Ecological Marginalization And Hill Tribe Security In Northern Thailand

In recent decades, Thai elites have ecologically marginalized hill tribe farmers in northern Thailand. A region-wide population boom has fueled a 'land grab' by the elites and forced hill tribe farmers to live on less land with few off-farm options. The marginalized farmers are less secure in their livelihoods, and as a result, there has been conflict over resources between them and governmental authorities and ethnic Thais. This paper analyzes the hill tribes' marginalization in order to assess the risk of heightened social conflict in the region. I chose hill tribe villages in the Mae Sa Valley as a "best-case" example of hill tribe "progress" in the past 30 years. The valley has exceptional locational advantages for economic development and it has had a long history of developmental assistance. The findings suggest that, even in this best-case example, ecological marginalization has hindered the advancement of the hill tribes in the region. Thailand's government must recognize that the stability of its northern border depends in part on a wise environmental policy-one that conserves the forest and protects the security of people who live in it. Otherwise, heightened alienation, adversity and conflict between the hill tribes and competing elements of Thai society seem likely. Adapted from the source document.