People Opinions on Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund (TEFS): A Case Study of Khlong Khrua Wai Chalerm Pra Kiet Wildlife Sanctuary, Chanthaburi Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the socio and economic conditions, opinion levels and factors affecting the people opinions on Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund. The data collected by using the designed questionnaires were interviewed 337 the respondents. The obtained data were analyzed and represent in term of the statistical values of percentage, mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation and testing the setting hypothesis by employing t - test and F - test with the given significance level  0.05.

The results of this study indicated that most of the respondents were male (63.80 %) with their average age of 41.99 years. Their educational level was at the primary school (49.55%). Their main occupation was agriculture and no minor occupation. Their average size of land holding was 16.96 rais. The average number of household member was 4.1. Most of the respondents were born in the present areas, and their average resettled periods were 25.94 years. Their average annual household income were 241,397.63 baht. Agriculture damaged from wild elephants were 42.73%. Most of the respondent were no participation experience to mitigation with wild elephant problem. The average distance from the forest to their crop land was 1.81 kilometer. Most of the respondent had never received the financial support from Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund. Their knowledge about Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund was at the high level. They knowledge about conservation of forest and wildlife was at the high level. Their knowledge about protection of agriculture crops from wild elephants and extrude was at the low level and opinions on Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund was at the high level.

Factors affecting the opinions on Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund were main occupation, household income, agriculture damaged from wild elephant, distance from the forest to crop land, knowledge about Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund, knowledge about conservation of forest and wildlife and knowledge about protection of agriculture crops from wild elephants and extrude.

Keywords: opinions, Thailand's Wild Elephant Food Security Fund, wild elephant