Phuong (2025) From rice farming to plastic recycling: local innovation and agrarian change in Minh Khai Village, Hung Yen province, Vietnam

Title: From rice farming to plastic recycling: local innovation and agrarian change in Minh Khai Village, Hung Yen province, Vietnam

Author: Miss Phuong Linh Pham

Year: 2025

Keywords: plastic waste recycling, waste economy, local innovation, agrarian change

Theme: Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This research analyzes the initiation and expansion of the plastic waste recycling business from the perspective of local innovation, and the agrarian consequences of this business in Minh Khai village, Hung Yen, Vietnam. Originating in the 1980s as individual efforts to diversify household livelihoods amid poverty, Minh Khai’s plastic recycling industry gradually evolved into a community-based economic ecosystem. This development was shaped by the opportunities created through economic reforms, the geographical advantages of certain regions, and the strong role of kinship networks in sharing knowledge and new livelihood models. This transformation in livelihood patterns has driven a transition in land use from agricultural to industrial purposes, altered the composition of the labor force from local villagers to migrant workers, and reshaped the socio-economic structure of the community. The Minh Khai case illustrates how the emergence and expansion of the waste economy in the Global South stem not only from people’s efforts to escape poverty in the absence of adequate state support, but also from the state’s failure to guide livelihoods and local economies toward stable and sustainable pathways

Risk perceptions of coffee growers in northern Thailand: a case study of Chiang Rai province

Title: Risk perceptions of coffee growers in northern Thailand: a case study of Chiang Rai province

Author: Miss Melody Sie

Year: 2024

Keywords: Thai coffee agriculture risk perception agricultural livelihoods Thai farmers climate risks

Theme: Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Thailand's coffee sector faces numerous risks, impacting coffee farmers' livelihoods. This study explores risk perception and management strategies through in-depth interviews with coffee farmers based in Chiang Rai province. Drawing from Joy Harwood’s categorization of agricultural risk, the risks assessed in this study fell under the domains of production, market, and institutional risks. Farmers' perceptions of these risks were analyzed by considering the mental strategies and biases (heuristics) that shaped their perceptions, as well as how farmers measured risk according to their risk attributes (frequency, severity, adaptation ability). The values, emotions, and experiences of farmers shape the foreground of farmers' mentality and priorities in judging risk, which in turn, affects how farmers respond when determining a risk's attributes. Such values included community engagement, quality, innovation, and sustainability. Farmers' responses to risk also demonstrated emotions of frustration, resilience, and happiness, reflecting the drivers for farmers in their approaches to farming and informing the amount of risk each farmer would take on based on the level of emotional attachment. Inconsistent rainfall was perceived to be the most anticipated risk regarding future occurrence and was also perceived as the risk with the most severe impact. On the other hand, farmers perceived barriers to market access as the risk with the greatest ability to adapt. Other risks such as knowledge barriers and limited agricultural expansion were also ranked among the risks with the most severe impact, revealing that the magnitude of risks span across risk domains, outside of just production risks. The findings of the study reveal the intricate relationship between emotional responses, personal experiences, initial exposures, and cultural values in shaping farmers' risk perceptions, and bring attention to the need for comprehensive support from government agencies to partner directly with farmers in order to secure the long-term sustainability for Thailand's coffee sector and the livelihoods of the farmers involved.

The socio-economic impacts of sport tourism development in Buriram : Challenges and opportunities for equitable growth

Title: The socio-economic impacts of sport tourism development in Buriram : Challenges and opportunities for equitable growth

Author: Miss Wanwanat Phromdecha

Year: 2024

Keywords: Buriram,Sport tourism,equitable growth,Community Participation,Cultural, Identity,inequality

Theme: Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Naruemon Thabchumpon

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This thesis examines the socio-economic impacts and the challenges to equitable growth posed by sport tourism-led development in Buriram Province, Thailand. Over the past decade, Buriram has gained both national and international visibility by branding itself as a sport tourism destination, anchored by infrastructure such as the Chang Arena football stadium and the Buriram International Circuit. However, significant contradictions remain. According to the Thailand People Map (TPMAP), in 2022 Buriram had the highest number of people living in poverty in the northeastern region, totaling 45,356 individuals. Notably, the highest concentration of poverty is found in Mueang District, the same area where major tourism infrastructure is located. Data from the 2022 Poverty and Inequality Report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) further illustrates this paradox: between 2004 and 2018, Buriram consistently ranked among the top ten provinces with the highest poverty headcount ratio, reaching the fourth highest in the country in 2015. These findings suggest that while sport tourism generates visibility and revenue, its benefits may not be reaching all segments of the population.This study employs a qualitative approach, using thematic analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with key local stakeholders, including business owners, tourism workers, residents, state officials, and local scholars. The analysis follows Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework and is supported by secondary data from the NESDC, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and Buriram City Municipality, as well as tourism development plans and economic reports.The findings identify six major challenges to equitable growth in Buriram. First, economic opportunities remain unevenly distributed, with most tourism revenue captured by large, well-connected businesses or national franchises, while local procurement remains limited. Second, livelihood insecurity and rising social costs highlight a disconnect between development gains and the lived realities of many residents. Third, decision-making is dominated by political elites, limiting transparency and reinforcing narrow benefit distribution. Fourth, community participation is weak, as planning is often top-down with minimal grassroots involvement. Lastly, local cultural identity is marginalized, with superficial inclusion in events but limited representation in official narratives, raising concerns about cultural commodification. In conclusion, although sport tourism has contributed to economic growth and increased visibility for Buriram, the distribution of its benefits remains highly uneven. This study underscores the need for policies that strengthen local capacity, promote inclusive governance, and ensure meaningful cultural representation in the province’s ongoing development strategy

Social innovation and inclusive business model for the bottom of the pyramid : A case study of organic tourism ecosystem in Thailand

Title: Social innovation and inclusive business model for the bottom of the pyramid : A case study of organic tourism ecosystem in Thailand

Author: Mr.Yunkang Liu

Year: 2020

Keywords: Inclusive Business Model, Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP), Organic Tourism, Nakhon Pathom

Theme: Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Sirima Thongsawang

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Social inequality and poverty are major challenges facing all humans in the 21st century. At the same time, income gaps, uneven development of urban-rural, and poverty as the stumbling block of Thailand to achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It is necessary to explore new development models by promoting social innovation. On the one hand, in the past few decades, the private sector is one of the main contributors to Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the ASEAN region. It is important to encourage the private sector to assume more responsibilities for contributing to local development. The inclusive business model as a business approach with a focus on the improved benefits of the “Bottom of the Pyramid” community, and promote sustainable development economically, socially, and environmentally. On the other hand, the tourism industry has contributed to Thailand’s economic prosperity and poverty reduction, but some research shows that under certain circumstances, tourism has also deepened the fissures separating the rich and poor, and worsens wealth distribution. In this thesis, an inclusive business case study was selected which call the "Suan Sampran" organic tourism project in the Nakhon Pathom province of Thailand. Based on the qualitative research method through in-depth interviews with different project stakeholders, to analyze the role of the private sector’ inclusive business model on promoting inclusive growth for Thai society. This research finds that develop inclusive business in the organic tourism industry helps improve the “Bottom of the Pyramid” community’s sustainable livelihoods which leads to promoting poverty reduction and social equality in Thailand. Besides, this research may also help to investigate the challenges in implementing the inclusive business model in the organic tourism industry of Thailand