1. Chao Phraya River Basin
B. 1. Rural

4. 1. Land Use
- describes how humans have decided
to use the land.

5. Thailand
• Rural: 90% of Thailand’s total area is
- used for agriculture and forest
including beaches and wilderness
parkland.
• Urban: 10% of Thailand’s total area is
used for cities including industrial lands
and space used for transportation system
as roads

6. Rural Agricultural Land
Until 1960’s
• an agricultural society
Causes of the Change:
1.Advancement in Technology
2.Economic Globalization

7. 1
1
1. Advanced Technology
 Farmers need to learn a new and better
ways to farm their land.

9. Use of scientific method to work the land
- farmers need to be more educated and
regulated about how they use the land
- Farmers who learned to use science to
produce higher crop yields, raised
healthier livestock and develop new ways
of farming

11. 2. Economic Globalization
Farmers must produce crops that meet
the standards of the food industry.

12. Chao Phraya River Basin
• Large rice paddies are
spread across the Chao
Phraya river basin
(Central Plain).
• Crops like rice, grains and
rubber are shipped to
markets by boat, rail and
transport trucks.

14. Thailand’s Success in Agriculture:
Reasons:
1.Excellent Climate
2.Long growing season
3.Large expanses of flat lands
4.Rich soil
5.Thai people apply science to business of
producing food
- Thailand’s crop production is a source of
international trade.

15. Thailand’s Issues
That are important to the success
in farming

16. I. WATER CONSERVATION

17. Water is the single most important challenge
that faces agriculture in Thailand.
4 Areas of importance:
1.Water Quantity
2.Water Management
3.Flood Control
4.Water Quality and Sustainability

18. 1. Water Quantity

19. THAILAND
• When water is managed
properly:
- Increase crop yields
• When water is
mismanaged:
- disaster in farming
- bad for Thai economy

20. Water Management:
Manage trees!
•Roots (from trees) hold
soil
•Conserve ground water
•Maintain water balance
in the natural
environment

21. • Over time, more and more forest cover
has been taken over for agriculture.
• Forest near larger cities , farmland has
been taken over for housing
developments and industry.

22. In 1840, 95% of the district was covered in native vegetation; this figure
is now 15%, most of which is in the Kaimai ranges. (New Zealand)

24. This will result to serious problems:
Removal of trees:
1.Soil erosion:
 soil can be washed away by the rain
 soil can be blown away by the wind
2. Farmland converted to roads, industrial
and residential areas can no longer be used
in producing food

26. 2. Water Management
1. Monitor water quantity
2. Create wells (underground water can be
pumped to the surface for crop use.)
3. Construct irrigation system to farms
4. The use of canals, open and covered
drainage ditches, above ground tubing
system, levees and sprinkler systems

27. Irrigation System

28. Open and covered drainage

29. Sprinkler System
Levee (dike)

31. 3. Flood Control
• - farmers plant low plants or ground cover
on the fields that they are not using and
along irrigation ditches and slopes so that
soil will not be washed away during heavy
rain or flooding

33. 4. Water Quality and
Sustainability
• - farmers know how to protect water
resources.
- control chemicals that pollute the soil and
damage quality of water.

34. Causes of water pollution in
farm areas
1. Runoff of soil and
fertilizer
• Farm animal manure are
major source of nitrate
that pollutes ground
water

35. 2. PRESERVATION OF
FARMLAND

36. • Government agencies monitor (check)
and set limits for land use in Chao Phraya
basin.
- the land cannot be used in other
purposes except farming
- farmers are taught how to protect the soil
from pollution and erosion
- foreigners cannot own rich farmland

37. 3. QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL
AREAS

38. People in Thailand do not pay high prices
for their food when compared to other
countries in the world.
There are many government projects that
provide equal opportunities for Thais living
in both rural and urban areas leading to an
improved quality of life for people living in
the rural areas.
- increased access to education, better
medical care and improved sanitation

39. Some Issues
1. The economics of farming causes
inequality in the standard of living
2. Some Thai agricultural products bring
high prices in international markets but
sometimes the middle men/overseas
brokers get a greater share of the profit

40. 3. People who live and work in the rural
areas earn a lower salary than people who
live and work in the cities.
4. Farmers are poor; some people in the
rural areas want to move to big cities like
Bangkok making the city overpopulated.

41. 5. This will result to social problems like
unemployment, lack of housing, increase
costs for government services, tension in
society which often result to increase crime
rates.