Since road construction and road-quality related investments within study Forest
Reserves took place for security reasons or to provide access to this area, this
assumption is a plausible one.
8 I measure access to market using a composite
variable – travel time to the market – which is a good proxy indicator for all
three measures of access, and their combination – road presence, road quality and
availability of transport.
9,10,11
8.2 Reserved Forests in Thailand
Forest Reserves are the last bastions of forests in Thailand and more than one-fifth of
the Thailand’s villages are located within Forest Reserves. Until 1985, North
Thailand, where the province of Chiang Mai is located, had the country’s lowest
population density and largest forested area, including large and critical watersheds.
Before the study period in 1985–1993, Thailand as a whole lost 11 % of its forested
area (Royal Forest Department 1994) and specifically the province of Chiang Mai
lost almost 2000 square km of forest, which equals 10 % of its provincial land area.
12
Forest loss in the province has been attributed mainly to agricultural practices.
13,14
8.2.1 Land Titles and Property Rights
Forest reserves in Thailand lie under the jurisdiction of the Royal Forest Department (RFD) that set boundaries, but unlike protected areas, do not strictly manage
or patrol these. However this jurisdiction and indeed authority has not always been
clear. Over the years, this ambiguity has led to frequent changes in legislation
related to user rights, as well as, changes in boundaries of forest reserves themselves. Land rights for ethnic tribes living within forest reserves have frequently
changed over the years (see Box 8.1). Boundaries of Forest Reserves in northern
Thailand have changed leading to changes in the types of land titles especially on
the edges of forest reserves which are most affected by boundary changes. Both
8 Howe and Richards (1984) and Puri (2002a).
9 Also, unlike other forms of investment, investments on roads occur in stages Puri (2002a).
10 Puri (2002b) In addition, road-related investments are frequently assumed to be endogenous
because the beneficiary communities can exert political pressure. To the extent that Forest Reserve
villages are inhabited by minority communities, political pressure is not expected to have much
sway on government investments.
11 Howe and Richards (1984) and Puri (2002a).
12 North Thailand lost approximately the same percentage of forest area. Forest area fell from
8,4126 km
2 in 1985 to 75,231 km
2 in 1993.
13 Panayatou (1991) and Feeny (1988).
14 Panayatou and Sungsuwan (1994) and Feeny (1988).
8 Using Mixed Methods to Assess Trade-Offs Between Agricultural Decisions. . .
133
Reserves took place for security reasons or to provide access to this area, this
assumption is a plausible one.
8 I measure access to market using a composite
variable – travel time to the market – which is a good proxy indicator for all
three measures of access, and their combination – road presence, road quality and
availability of transport.
9,10,11
8.2 Reserved Forests in Thailand
Forest Reserves are the last bastions of forests in Thailand and more than one-fifth of
the Thailand’s villages are located within Forest Reserves. Until 1985, North
Thailand, where the province of Chiang Mai is located, had the country’s lowest
population density and largest forested area, including large and critical watersheds.
Before the study period in 1985–1993, Thailand as a whole lost 11 % of its forested
area (Royal Forest Department 1994) and specifically the province of Chiang Mai
lost almost 2000 square km of forest, which equals 10 % of its provincial land area.
12
Forest loss in the province has been attributed mainly to agricultural practices.
13,14
8.2.1 Land Titles and Property Rights
Forest reserves in Thailand lie under the jurisdiction of the Royal Forest Department (RFD) that set boundaries, but unlike protected areas, do not strictly manage
or patrol these. However this jurisdiction and indeed authority has not always been
clear. Over the years, this ambiguity has led to frequent changes in legislation
related to user rights, as well as, changes in boundaries of forest reserves themselves. Land rights for ethnic tribes living within forest reserves have frequently
changed over the years (see Box 8.1). Boundaries of Forest Reserves in northern
Thailand have changed leading to changes in the types of land titles especially on
the edges of forest reserves which are most affected by boundary changes. Both
8 Howe and Richards (1984) and Puri (2002a).
9 Also, unlike other forms of investment, investments on roads occur in stages Puri (2002a).
10 Puri (2002b) In addition, road-related investments are frequently assumed to be endogenous
because the beneficiary communities can exert political pressure. To the extent that Forest Reserve
villages are inhabited by minority communities, political pressure is not expected to have much
sway on government investments.
11 Howe and Richards (1984) and Puri (2002a).
12 North Thailand lost approximately the same percentage of forest area. Forest area fell from
8,4126 km
2 in 1985 to 75,231 km
2 in 1993.
13 Panayatou (1991) and Feeny (1988).
14 Panayatou and Sungsuwan (1994) and Feeny (1988).
8 Using Mixed Methods to Assess Trade-Offs Between Agricultural Decisions. . .
133