Reference

Shrimp Aquaculture and the Politics of Zoning in Thailand, presented at the 7th International Conference on Thai Studies, Amsterdam 4-8 July, 1999

Authors :

Peter Vandergeest (Department of Sociology, York University)
Chintana Platong (Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University)
Mark Flaherty (Department of Geography, University of Victoria)
Paul Miller (Department of Geography, University of Victoria)

Summary :

In the first part of this paper the authors review the short but dramatic history of black tiger shrimp aquaculture in Thailand, and describe a few of the key characteristics of intensive shrimp farming as it is practised in Thailand. In the second, they describe local and government responses to shrimp farming in Thailand, leading into a discussion of the politics of zoning around Songkla Lake in Southern Thailand. The fieldwork for the latter part of the paper is ongoing; thus the information presented should be understood as preliminary and tentative. Nevertheless, the politics of shrimp farming in general, and of zoning around Songkla Lake in particular, raise some important questions for people interested in the links between international trade, stade policy and local action around environmental issues.

Keywords :

Shrimp aquaculture, environment, state policies

Contacts :

Peter Vandergeest
Department of Sociology
York University
North York, Ontario
M3J 1P3