Formal village organizations in the project area comprised either elected/appointed positions or traditional positions that are usually inherited with considerable overlap between these two types. All of nine villages in the project area have a village leader, who is responsible for all formal relations with the Khamkeut district authorities and with representatives from other villages. Such village leaders are responsible for collecting taxes, based on the quantity of rice produced in the village, appointing other officials in the village, and judging disputes. Such village leaders are ultimately responsible for law and order at the community level. The village leader position was traditionally a position monopolized by certain leading families but level of education and amount of experience in dealing with the world outside the village and local politics also play an important role in who holds such positions.