Title: Human Security of the Karen Community in Chiang Mai’s Forest Fires, Thailand
Author: Miss Yukari Otsuka
Year: 2022
Keywords: N.A
Theme: Human Development and Human Security
Advisor(s): Naruemon Thabchumpon
The full thesis available here.
Abstract: When studying the human security of marginalized people such as indigenous people, they are generally interpreted as a focus that needs to be particularly protected. However, it differs in the context of natural disasters in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Karen people, one of the largest ethnic populations in Chiang Mai, are subsistent farmers who use fires as a life tool and are often blamed as the cause of forest fires. As one kind of natural disaster, forest fires are a common occurrence in Northern Thailand every dry season. Chiang Mai is one of the significant provinces in Thailand with the eighth population and experiences devasting forest fires. To solve the issues of forest fires and associated air pollution, the government implemented a non-burning policy that impacts the farming procedures of the Karen community and their entire human security situation.This research applies a qualitative method and utilizes a case study of the devastating forest fires in Chiang Mai in 2020. Through semi-structured interviews with Karen villagers (n=15) in Chiang Mai with the aid of a research assistant, this research aims to assess the human security situation of the Karen community facing forest fires. This research explores forest fires’ impacts on the Karen community through a Human Security lens. This research also examines conditions and factors that affect human security situations and vulnerability and capability that impact the Karen community.This research finds that the policy executed without arranging and preparing a counterplan with Karen farmers who are “citizens” directly affected the entire Karen community in Chiang Mai. This research concludes that this political insecurity hugely affected the entire human security of the Karen community facing forest fires, especially food and health security. This research, therefore, argues that the capability of the Karen community to enhance their human security situation is limited by political insecurities and ethical discrimination.