Water resources development and its impact on rural livelihood in northern Thailand

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This book presents findings from a research program that explores innovative methodologies in rural development, focusing on empirical issues related to natural resources, particularly water, and their impact on the living standards of rural populations. It assesses the effectiveness of problem-solving strategies and natural disaster responses on the future livelihoods of rural communities using combined family-society and socio-economic-ecological simulation models. The methodological approach integrates micro-level family perspectives with broader societal views at the regional level, employing farm management, socioeconomic methods, remote sensing, and geographical information systems. Emphasis is placed on collecting and integrating diverse data types, including farmer interviews and satellite imagery, while linking family decision models to spatial modeling for simulating future scenarios. The analysis examines the socioeconomic development of various ethnic groups with differing access to resources, capital, and markets, as well as ownership rights. It investigates the factors driving settlement in new areas, often forests, and their implications for land use and living standards. Future problem-solving strategies in agriculture and regional water resource development are simulated, considering both individual and societal objectives. Additionally, potential challenges such as land scarcity, environmental changes, and cl