Scarcity and Conflict of Resources: Chom Thong Water Conflict

Abstract

"The causal relationship between resource scarcity and conflict is often treated as trivial. While the shortage and the conflict must be strongly correlated, one should not simplify the conflict within this mechanism alone, rather a focus on actors in local institutions should be included to make our understandings of conflict more profound for future resolution. As a case study, this paper focuses on the water conflict in Northern Thailand.

"This conflict was reportedly sparked by a water shortage that blighted an orchard causing the lowlanders to become angry towards the highlanders, as there had been less precipitation in the rainy season of 1997 as a result of El Niño. By comparing the joining group and non-joining group in the event, this paper tries to reveal the water scarcity in a discursive level does not reflect the real scarcity.

"In conclusion, author argues the irrationality of water conflict as way to deal with water scarcity. Moreover it is insisted that the opportunity cost of the conflict is large despite of its impracticality. In stead of conflict, three alternative ways are suggested: (i) an appropriate institution including majority, minority and the conservation group should be crafted in each small catchments; (ii) an establishment of de jure right of access to water resources in formally approved institutional setting; and (iii) a rethinking of balanced source of livelihood between on-farm and off-farm income."