Page 138 - _21-0619 OK

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XII, 2020

the requirement that owners of plots in agricultural land reform areas should be
restricted from non-agricultural use, and even the mortgaging or sale, of such
land. This is not to pre-determine answers to such questioning of assumptions,

but rather to update our approach to land inequality in such a way as to make it
relevant to the livelihood circumstances of those facing unequal opportunities.

This brings us to the third governance-related implication for land
research, which is to make it more participatory. Turning attention to context
means starting with quite specific local or sectoral issues. Defining the problem of
land inequality through the experience of those facing it often means understanding
what really excludes the poor from access to land through their own experiences.
Another potential avenue for more detailed and accurate research on land plot
characteristics at a local level is collaboration between researchers and sub-district
level authorities who collect plot-specific data for land tax purposes.

Ultimately, paying greater attention to context points us toward both
big-picture and localised approaches to researching and governing land inequality.
At the broader level, limits on reliability of data, access to public information and
ability to drill down into differentiated circumstances continue to constrain
research. At the local level, understanding inequality from the perspective of
those facing its impacts requires a more participatory approach to research
design and its potential to support more inclusive governance in support of more
equitable land relations.

Acknowledgement

The author wishes to acknowledge the insightful and helpful comments
and suggestions of two anonymous reviewers.

References

Bangkok Post. 2014. “Charoen Owns Most Land.” Bangkok Post, June 18, 2014.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/416020/charoen-
owns-most-land.

Brummelhuis, Han Ten. 2007. King of the Waters: Homan van Der Heide and the
Origin of Modern Irrigation in Siam. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books.

130 Land Governance and Inequality in Thailand:
The Need for Context

5/1/2565 BE 09:04
_21-0619(113-136)7.indd 130
_21-0619(113-136)7.indd 130 5/1/2565 BE 09:04