The Three Dimensional Commons of the Lower Songkhram River Basin Wetlands, Thailand

Abstract

"Communities of the Lower Songkhram River Basin (LSRB) wetlands of Thailand (Mekong River Basin) exhibit multi-component livelihoods and complex resource use patterns, adapting to a highly seasonal climate and hydrology dependent landscape. Local people exploit the productive and biodiverse wetland resources in a variety of ways, both intensively and extensively. Most of the natural aquatic and terrestrial wetland resources have traditionally been regarded as common pool resources subject to diverse user regimes which until recently have been poorly documented or recognized. This paper argues that the key driver of the productivity of the ecosystem is the annual 'flood pulse' phenomenon, which is closely linked to the Mekong River hydrology.

"In recent decades, as the natural resource base has progressively been degraded by externally-driven, market-led commercialization and state-led development schemes (especially land reform, irrigation projects and agribusiness promotion), so competition for the wetland resources has intensified. This pressure has been particularly acute on the valuable fisheries and living aquatic resource base, which has long been fundamental to local livelihoods. As resource competition and conflict in the LSRB has increased, precipitated often by plans to implement 'mega- projects' and local landuse struggles, there has been a gradual recognition of the need for alternative approaches to be tried. One such approach trialed in recent years, known as Tai Baan Research, utilised local knowledge to document the relationships between biodiversity, culture, ecosystems and livelihoods. It was widely seen as complimentary to more scientific approaches by various Nam Songkhram Basin actors and institutions.

"This paper considers some key aspects of the recent history of natural resource usage in the LSRB and some of the main actors and institutions involved. It focuses in particular on the socio-economically important fisheries sector and how property rights regimes have adapted to external change. Taking a local case study approach for one illustrative example of the constantly evolving nature of property rights, the paper relates the story of Tung Mon wetlands as a site of power struggle. An interesting facet of this case is the ephemeral nature of the floodplain resource use regime, which can alternate between a fully privatised property regime to an open access commons, according to seasonal hydrological conditions."