Title: Social protection for urak lawoi traditional divers : A case study of two indigenous communities in Thailand
Author: Panida Anujorbhand
Year: 2017
Keywords: N/A
Theme: Gender
Advisor(s): Pavika Sriratanaban
The full thesis available here.
Abstract: Being in the informal sector, local fishing communities in Thailand are often neglected by the Thai government. Social protection for informal sector is quite lacking especially for those who face various economic and social risks. The Urak Lawoi traditional divers are the case study in this research, not only because they belong in the informal sector, but also because several communities have been greatly affected by growing encroachment of the economic overdevelopment mainly by tourism and commercial fishery industries. The objective of this research is three-fold, that is, to understand the risks, to analyse existing social protection, and to recommend social protection that fills in the gap of needs and alleviates those risks. Through purposive sampling and in-depth interviews with the Urak Lawoi traditional divers in the Rawai beach and Sireh island communities and with relevant individuals, the researcher identifies the key risks that these divers are facing in terms of housing and accommodation; nature and environment; economics; health; social and political status. The conceptual framework of social risks is employed to both analyze existing social protection programmes available to the Urak Lawoi traditional divers and to suggest social protection to meet their needs. The findings of the research suggest that while there are some social protection programmes available to the members of the informal sector, including the traditional Urak Lawoi divers, these measures do not address various risks and vulnerabilities that these indigenous divers are facing. The research eventually provides recommendations for filling in the gaps of social protection for the sample cases of Urak Lawoi traditional divers at Rawai beach and Sireh Island communities.