Development Studies

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    Dependent development: a study of Thailand's economy within the world capitalist system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Tapen, Teerasil
    Since Thailand was engaged by the Bowring Treaty with the British Government in 1855 ( Phongpaichit & Baker, 1995:15), the country has been pulled into the circle of world capitalist development. Hewison (1989) has distinguished three phases in the capitalist development in Thailand. The first phase was in the period of the absolute monarchy when a capitalist class (the Royal family and aristocracy) emerged from trading with Chinese and European traders. The second phase allowed the emergence of a petty bourgeoisie and labour class, especially after the Second World War. The bourgeois class grew by the conglomeration between Thai and Chinese tycoons dominating the transaction sectors of banking, manufacturing, and agro-industry. The last phase began in the 1970s with the new generation of capitalist classes. These classes performed their economic activities in high technology and higher value-added manufacturing. At the same time, uneven development can be seen in the disparity between rich and poor, urban and rural area. This unevenness seems to be broader and more severe, from the statistics of Thailand's annual household income by region , between 1962-1995 (Medhi Krongkaew, cited in Rigg 1997:88), the scissor effect in the growth ratio between those m Bangkok and other regions is prevalent. In this thesis, the focus will be put on the latter of these phases, especially at the beginning of the 1960s - which has been known as the period of Cold War - in conjunction with the launch of the first national economic and social development plan in Thailand. This development will be reviewed until the regional economic crisis in 1997-1998 and some information of IMF assistance to Thailand will be drawn upon to assess the exemplification of the Thai economy as a dependent capitalist development. [First two paragraphs of chapter 1.]
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    Urban consumption spaces and practices of women in low-income urban settlements : a case study in Khlong Toey, Bangkok : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Finlayson, Jennifer
    Consumption related research focuses strongly on the experiences of the Anglo-American middle classes, and less is known about what consumption spaces and practices represent to those living in developing countries. Low-income urban women in developing countries seem particularly invisible, and more especially so rural-urban migrant women. Using a qualitative approach, this thesis explored the role and significance of urban consumption spaces and practices in the everyday lives of low-income women living in Khlong Toey, Bangkok. Findings show that consumption practices represent more than provisioning, they are a way that women meet the families’ basic needs and demonstrate their care and strong connections for both their rural and urban families. Consumption practices contribute to the role that women have in making consumption related household decisions and active engagement in consumption promotes improving autonomy. The adoption of urban consumption practices affects both the women’s sense of belonging and their perception of fitting in to their urban environment. Furthermore, the adoption of urban ways by the women, including new ideals, behaviours and material goods are also exported back to their rural villages, subsequently improving women’s families’ social status and blurring traditional lines of social delineation that exist between rural and urban society. Consumption practices enable women to invest in their families’ futures. This thesis demonstrates that it is not only through women’s production that development outcomes are enabled, but through consumption as well. This is significant, as framed within development discourses, consumption contributes to women gaining autonomy within gender development; and consumption practices demonstrate provisioning and maintaining familial commitment within urban and rural livelihoods.
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    Beef cattle production in northeast Thailand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies
    (Massey University, 1998) McKenzie, Philip James
    Northeast Thailand, a large plateau of relatively infertile soils, is an area of traditional beef cattle farming. The region has undergone a rapid process of physical, social and economic change in the past forty years. Clearing of forests during this period and the development of new infrastructure, particularly roading, has increased the level of human settlement and opened new agricultural areas for cropping. Agricultural growth has been maintained by opening up new land areas, increasing the production of rice, the predominant crop and diversifying into new commodity crops such as cassava and kenaf. While agricultural growth has been substantial during this period, industrial growth has been higher. Increasingly, many farm families from the Northeast now work for part of the year in urban employment often temporarily migrating to Bangkok, the centre of industrial activity. The government has sought to diversify agricultural production away from rice and other commodity crops towards more intensive and high value agricultural activities. One focus of diversification activity has been in the promotion of beef cattle farming to meet increasing demand for beef from urban consumers. This thesis reviews some of the several projects which have been implemented to do so and the socioeconomic context within which they have occurred. Detailed research was carried out in six villages in Northeast Thailand during the period 1993-1995 with a follow up visit in June and July 1997. Changing patterns of land use, social and economic conditions have altered the way in which cattle are farmed. Cattle now have less access to common grazing land and are farmed as an adjunct to cropping activities. Their ability to utilise crop by-products and act as a store of future income are seen as important by farmers. Two critical issues were identified that have relevance to this region and elsewhere. The first is the identification of the appropriate role of beef cattle within agriculture and within local and national systems of development. The second is the development of structures to assist both farmers and governments to meet their objectives. Within these two issues the ways in which resources, technology, culture, and institutions interact and are modified as a result of the process of change is extremely important to the success of development initiatives.