Factors Affecting Farmers’ Participation in Community Water Accounting: A Case Study of Wang Wa Subdistrict, Klaeng District, Rayong Province, Thailand

Abstract

This research article aimed to investigate the factors influencing farmers’ participation in the preparation of community water accounts in Wang Wa Subdistrict, Klaeng District, Rayong Province. A qualitative research approach was employed through documentary research and in-depth interviews with 10 key informants, purposively selected from community leaders or water user committee members, community members involved in water data collection and utilization, and government officials responsible for water resource management. The data were analyzed using descriptive content analysis. The findings revealed that the factors influencing farmers’ participation in community water accounting consisted of: (1) past experiences of water scarcity, which fostered collective awareness within the community; (2) the establishment of water user groups as mechanisms for collective rule-making and water management; (3) access to water-related information, which reduced uncertainty in decision-making; (4) farmers’ practical experience, which contributed to the development of a local knowledge base; (5) economic motivation from durian cultivation, characterized by its high economic value and high water-related risks; and (6) support from government agencies, which linked water management between policy and community levels. These factors interacted systematically through a process of building collective awareness, organizing water user groups, exchanging information, applying local knowledge to decision-making, and receiving institutional support, thereby promoting continuous participation in community water accounting. The study generated a new body of knowledge in the form of an Integrated Participatory and Learning Cycle Model for Community Water Accounting, demonstrating that farmers’ participation results from the interaction of social, economic, institutional, and learning factors. The model highlights community water accounting as both an information management tool and a participatory learning mechanism that supports the sustainable governance of common water resources.