Author: Chidchanok Apipoonyanon
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Diss. no.RD-20-01
Year: 2020
Academic Program: Regional and Rural Development Planning (RRDP)
Type: Thesis (Ph. D.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2020
Examination Committee: Sylvia Maria Szabo (Chairperson); Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, John K.M. Kuwornu (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Participation of the local people in community forest management programs brings benefits to communities by solving environmental problems and improving livelihoods. Despite the importance of local participation, little research has been undertaken to examine specific factors influencing participation in community forest management, in particular looking at the people’s behavior. The present study aims to fill this gap by analyzing participation in community forest management using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data were collected from 400 households across two villages in northeast Thailand and analyzed through descriptive statistics, regression analysis and structural equation modelling. Empirical results revealed that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy were significant predictors of local participation. Results further showed that participation was positively associated with farming occupation, years of community residence, household income and expenditure, receipt of community forest management information, and perceived social and institutional benefits. On the other hand, self-efficacy has been identified as having a negative effect on participation. Overall the results suggest that the theory of planned behavior was successful in explaining factors influencing the probability of participation in community forest management programs. This dissertation concludes by recommending strategies aiming at encouraging household participation, thus contributing to conservation of community forest resources.
Scholarship Donor(s): Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship
Note: A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Regional and Rural Development Planning, School of Environment, Resources and Development
Advisory: Full-text is available at https://library.ait.ac.th/ (accessible to local ip address only)
