Co-management Concept: Practical Variation in Ob Luang National Park

Authors

  • Nittaya Wongweerapant Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

Keywords:

Co-management concept, Land demarcation, Practical variation, National Park

Abstract

This article aims to study and analyze success and failure of co-management application and action in Ob Luang National Park and analyze the factors contributing to the partial failure or variation of co-management from central and regional agencies. The paper used the qualitative research method to collect the data from meeting reports, annual reports, and in-depth interviews of all stakeholders as communities leader groups, National Park officers and NGOs about the concept and thinking systems, management mechanisms, processes and tools. It analyzed using the co-management concept to indicate the success and failure as the variability. The results found that the case study succeeded in the alignment of land demarcation boundary between the conservation and arable areas are acceptable. The success is due to mostly the concept and practice approach, materials, and good relationships with local stakeholders, and a small part from central, regional and provincial supporters. The failures exemplified by lack of legal or semi-legal recognition of land demarcation, insufficient implementation of participatory forest protection at the areas, and lack of supports on promoting sustainable production at the areas designated as arable land use. Therefore, it found that because of the bureaucratic system, the concept and practice are not clear, as well as less support from the central and regional agencies, and respectively as well as the relationship of stakeholders. Moreover, co-management may be logically sound for management in the national park, but it does not take the factors for the variation as significant components that reduce the effectiveness of the concept.

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Published

2018-12-20

How to Cite

Wongweerapant, N. (2018). Co-management Concept: Practical Variation in Ob Luang National Park. Thammasat Review, 21(2), 111–131. Retrieved from https://sc01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/tureview/article/view/161329