Thesis with Its Author

University of Bath PHD Elephants standing on their hind legs: women in the changing village context of Southern Thailand Kittitornkool, Jawanit Award date: 2000 Awarding institution: University of Bath Link to publication Alternative formats If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact: [email protected] General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 05. Oct. 2021 ELEPHANTS STANDING ON THEIR HIND LEGS : WOMEN IN THE CHANGING VILLAGE CONTEXT OF SOUTHERN THAILAND submitted by Jawanit Kittitomkool for the degree of PhD of the University of Bath 2000 COPYRIGHT Attention is drawn to the fact that copyright of this thesis with its author. This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults It is understood to recognize that its copyright rests with its author and that no Quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published Without the prior written consent of the author This thesis may be made available for consultation within the University Library and may be photocopied or lent to other libraries for the purposes of consultation. k)t€itovv,k'‘l UMI Number: U601784 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U601784 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 UNIVERSITY CF 3ATM I LIBRARY \ 5" 1 h SFP 2003 ] ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the impacts of environmental, social and economic changes, as a consequence of the development process, on women in different social groups; and the ways in which women have responded to the changes in a village in Southern Thailand. The implementation of development policy at the national level, including the promotion of high-yielding rubber, the educational system, and financial loans have differentially affected households in accordance with their prevailing resources. Due to environmental and economic changes, the major material resource in most households has changed from rice fields to rubber plots. The maintenance and accumulation of household resources have been dependent upon the levels of their investments in human resources and modernised means of production, as well as market demand and close connections with city. The domination of the state in village life is increasingly evident. Social differentiation in the village has been reinforced by the interplay of the state and the market. Women’s development activities are mainly based on gender ideologies of women's housework responsibilities and femininity. The extent to which they benefit from development involvement varies with their prevalent resources. Close connections with the authorities bring new categories of social and cultural resources to the women and their households. The gender ideologies and women's social identities as a mother have been reproduced through social mechanisms and in the development process, as well as have mediated and perpetuated intra-household gender relations. In spite of changes in household resource profiles, women's long-standing involvement in household production and reproduction work has not been significantly transformed. Women's toleration of their husbands’ behaviour is based on the social and economic necessity of having husbands' provision and protection, as well as gender ideologies. The extent of women's power in their households varies with their resources and position in the familial hierarchy. The traditional pattern of the wife's management of family money does not indicate women’s control over family money in poor families. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For me, doing a PhD is like going to a faraway destination through a wilderness. I would not have been able to begin, let alone finish this long journey without the contribution of Dr J Allister McGregor, my supervisor and good friend. I would like to express my gratitude to him for his support and patience with me. I am also deeply grateful to Professor Dr Jane Millar for her supervision and kindness. As a teacher myself, she is a role model for me. I would also like to thank Dr Sarah White, Dr Mike Pamwell, and Professor Dr Geof Wood for their valuable suggestions; as well as Associate Professor Dr Petchnoi Singchangchai, Associate Professor Dr Chai Podhisita, Professor Suthiwong Phongphaiboon, Associate Professor Dr Darunee Tantiwiramanonda, Dr Shashi Pandey and Dr Penny Van Esterik for their kind assistance. My long journey was funded as part of the Linkage between the Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University and the Centre for Development Studies, the University of Bath. I would like to express my appreciation to the British Council for providing my first-year scholarship, the University of Bath for my two years of tuition fees, and the Prince of Songkhla University as well as the Faculty of Environmental Management for my allowances and expenses. I always feel thankful to Kevin Marsh, my PhD colleague, for editing my English. While stumbling along the lonely path at Bath, friendship and laughter I shared with Angsana, Prakai, Buapun, Warapom, Iqbal and Yun-Jong always brightened my days, thanks to all of them. I am also lucky to know Liz Jacob, my watercolour teacher and mentor, who helped decorate my path. I would like to thank Tom, Ibon, Nanthana, for making our office a nice atmosphere, especially Romyen and Charlotte for their help, as well as Elaine for her administrative support. Finally, I also appreciate Adam Beales' friendship and support. I owe my life-long inspirations to Professor Rapee Sakarik, Ajam Sulak Sivaraksa, and especially Dr Uthai Dulyakasem. I am always thankful to Ajam Nithi and Niwom Rittipompan, Dr Mike and Nittaya Polioudakis for their support and friendship. I would like to express my deep appreciation to my friends who have supported me throughout the journey : Preeda, Sumana, Chanisada, Cherdchan, Somtip, Cholthicha, Dr Pimjai, Sopapan, Duanglak, Dr Awae, Supara, Assistant Professor Pan-ngam Gothammasam, Ajam Udsanee Wannithikul, and Professor Dr Stephen Matthews. I feel especially thankful to Nongyao and Aurasri, our long-standing friendship has always strengthened me. My thesis would not have been completed without the hospitality and co-operation of the villagers of Ban Khao Bua, particularly the women who became my case studies, Subang-on, Suriya, Suthon and Naeng-noi. I am particularly grateful to Ead and Chai for accepting me as their family member, and Uncle Chuang, Job, as well as Kob, Sai, and Ad, for their friendship and kindness. I have learned a great deal from them. I owe my achievement to my parents, Charan and Sujitra, whose endless love and care have always sustained me wherever I am. I am thankful to my youngest brother, Surin, for his morale support, and especially to my younger sister and brother, Yaowanuch and Suthee and their families, for taking care of our parents when I was not able to fulfil my duty. Finally, as a Buddhist, I would like to pay my ultimate respect to the three Jewels of Buddhism, the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, which have always enlightened my path. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii LISTS OF MAPS, TABLES and FIGURES xi MAPS xii CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Background 2 1.2. Framework 7 1.3. Chapter outline 12 CHAPTER TWO : THAI WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT 15 PROCESS 2.1. Background of the development process in Thailand 15 2.1.1. The formulation and implementation of development plans 17 2.1.2. Impacts of the development process 21 (a) Improvement of infrastructure andquality of life 21 (b) Environmental problems 22 (c) Social and economic inequalities 22 (d) Social differentiation in villages 23 (e)The economic collapse since July 1997 25 (f) The emergence of civil society 26 2.2. The overview of the position of Thai women 29 2.2.1. Active participation in production 29 2.2.2. Gender inequalities 30 2.2.3. Prostitution 32 2.3. Thai women in the interplay of cultural, social and economic factors 35 2.3.1. Thai women in pre-modem society 35 2.3.2. Thai women in the modernisation mainstream 37 (a) Social differentiation of women 37 (b) The feminisation of production and consumption 37 (c) Women's double burden 40 2.3.3. Cultural factors 41 (a) Women in Buddhism 41 (b) Gender codes 44 (c) Gendered obligations 46 - Daughter 46 - Mother 48 2.4. Thai women in the dynamics of development institutions/organisations 49 2.4.1. Women in the development mainstream 49 2.4.2. Women's non-governmental organisations 52 2.5. Women as social actors in the dynamic contexts 54 V PAGE 2.6.

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