Management

Activity Have Don‟t

have

Paticipation

Yes No

1. Organizing resource conservation zone

2. Managing community waste

3. Preparing mangrove planting area

4. Destroying abandoned shrimp levees

5. Cultivating mangrove seedlings

6. Mangrove rehabilitation

7. Thinning/weeding mangrove plantation

8. Releasing aquaculture

9. Patrolling & Preventing the invasion & destruction of the resources

10. Setting group rules & agreements

11. Aquaculture Bank

12. Promoting natural resources processing

13. Managing ecotourism

14. Meeting for setting up the group plans

15. Participation in the forum for resource conservation

16. Passing on the knowledge to the youth / villagers

17. Participation in conservation training

18. Educational tour

19. Others .

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Part 3: Opinions on the role of female-male participation in RBR management

3.1 Problem / Limitations of female-male participation in RBR management

No problem

Yes 1)................................................................................................ ..............

2)..............................................................................................................

3)..............................................................................................................

4)..............................................................................................................

3.2 suggestions on increasing the role of male/female participation in RBR management

1)......................................................................................................................................

2)............................................................................................................................ ..........

3).......................................................................................................................................

4)............................................................................................................................ ...........

-----------------------End-------------------------

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APPENDIX C: List of group’s member who participated in Focus group

Discussion and Verification workshop

105


106


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APPENDIX D: ACRONYMS

BR Biosphere Reserve

DEQP Department of Environmental Quality Promotion

DMCR Department of Marine and Coastal Resources

DMPD Division of Mangrove Promotion and Development

DNP Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

F Female

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FGD Focus group discussion

IDI In depth Interview

ILO International Labor Organization

M Male

MAB Man and Biosphere Programme

MG Mangrove forest

MNRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Envionment

NESDB Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board

NEV Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer

OMC Office of the Mangrove Conservation

ONEP Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and

Planning

OXFAM the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief

RBR The Ranong Biosphere Reserve

SAO Sub-district Administrative Organization

SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

WHO World Health Organization

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APPENDIX E: Photos of data collecting

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BIOGRAPHY

NAME Miss Disaorn Aitthiariyasunthon

DATE OF BIRTH March 10th , 1981

PLACE OF BIRTH Bangkok, Thailand

INSTITUTIONS ATTENDED Kasetsart University, 2000-2005:

Bachelor of Science (Forestry)

Bachelor of Art (Sociology & Anthropology)

(2nd Ckass Honours)

Mahidol University, 2010-2015:

Master of Science (Technology of Environmental

Management)

POSITION & OFFICE Department of Marine and Coastal Resources,

Office of Mangroves conservation

Position: Forestry Technical Officer, Practitioner

Level

HOME ADDRESS 17 Prachanivat3 Village, Samukkee Road,

Muaeng District, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand

E-MAIL [email protected]

gender role in ranong biosphere reserve management

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