As already known, Thailand is facing economic crisis. Every party is of the same opinion that the best way to solve the problem is to build up the strength of the community. Developing the economic strength of a community towards self-reliance is a way out, which has become the main mission of the government in operating the policy of "One Tambol (sub-district) One Product". Many organizations participate in this operation. Under the current of this community's economic development, the people are promoted to speed up producing their products to sell through the small and medium enterprises (SME). At this same time, it is found that the people have not been developed or prepared to operate the business. Therefore, the business enterprises of many community can not succeed and is not sustainable.
The hill tribes, being a part of Thai people, are also facing the same problems, which could be much more than general Thai people - because they are hill tribe people. They are the disadvantaged, living in remote areas. They lack all kinds of opportunities to reach the development, promotion and support from the government and non-government organizations. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), being of great concern for such conditions and foresee the need of developing or promoting the knowledge on business enterprise for the hill tribe people. But, which is the most suitable way of promotion. FAO cooperates with the Credit Union League of Thailand, Ltd. (CULT), which is an organization involving in socio-economic community development, and has a Business Enterprise Development Department to promote business enterprise development for the member credit union cooperatives all over the country. The Micro Economic Development Project has areas of operation among the hill tribe communities in many provinces. The 3 organizations have cooperate to make this Handbook on Small Enterprises for Hill Tribe People in Thailand.
In preparing this Handbook, there had been surveys conducted in three hill tribes' villages in Chiangmai and Maehongsorn Provinces. The purpose of the handbook is the effective guidelines for the hill tribe people in their small business enterprise operation. The writing stresses on contents relevant to the hill tribes'way of living, using easy language which is easy to read, easy to understand, easy for implementation, and avoiding using the formal language, which is hard to understand.
In writing the handbook, the writer has gathered the 10-year experiences on the community's business enterprise promotion programs of the Credit Union League of Thailand, Ltd. Therefore, the content of this manual is actually from the practical experience. And, the data collected from the survey, have furnished the practical guidelines of appropriate business enterprise relevant to the hill tribes' way of living. The draft copy has passed the consideration of a working committee, who are from organizations working with the hill tribes. Besides, this handbook has been tested out three times in different places, if it is practically proper for implementation. Firstly, it was tested among the personnels of organizations working with the hill tribes. Secondly, the test was carried out among the Lawa hill tribe's community at Laoop Patana village, in Maelanoi district, Maehongsorn province, and thirdly, among the Karen hill tribe's community at Huaybong village, in Chaiprakarn district, Chiangmai province.
May I acknowledge with deep gratitude. This handbook is from the cooperation of many organizations who joined hands and heads sharing ideas and opinions as the working committee, such as, the Inter mountain people education and culture in Thailand association, Chiangmai Hill tribe Development and Welfare Center and the Natural Focus
Pattareepan Pongwat
Manager
Department for Women and SME
Credit Union League of Thailand, Ltd.
Writer
