STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING PEOPLE’S POVERTY PROBLEMS IN SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES

Abstract

Poverty is a problem that has occurred in Thai society for a long time. It is a chronic problem and an obstacle to the country's development in various fields. Poverty causes a lack of basic necessities for life and resulting in people not having a good quality of life. The southern border provinces of Thailand have long been among the country's top ten poorest provinces with the problem of poverty. In particular, Pattani province has been ranked as the first poorest province for three consecutive years in 2019-2021. Pattani has an area adjacent to neighboring countries that have similar cultures in terms of society, religion, and culture that are unique. There is a situation of unrest in the area. This problem is sensitive and complex in terms of social psychology, economics, politics, and governance.The southern border provinces are characterized by a closed society of Thai Muslims in the southern border provinces, causing economic problems such as, unemployment problems, educational problems, quality of life problems.Its economic structure is based on agriculture, rubber, palm oil and fruit plantations, causing the majority of the people to be poor. Therefore, strategies to alleviate poverty among the people in the southern border provinces can be done by adopting the royally bestowed strategy of “Understand, Access, Develop”in conjunction with the sufficiency economy philosophy to apply in the three southern border provinces. In addition, the integration of cooperation from all sectors in the area leads to policy formulation, projects/activities to create opportunities and social equality for all groups of people, to solve the comprehensive problem of poverty and reduce inequality in all dimensions, leading to the southern border provinces being freed from poverty and having a better quality of life.