Reference

Recent changes in Thailand's rural economy : a case study of six villages in the Central and Northeast regions.
Paper presented at the workshop on prioritization of rice research in Asia, held on 20-22 April 1998 at IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines

Authors :

Somporn Isvilanonda
Mahabub Hossain

Summary :

In Thailand, more than half of agricultural households engage in rice production. A low productivity has previously generated a low income to farmers. Improvements in infrastructure, extension work, and public research, over the past few decades, have been made in order to support the productivity growth and raise the farm income. Modern rice varieties have been released to farmer fields for increasing their production and income. However, the adoption of modern rice varieties was concentrated largely in irrigated areas of the Central Plain where water supply is less constraint. That adoption pattern has essentially widened the yield gap between favorable and unfavorable rice-production environments which creates the productivity differential and further worsens regional income distribution. On the other hand, a rapid overall economic development in recent years has essentially improved opportunities for the off-farm and non-farm employment in rural areas. The increasing employment in non-farm activities attracts the farm household members to work outside farms which consequently generates the other source of household income.
This paper aims at investigating recent developments in rice-farming households from a survey of six villages representing different agroecosystems conducted in 1987 and 1995. First, we will describe the characterisitics of the sample and differential effects of production environments on technology adoption. After we will discuss on changes in factor price and factor incomes. Finally we will examine income sources and income inequality of the rural households.

Keywords :

Income inequality / Income sources / Off-farm employment / Rural income / Thailand

Contacts :

Somporn Isvilanonda : Associate Professor, Department of agriculture and resource economics, Faculty of economics, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
Mahabub Hossain : Head of Social sciences division, IRRI, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines