The spark that lit the fire forcing communities to change is globalization, in which powerful people take
advantage at every turn. This has influenced people’s basic ways of subsistence. Instead of producing mainly for
family consumption, people invest money so that they can make something to sell for a profit, and accumulate
savings. This concept started to become widespread in Thailand only in the last forty or fifty years. Simple small
scale farming has turned into sophisticated agriculture for economic gain. Forests are devastated to make more
room for this way of agriculture. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to produce large harvests that
negatively affect the environment. A way of life centered on being human has turned into a way of life placing
more value on money and material things. Many communities turn such a crisis into an opportunity through
seeing the problems and possibilities then collectively setting goals. Together they understand, discuss, and look
for solutions to their problems, with elders being an important part of this process. They revive what traditional
knowledge and wisdom remain, adapt them to the goals that they have set, and little by little make real
improvements to individual, family, and community life. People learn to better manage and understand their lives.
Community development is not about money, nor help from the government, and not about waiting for
suggestions from experts and government officials to provide the magic key to unlock the door to progress. Selfsufficiency
must come from within the community and from within its own traditions.
The spark that lit the fire forcing communities to change is globalization, in which powerful people take
advantage at every turn. This has influenced people’s basic ways of subsistence. Instead of producing mainly for
family consumption, people invest money so that they can make something to sell for a profit, and accumulate
savings. This concept started to become widespread in Thailand only in the last forty or fifty years. Simple small
scale farming has turned into sophisticated agriculture for economic gain. Forests are devastated to make more
room for this way of agriculture. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to produce large harvests that
negatively affect the environment. A way of life centered on being human has turned into a way of life placing
more value on money and material things. Many communities turn such a crisis into an opportunity through
seeing the problems and possibilities then collectively setting goals. Together they understand, discuss, and look
for solutions to their problems, with elders being an important part of this process. They revive what traditional
knowledge and wisdom remain, adapt them to the goals that they have set, and little by little make real
improvements to individual, family, and community life. People learn to better manage and understand their lives.
Community development is not about money, nor help from the government, and not about waiting for
suggestions from experts and government officials to provide the magic key to unlock the door to progress. Selfsufficiency
must come from within the community and from within its own traditions.
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