The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and support of the Doi Tung Development Project throughout the
study, particularly the dedicated staff of the Social Development Department in Chiang Rai. The expert interviewees from
the public and private sectors, academics, development practitioners as well as Thailand’s SE community provided
invaluable insights into the many issues relevant to this inquiry. The authors are grateful to Prof. Charles Mehl and Dr
Terry Commins for reviewing the manuscript and for contributing important ideas to its evolution. Funding support for the
study was provided by Chulalongkorn University under the 90-Year Scholarship programme. Last but not least, the
hardworking farmers of Doi Tung are to be thanked for their openness and readiness to share.