Impacts and Solutions for Living and Farming without Title Deeds: a case study of the Ubolratana Dam Reservoir, Khuean Ubolratana Sub-district, Ubolratana District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

          This research aims to study the causes, impacts, and solutions to the problem of living and farming without title deeds in the Ubolratana Dam reservoir of people in 4 villages in Khuean Ubolratana sub-district, Ubolratana district, Khon Kaen province. This research is a qualitative study with 3 groups of samples, consisting of group 1, people of 4 villages who live and do farming without title deeds in the Ubolratana Dam reservoir, 10 people per village, total 40 people. Group 2, administrative officials in Khuean Ubolratana sub-district, total 8 people. Group 3, employees of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), total 10 people. The researcher selected in-depth and open-ended interviews as research tools and analyzed collected data for prioritization. The study found that living and farming without title deeds in the Ubolratana Dam reservoir was caused by 3 main reasons: 1. Overlapping and unclear boundaries of the Ubolratana Dam reservoir and the Pa Sok Tae National Reserved Forest 2. An attempt to request for the issuance of land title deeds by some groups of people in 4 villages and 3. The neglect of EGAT. The impacts on people and government agencies can be explained in 3 aspects: social, economic, and policy. An appropriate and feasible solution for the problem is to allow EGAT to survey and prepare land lease agreements with people in 4 villages, which can be implemented immediately and expected to be successful in a short time. Since it is a model and approach that EGAT has already implemented in other villages around the Ubolratana Dam reservoir. After that EGAT should transfer all land lease agreement tasks to the Treasury Department, which is a directly responsible agency.