RSUSSH 2020
IN20-136 The Study on Reasons for Approval of Thai Rice Projects in Lanchang-Mekong Cooperation Based on Geographical Relationship
Presenter: Xiongling Chen
Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand
Abstract
Lanchang-Mekong River passes through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Lanchang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), based on such geographical condition, has been established in order to solve common regional problems. As the main source of diet for the people in this region, rice is an important industrial crop and one of the top export products all over the world. However, there are some factors, especially climate change, that have enormous impacts on the production of quality rice in the region. Due to the uncertain factors, these countries face the hidden dangers of the food crisis. The objective of this study was to analyze the reasons why Thailand successfully got 2 rice project approvals from LMC in 2019. The study was a qualitative research, which conducted an in-depth interview with 2 officials and collected data and literatures to analyze. The result indicates that regional rice culture, demand of food security, rice economic integration, and rice sustainable environmental development which is based on geographical relationship are the reasons that the rice projects was approved by LMC. Besides, the existing geographical relationship theory is not sufficient for the comprehensive analysis in the case of LMC rice projects. Geographical environment perspective should also be taken into consideration.
Citation format:
Chen, L., & Wang, R.. (2020). The Study on Reasons for Approval of Thai Rice Projects in Lanchang-Mekong Cooperation Based on Geographical Relationship. Proceeding in RSU International Research Conference, May 1, 2020. Pathum Thani, Thailand.QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Can you also discuss other frameworks relating cooperation framework to compare of what you used, and also economic aspects. Whether you did some qualitative study such as from interviewing people who make the decision of approval to confirm your arguments?
Can you also discuss other frameworks relating cooperation framework to compare of what you used, and also economic aspects. Whether you did some qualitative study such as from interviewing people who make the decision of approval to confirm your arguments?
Also, I think it is written as Lancang-mekong, rather than Lanchang-Mekong. Please check.
Dear Dr. Sauwalak Kittiprapas (Chairperson)
Thank you very much for spending your time on my reserarch paper and making such valuable questions. My answers to your questions are as follow;
Question 1: Can you also discuss other frameworks relating cooperation framework to compare of what you used, and also economic aspects.
Answer 1: There are quite a few relating cooperation frameworks to LMC, I would like to take MKCF (Mekong-Korea Cooperation Framework) as a comparason. The main donor of MKCF is the Korean Government. The comparason in term of economic aspects between LMC and MKCF is that they both share some similar areas of cooperation such as agriculture, trade and poverty. These cooperative areas cleary focus on the integration of economy in the member countries
Question 2: Whether you did some qualitative study such as from interviewing people who make the decision of approval to confirm your arguments?
Answer 2: I did interviewed the LMC focal point persons from Thai side in agriculture section, they are the ones who represent the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand in LMC. They work side by side along with the Chinese embassy who represents the Chinese Government, the Chines Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the main donor and the projects approver of LMC). I believe that the information taken for the focal point can represents the point of views of the projetcs approver as they share the same informations.
Question 3: The spelling of Lanchang-Mekong to Lancang-Mekong.
Answer 3: Ok, I will correct the word to "Lancang".
Thank you.