READINESS OF TAMBON ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATIONS MEMBERS IN FOREST FIRE CONTROL AT SOI DAO DISTRICT, CHANTHABURI PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economic condition of Tambon Administration Organization and to study the socio-economic factors affecting the readiness for forest fire control of Tambon Administration Organization members at Soi Dao District, Chanthaburi Province. The designed questionnaire was used as a tool for gathering the data by interviewing 103 Tambon Administration Organization members of five Tambons in Soi Dao District. The statistical computer programme was employed for the data analysis. The analyzed statistical values included frequency, percent, mean, maximum, minimum and Chi-square was the employed statistical analysis method for testing the hypothesis and the statistical significance level was set at 0.05. The results of the study indicated that the most respondent were male and with the average age of 42.01 years old. They mostly graduated at elementary education. The average distance from their homestead to the forest was 2.60 kilometers. The average size of land holding was 26.66 rai. Agriculture was their main occupation. The average annual household income was 126,553.40 baht. The average duration of resettlement in this area was 21.01 years. The most respondent had never communicated with the foresters about forest fire matter and had never attended such training course. They mostly received the information about forest fire campaign from television news programme (75.70%) and the second rank of the source of information was from the government officers. (70.90%). The relationship analysis indicated that the factors significantly related to the readiness of Tambon Administration Organization members in forest fire control were age and frequency of communication with the foresters about the forest fire matter.