Volume 6 Number 1, January 2018 The Study of Economic, Social and Cultural Adaptation as a way of Life of Hmong Ethnic Along North South Economic Corridor in Chiang Khong District, Chiangrai Province, Thailand Phithak Rattanasaengsawang International College of Mekong Region Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Thailand. ABSTRACT construction of the North South The objectives of the Economic Corridor, the ways of life of research aimed to study the impact of the Hmong ethnic which has been North South Economic Corridor investigated into 3 aspects; economic, towards the changing economic, social and cultural impacts, has been social and culture of the Hmong ethnic adversely affected both in the past and group residing in Chiang Khong at present with significant difference district, Chiangrai province, Thailand. at 1 percent level. The researcher has selected The economic aspect has 230 household samples out of 532 indicated; (1) there is an exchange of households by employing Taro cultural goods along the borders Yamane (1973 : 125) for sampling which are benefited to trade and selection. The questionnaires and investment, (2) there is an opportunity participant observation were used as a to increase higher family income, (3) there is the gaining of skills and method of data collection. The descriptive statistics for analyzing the experiences in livelihood data are frequency distribution, performance, (4) there is a change in percentage, mean, standard deviation occupation and production technique. and t-test. The social aspect has The study revealed that the indicated; (1) there is a change in Hmong ethnic group had living pattern, material used for transmigrated to settle in the areas of building and house structure, (2) there Chiang Khong district more than 20 is communication and social mobility years. The main occupation is between the borders for economic and agriculture, some income derived social purpose, (3) there is an from maize, rice farming, gardening, opportunity for education. and cloth sewing. The findings had The cultural aspect has indicated that before and after the indicated; (1) there is a decrease in using local wisdom in health care 42 Volume 6 Number 1, January 2018 pattern, (2) there is a decrease in from 2008 onward, formulated the desirable behavior and ethnic strategies and action plans (SAPs) for socialization in the family, and (3) EWEC, NSEC, and SEC, and their there is a change and an exchange in implementation thereafter. tradition and tribal culture along the The need to review the borders of Thailand and Lao People’s configuration of EWEC, NSEC, and Democratic Republic. SEC to enhance their contribution to The direction of adaptation GMS development was first raised at of the Hmong ethnic group towards the Fourth Economic Corridor Forum the impact along the path of North (ECF) held in Mandalay, Mayanmar South Economic Corridor which has in June 2012. Discussions at the been evidently observed that there is Seventh ECF held in Kunming, the business networks established for Yunnan,People’s Republic of China value added to the cultural products, (PRC) in June 2015, and the 20th GMS conservation, revitalization and Ministerial Conference held in Nay transmission of tribal identity. The Pyi Taw, Myanmar in September utmost important adaptation is to 2015, also drew attention to the need develop standard of living for quality for such review. Changes in the of life improvement and, more configuration of GMS economic importantly, the increasing in earning corridors respond to the dynamic capability, prevention of diseases, nature of subregional development. security in life and property as well as They will help ensure that future facilitation in the border trades are investment in GMS economic required to look into. corridors are focused on areas with the best potential to become fully functioning economic corridors, thus INTRODUCTION maximizing their contribution to increased income and employment in The greater Mekong Subregion economic corridors have the subregion. evolved in three stages. The first stage, The primary considerations from 1992 to 1997, laid the foundation for including specific routes as part of for the development of the corridors. EWEC, NSEC, and SEC in the current Priority road projects identified during configuration were their potential to this time served as the backbone of the become trade, investment, tourism, GMS economic corridors. The second and transit corridors, and the present stage, from 1998 to 2007, started with of significant sections that can be the adoption of economic corridor developed into hubs for regional approach and the designation of trades, investment, and tourism. In EWEC, NSEC, and SEC as priority reviewing their configuration, the corridors for transportation into primary concern is to ensure that: (i) economic corridors. The third stage, development arising from the opening of Myanmar are taken into account; 43 Volume 6 Number 1, January 2018 (ii) corridors include and link all GMS North-South Corridor (NSEC2): capitals and major economic centers; Kunming-Hekou – Hanoi-Hai Phong; (iii) corridors are connected to key North-South Corridor GMS maritime gateways and (Middle Route) starts from Kunming, industrial hubs; and (iv) major trade Yunnan province, China in the north. flows are reflected in the alignment of It is along Kunming-Bangkok Road the corridors. The following Figure 1 (KunMo road in China) to Laos delineated Greater Mekong Subregion passing Yuxi, Simao, Jinghong and Economic Corridors, 2000-2008, Mohan; and along Kunming-Bangkok Figure 2 showing Greater Mekong Road (Lao part) which is built across Subregion Network in Transport Mekong River to Thailand passing Section Strategy, 2006-2015, and Luang Namtha and Houayxay in Figure 3 showing Present which the concerning area of the Configuration of East-West Economic corridor includes Mong La, Corridor, North-South Economic Chiengtung and Tachilek in north-east Corridor, and Southern Economic of Myanmar; within Thailand, the Corridor (Asian Development Bank. corridor goes along Kunming- 2016. Review of Configuration of the Bangkok Road (Thailand part) to the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic terminal Bangkok passing Chiang Rai, Corridors, November 2016, 21st. GMS Chiang Mai, Tak, Chainat and then Ministerial Conference) reach gulf of Thailand by passing From the viewpoint of GMS Bangkok. development as a whole, the use of There are great differences in trade flows as the sole for designating economy among varied industries certain routes as GMS economic along the corridors. Overall, relatively corridors is considered too narrow and speaking, most of areas of China’s inadequate. In some sections of GMS Yunnan Province and Thailand are corridors, trade flows may be limited better, the parts of Laos and part of at present. However cross border Yunnan are weaker. flows of tourism and other types of The Laos Luang Namtha and trade in services such as health and Bokeo province are also the domestic education services are substantial, and remote underdeveloped areas, and the hence need to be taken into account in agriculture natural economy is the delineating GMS economic corridors primary one. such as the establishment of Special Along the corridor, in Economic Zone (SEZs) and Thailand three major economic population distribution along and development zones, namely, (1) around the corridors. Chiang Mai – Lamphun region, (2) Chiang Rai – Chiang Khong region, North-South Economies Corridor and(3) Bangkok – Ayutthaya area. (NSEC1): Kunming-Houayxay Chiang Mai is the second largest city (Tachilek) – Chiang Mai-Bangkok; in Thailand, and the second economic 44 Volume 6 Number 1, January 2018 center in northern Thailand. It is rich transportation between Chiangrung in mineral resources such as tin, and Chiang Khong. When the 4th. petroleum, lignite, iron, manganese, Friendship Thai – Lao Bridge is aluminum, antimony. Agricultural completed. Chinag Khong will production is relatively developed. become the important economic gate. Main industry is agricultural and light (Officie of the National Economic and industry processing. Besides Bangkok Social Development Board, 2012). and coastal area of southern Thailand, The border trade of Chiang Khong it is the third largest tourist area. from the statistical report of Chiang Chiang Rai – Chiang Khong region is Khong Customs Office has increased located in Thai – Lao, Thai – to 6,726,451 million Baht, as shown in Myanmar border area, situated 200 the following. km away from Chinese border. The border point of Chiang Bangkok – Ayutthaya region is the Khong district is situated at Wiang political and economic center of sub-district opposite to Houayxay, Thailand, as well as one of the Borkeo provinve of Lao PDR. The Southeast Asian most famous Ministry of Interior has officially financial, tourism, service centres. announced to be the border point Bangkok is the largest international under the restriction of North South metropolis in the Mekong subregion, Economic Corridor since 12 January and there is the most famous modern 1989. ports in the region, trade and re-export Chiang Khong district is the are much developed. border Special Economic Zone of The Chiangrai – Chiang Chiangrai province. The plan has been Khong region is located closely link formulated to uplift Chiang Khong for to the borders of Thai – Lao PDR and the establishment of the Thai – Myanmar, it is the important comprehensive Agricultural Industry geographical strategic areas in Settlement