THE COMING CONFLICT IN THE UPLANDS : THE CASE OF THE UPPER NORTH REGION OF THAILAND

Abstract

In the highlands of the upper north region of Thailand, several ethnic minorities practice shifting cultivation. Land is communally owned; the village leader distributes farm land according to need. In the lowlands, ethnic Thai farmers practice settled agriculture and have a government run system of individual land ownership. The uplands, the until recently sparsely populated area between the highlands and the lowlands, has traditionally acted as a natural buffer between the two groups.

Lack of sufficient arable Land in both the highlands and lowlands caused by a combination of inmigration and natural population growth is rapidly forcing the two groups into closer contact: the hilltribes are moving down into the uplands seeking new agricultural areas while ethnic Thais are moving up into the same uplands for the same reason If these two farming systems and land tenure systems meet too abruptly, conflict in the uplands is likely to result unless steps are taken to avoid it.

Reduction of the potential conflict in the uplands can be accomplished by increasing the time available for the two groups to adjust to each other by increasing the possible upland population density. Means to achieve this goal include increasing water availability by tapping underutilized upland water resources, by allowing farming in selected forest upland areas where illegal encroachment cannot be controlled, and by conducting research on improving upland farming.