1. INTRODUCTION
The world is now experiencing severe problems of natural resource
depletion and environmental degradation. This deterioration has been justified by
the so-called “development process”. In this context, developed countries have set
the standard of material comfort to which the growing population of developing
countries are now aspiring. At the same time, those who have enriched themselves
from exploiting resources and the environment have not ceased to acquire more.
With the limits of natural resources and the Earth’s finite carrying capacity, this
situation is of global concern.
In 1992, the international community focused on the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) where a plan for
sustainable development, Agenda 21, was conceived. "Sustainable development"
can be defined as a development approach, which aims at accommodating the
needs of present generations without compromising the availability of resources for
future generations. Equity among present generations and between this generation
and those that follow is a critical component of this concept. It is also important to
note that this concept is additionally compelling because it comprises two objectives
usually considered to be conflicting, namely development and the protection of the
environment. However, in reality it is not easy to achieve sustainable development.
In the case of Thailand, the country has experienced mixed results in
development during the past four decades of modernization. While success is
primarily measured in terms of economic progress and attainment of a higher
standard of material comfort, improvements in the social sector seem to lag far
behind. Meanwhile, natural resources and the environment have been severely
deteriorated. Achieving sustainable development through balancing economic
growth and environmental conservation is therefore Thailand’s greatest challenge
(NESDB, 2002).
This paper explores the trends of the development process in Thailand and
their impact on natural resources and the environment. It highlights the current
attempts to achieve sustainable development by introducing a shift of conceptual
thinking or guiding principles on development and administration. The new
concept of modernization is still in line with the forces of globalization while
protecting both the community and the nation from the adverse impact arising from
various types of changes. The philosophy of the "Sufficiency Economy" (SE),
graciously formulated by His Majesty the King is a holistic concept of moderation
in consumption and production, while acknowledging interdependency among
people as well as between humanity and nature. The SE calls for balanced and
sustainable development as its objective.
Two case studies are investigated in order to illustrate how to apply the SE in
achieving a healthy community, without sacrificing its natural or social capital.
Lessons from development activities at the community level can be drawn for
application at the national and global levels. These lessons include knowledge on
Sufficiency Economy and Healthy Community 3
managing the community in a sustainable way while being able to cope with the
changing world based on the SE.
The paper is divided into 5 sections. The first section is an introduction. The
second section elaborates recent trends in the development process, followed by an
analysis of their impact on natural resources and the environment in Thailand.
Section 3 discusses the concept of the “Sufficiency Economy”, and its interpretation.
Section 4 explores two case studies that apply the SE in reducing poverty and
achieving healthy community. We conclude with lessons learned in section 5.