ABSTRACT: During the past decades, Thailand has experienced mixed results of
development. While success in economic progress has been achieved, improvements
in social sector seem to lag far behind. Meanwhile, natural resources and
environment have been deteriorated. An impact of rapid modernization on natural
resources and environment has two dimensions: macro and micro. At the macro
level, growth-oriented development has induced deforestation, high rate of energy
consumption, wider use of hazardous chemical products without proper treatment,
etc. At the micro or community level, economic progress is traded off with poorer
environmental condition and lower social quality.
To progress toward a more balanced development, there needs a shift of conceptual
thinking that is in line with the forces of globalization, while protecting both the
community and the nation from adverse impact arising from various shocks. The
philosophy of Sufficiency Economy (SE), bestowed by HMK, is a holistic concept of
moderation that acknowledges interdependency among people and with nature. It
calls for a balanced and sustainable development as its objectives of development.
This paper explores two case studies, which elaborate how to apply SE in reducing
poverty and achieving healthy community. One case looks at the Royal
Development Study Center where people can learn how to apply appropriate
technology to conduct sustainable agriculture through revitalizing and preserving
natural resources. Another case explores a community that applies SE in their
integrated community development activities, leading to healthy community.
These two cases are among many in Thailand, which demonstrate that balanced
and sustainable development can be achieved, if the framework and the process of
development are appropriate with social and natural conditions. The paper draws
lessons learned from development at the community level to apply at the
national/global level. The lesson includes knowledge on managing community
toward a healthy community in a sustainable way based on SE.