Abstract

A study of “The People Research and Development Method: A Useful Tool for Community Learning and Sustainable Resources Management in Thailand” applied the People Research and Development (PR&D) method to generate a learning process for the community in order to contribute local sustainable Resource management. The case study area was in Tambon Bangkhunsai, Petchaburi Province, Thailand. This method facilitated local community members to become researchers themselves since the beginning of the research. Local researchers had to go through the following steps: holding a meetings, collecting data, analyzing data, learning from the best practice, designing the master plan, conducting public consultation on the project plan, putting the plan into action and evaluating and monitoring the plan. PR&D’s major output was Tambon Bangkhunsai Master Plan. This plan was a Community’s Living Plan which based on the following principles: (1) ecological system as being environmental friendly; (2) social system as being a learning society; and (3) economic system as in sufficiency economy. Research findings indicated that PR& D method could create a community learning process to manage their resources in a sustainable way. This could be considered from the learning process results; the Tambon Bangkhunsai Master Plan which composed of four systems: (1) Natural Resources Management System, (2i) Community Enterprise and Subsidiary Work Creating System, (3) Public Health Management System and (4) Capital Management System. From Tambon Bangkhunsai case study suggests that there are a few key success factors that determine whether PR & D will be helpful in any given situation. These factors were commitment of the local researchers, approach of the facilitator, appropriate application of tools and existing community strength.