People Participation in Forest Fire Control at Ban Non Chat Community Forest Area, Dong Kheng Sub-district, Nong Song Hong District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine socio-economic characteristics, people participation levels, and factors affecting people participation in forest fire control at Ban Non Chat community forest area, Dong Kheng subdistrict, Nong Song Hong district, Khon Kaen province.  The research was conducted during September to December 2012.  Data collection was carried out by using the designed questionnaires to interview 250 sample household heads or representatives.  The employed statistical analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, maximum, minimum, t-test and F-test, given significance level at 0.05.  Data analysis was done by using computerized software package.

Results of the study revealed that most respondents were female with an average age of 52.40 years and main educational level was primary school and lower.  Average number of household member was 4.37 persons and average number of household labor was 3.22 persons.  Agriculture (rice farming) was the main occupation and casual labor was the minor occupation, with average net annual household income of 81,573.64 baht.  Their average settlement period was 47.60 years.  Average distances between their farms and homesteads to the boundary of community forest were 1.90 and 1.98 kilometers, respectively.  Few of them were social group membership.  They used to get forest fire protection information and they used to attend a few training courses which organized by forest officers.  Their knowledge on forest fire was at a low level.  In addition, people participation in forest fire control was at the lowest with an average score of 1.50.  Factors affecting people participation in forest fire control were gender, educational level, net annual household income, the distance between homestead and boundary of community forest, social group membership being, receiving of forest fire protection information, forest training course attendance, and knowledge on forest fire.

Keywords: people participation, forest fire control, forest community, Khon Kaen province