1. Activities which promote occupation
and improve quality of life
1.1 Food and occupational security for vulnerable men and women in southern Thailand, a joint project between PSU and OEC-OXFAM funded by EU and OXFAMBackground: EU has allocated a fund for community and social development in the southern border provinces of Thailand during the unrest
situation, and the Office of Extension and Continuing Education with cooperation from OXFAM proposed the project for a grant and the project was approved, to be conducted from 2010 – 2012.
Objectives: To solve the poverty problem and to upgrade living conditions in the communities affected by the violence in the southern part of Thailand, and to increase the efforts of peace-building and reconciliation in the area. The main activities are as follows:
Activity 1: Natural resources management by the community, which is an activity that revives and preserves natural resources, organizing sustainable agricultural activities, promoting knowledge at the local level, establishing community welfare funds, promoting community potentials, organizing training on marketing management for groups of women, building networks, campaigning, and providing knowledge for the public.
Activity 2: Initiating a “prototype” for “a strong fishing community”, which is an activity campaigning for understanding the prototype of a “strong fishing community” with the government sector.
Activity 3: Occupational development for affected women, which is an activity that follows up the living conditions and provides training for affected women in order to give long-term treatment to women whose losses resulted from the unrest situation, especially in a troublesome way.
Activity 4: Development of the role of affected women are activities involving training in campaigning and leadership skills, activities in campaigning and media, and activities in extending knowledge through printed matters.
Target group/area
-Natural resources networks, Sai Buri River network, Phru Lan Kwai, Pattani Bay network, forest networks, and Su-ngai Kolok River network.
-Groups of severely affected Muslim and Buddhist males and females: This project provides intensive support for vocational training especially organized for 900 women, 190 of whom do not have knowledge about living skills.
-Poor fishing communities: more than 120 communities of Muslim fishermen (23,324 households with a population of 165,348 people, who cluster on the coasts and in many bays in 25 districts in Pattani and Narathiwat).
The results of the project could be used in creating the opportunity for sustainable occupations that can be reproduced in other areas, and upgrading civil societies and state agencies in local areas to suitably conduct community development. They could also be applied to help vulnerable women who are socially barred to be able to manage themselves economically, and to provide good understanding and confidence among people in the southern community.
1.2 Mobile dental care unit in the southern border provinces project
Background: The data available from the medical mobile unit of the Joint Civil-Police-Military Command Center revealed that most people in the southern border provinces need dental treatment services and the problems existing now are: inadequate number of dental personnel; non-proactive treatment; safety while on duty; cooperation from people in each village; and lack of trust in the work of security personnel.
Objectives: To provide people with services in dental disease prevention and treatment for diseases of the oral cavity and to build understanding in order to reduce suspicion between people and state officials in the area.
Operations: PSU by the Faculty of Dentistry take dentists, post-graduate students, dental assistants, and related personnel to provide dental services such as fillings, cleaning, and extractions to people in the risk areas. The services are conducted with cooperation from the Joint Civil-Police-Military Command Center, Sirindhorn Military Camp, Tambon Khao Tum, Amhoe Yarang Pattani Province.
1.3 Pilot fishing community development prototype
Background: Presently, the southern border provinces are faced with the most serious problem in its history and there is no sign of improvement. This has affected most native fishermen, most of whom are Muslim that already have many other problems. The government has allotted large amounts of its budget for solving the problems, especially those related to security. However, for basic problems of the fishing community, most of the budget is used in development related to placing artificial reefs, releasing aquatic animals, and dredging waterways while very little has been done to solve other basic problems in fishing communities. Besides, if there is any development, it is conducted by different agencies with different priorities even though there have been efforts to integrate them. Thus, it seems that the budgets provided by the government have not yet been able to solve the basic problems of the communities, especially the native fishing community.
Objectives: The project is aimed at building a prototype of a fishing community with a good environment where environmental problems can be managed properly; natural resources and the ecological system are conserved and revived so that fisheries are sustainable. The project is also aimed at building a prototype of a fishing community with the realization of good physical and mental health; a strong community welfare system; to develop an economic structure; to create new occupations and supporting occupations for the fishing community so that they are sustainable and efficient; to stimulate, promote and strengthen people through various activities; to make it a prototype of a fishing village with true people participation; to provide guidelines for solving social problems of the fishing community; to build basic fishery community networks; and to build a prototype that is strong economically, socially, religiously, and culturally.
Results: There are five communities taking part in the project, namely, Ban Bang Pla Mo Community, Tambon Rusamilae, Muang District, Pattani Province; Ban Rusamilae Community, Mu 1, Tambon Rusamilae, Muang District, Pattani Province; Ban Lum, Mu 7, Tambon Paseyawo, Sai Buri District, Pattani Province; Ban Kato Community, Mu 5, Tambon Panare, Panare District, Pattani Province; and Ban Thon Na-im, Mu 12, Tambon Kok Kian, Muang District, Narathiwat Province. These communities will be developed economically, socially, and culturally. The operation is carried out through cooperation among local government agencies and among people in the areas. The operation of this project will benefit not only the target villages in terms of development but also the body of knowledge and operation approach will be extended to other villages, too.