Fighting Bulls and Community Economic Development in Phu Thap Buek Area, Wang Bal Sub-district, Lom Kao District, Phetchabun Province

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze how fighting bulls supported the community economic development and how those fighting bull farmers in Phu Thap Buek area utilized their livelihood resources/assets. The qualitative research approach was applied by employing the semi-structured interview to collect data from the community leaders and the farmers. The result revealed that raising the fighting bulls essentially helped creating jobs and revenue, it thus played a significant role in community economic development. Even though the sport of bull fighting was brought from the South of Thailand, here in Phu Thap Buek it functioned as an income distribution engine to the community people. It helped creating business related to the sport of bull fighting and other services that later became a supply chain such as providing stable for rent for those bringing fighting bulls to prep before fighting, cultivating grass for selling to those fighting bull owners, operating the shops nearby the bullring to service those visitors to the community prior and on the day of bull fighting, organizing a community market fair to sell products related to fighting bulls etc. Furthermore, it was also found that the livelihood resources/assets of fighting bull farmers should be properly provided as follows, 1) For physical resources, the land must be spacious enough for the fighting bulls to walk around for exercise, and it must has ample water for them, 2) For financial resources, the investment capital must be sufficient to meet with various expenses such as labor cost, food cost etc. 3) For social resources, this is about the network that has been formed among the groups or clubs of those fighting bull famers. They keep corresponding with each other especially during the fighting competitions or festivals. 4) For human resources, the farmers themselves must be equipped with knowledge and skill for this type of livestock, and 5) For natural resources, the location for raising the fighting bulls must be fertile to guarantee the sufficiency of grass supply for them and to help lower the feed cost for the farmers.