Publications Year 2004

Exploring Borders: Reportage from Our Mekong by Inter Press Service Asia-Pacific (IPS), Bangkok, Thailand (160 pages).

This is the second book to be published under the Mekong Media Fellowship programme 'Our Mekong: A Vision amid Globalisation
The rough-and-tumble feel of bustling border towns. Increasing trade between countries that used to be at war with each other. Differences that divide and similarities that bind people. Legends they share. These are just some of the images found in this book, a collection of in-depth features and photo essays done by 17 journalists from the six countries of the Mekong region. This is a look at the fast-changing region through the eyes of local journalists, who spent weeks and months exploring cross-border issues and then crafted features around them.

From China, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, these journalists make up the second group of fellows who have completed the media fellowship programme 'Our Mekong: A Vision amid Globalisation', undertaken by Inter Press Service Asia-Pacific with the financial support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Southeast Asia Regional Office.

For inquiries on how to obtain copies, please email mekong@ipsnews.net or contact IPS directly.

Gender, Sexuality & Sexual Health: Published Working Papers, The Consultation of Investment in Health Promotion.

This is a collection consisting of three research papers (in English) which have been originally published in Vietnamese.
The research papers include:
1. Parent-adolescent communication about sexuality in Vietnam: content, barriers and motivation by Trinh Van Thang (24 pages, 875 KB)
2. Injecting Drug Users in Vietnam: the Dynamics of AIDS risks and sexual relationships by Nguyen Tran Lam (22 pages, 944 KB)
3. Sex Work in Vietnam: What are the implications for HIV/AIDS Prevention? by Vu Ngoc Bao (13 pages, 462 KB)

For inquiries on how to obtain copies, please email encourages@cihp.org or contact CIHP directly.

Working Paper No. 3 Land and Forestland Allocation Policy: Impacts on Land Use Practices in Hatkhai and Yang-Khoua Villages, Thaphabath District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR. Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

This publication is a Working Paper Series No.3 of "Resource Politics and Cultural Transformation in the Mekong Region" which is the result of visiting scholar and non-degree research fellowship programs supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.

This paper examines the implementation of the LFA program in 1999 in two communities located along the foothills of the Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area in Thaphabath district in Bolikhamxay province. The study seeks to examine the implementation of the LEA in the two communities, and analyzes the economic conditions, livelihoods, land-use practices and food security to compare and understand the changes before and after the implementation of the LFA policy.

Working paper No.1 Land and Water Resource Management in Coastal Areas: Socio-Economic Impact of Government Intervention, Bac Lieu Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.


 

This publication is a Working Paper Series No. 1 of "Resource Politics and Cultural Transformation in the Mekong Region" which is the result of visiting scholar and non-degree research fellowship programs supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.


The study reveals the socio-economic impacts that occurred in the Mekong Delta despite the Vietnam government’s well-meaning interventions for preventing salinity intrusion and improving agriculture production.

Forced by the needs of food security in the early 1990s, the Vietnam government constructed a series of embankments and sluices along the coast of Camau Peninsula, including Bac Lieu province in the Mekong Delta, to prevent salinity and maintain the flow of fresh water into the Hau river (a branch of the Mekong river). The government expected that farmers could intensify their production of rice and thereby improve their livelihoods in these areas protected from salinity. However, farmers who cultivated rice in acid sulfate soil areas suffered serious crop failures. The shift toward rice production also came at the expense of a fall in the production of aquatic products, both from the breeding of shrimp in brackish waters in the fields and the catching of fish in the canals.

Working paper No.2 Social Change in the Economic Transformation of Livelihoods: Voices from the Upland Mountain Community in Southwestern China.

 


This publication is a Working Paper Series No. 2 of "Resource Politics and Cultural Transformation in the Mekong Region" which is the result of visiting scholar and non-degree research fellowship programs supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Since 1983, China’s attempts at market-driven economic growth through agricultural reforms and tourism are resulting in the transformation of traditional use and tenure of land and forest. As the market economy encounters the largely subsistence-based economies of the rural mountain areas, increased commercialisation of non-timber forest products for outside markets is placing pressures on rural livelihoods and natural resources.

The study explores these changes in the Jinuo and Dai ethnic peoples living in the upland mountains of Yunnan province in southwestern China to understand the social implications of this livelihood transformation: changing gender identification in the collection and harvest of non-timber forest products; and, the social networks hidden in non-timber forest products barter system or the Laogen network - a social relationship based on friendship among members of the Jinuo and Dai peoples.

Land Use History in Montane Mainland Southeast Asia:Highlights and Outcomes of a Mobile Workshop held 15 -27 January 2005, in China, Laos, and Thailand. Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge (CBIK), China.

 


The region known as 'Moutane Mainland Southeast Asia' (MMSEA) includes the upland areas of Yunnan in southwest China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and part of Cambodia, all of which share many common cultural and biophysical features including history, settlement patterns, land use, ideological and cosmological elements.

In January 2005, an interdisciplinary team joined with partners to participate in a unique learning process to gather, experience, and exchange information about land use and land cover in Montane Mainland Southeast Asia. This 'mobile workshop' on land use history traversed through the heart of the MMSEA eco-cultural region, stopping at three venues in three different countried: China, Laos, and Thailand. The innovative approach included case studies in each area, thematic working groups, community assessments, and policy dialogue for sharing knowledge and ideas about epistemology. This publication summarises the outcomes of the mobile workshop and provides insight into land use dynamics in the Greater Mekong sub-region. For more information, please email to contact distri@icimod.org directly or visit http://www.icimod.org

Migrant Domestic Workers by Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol Unversity, Nakornpathom, Thailand.

"Millions of people from Burma have migrated into neighboring countries over the past decade. Most have left their country in search of security and safety as a direct result of internal conflict and militarization, severe economic hardship and minority persecution."
"This exodus represents one of the largest migration flows in Southeast Asia. The minority people of Burma make up the majority of those dislocated as a result of Burma's State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC's) renew commitment to eliminate ethnic militias and any support for them in minority areas through forced labour and portering, as well as forces relocation and arbitrary taxation, all of which leave the country's population, particularly the minorities, extremely vulnerable.

This research project was identified, proposed and implemented by Shan and Karen researchers who realized a lack of knowledge and even recognition of the growing number of domestics workers from Burma to Thailand. In stating their interests, the local researchers were given a small grant to develop their proposal and research methodology from the Rockefeller Foundation based in Bangkok."

To download the publication, please click the links below.
For inquiries on how to obtain copies, please email directpr@mahidol.ac.th or contact IPSR directly.

Proceeding Foundations-World Bank Country Dialogue by World Bank, Bangkok, Thailand: October 19-20, 2004

Co-hosted by the World Bank, Thailand Country Office, and the Rockefeller Foundation, Southeast Asia Regional Office.

"On October 19-20, 2004, fifty participants, consisting of international and local foundations, government representatives, and World Bank staff, met in Bangkok to explore common areas of interest and potential entry points for collaboration around Thailand's development agenda. The purpose of convening a dialogue with World Bank Country Offices is to share knowledge, increase communication, and explore ways that the World Bank can work more effectively with philanthropic organizations."

To download the publication, please click here (5 pages, 99KB, acrobat file). For inquiries on how to obtain full copies, please contact the World Bank, Thailand directly.

Researching Sexuality and Sexual Health in Southeast Asia and China by Virginia Henderson (Editor), Eveline Yang (Editor): Institute for Health Sciences, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, China.

This publication on Researching Sexuality and Sexual Health in Southeast Asia and China is a compilation of eight papers selected from presentations given at the 6th Asia-Pacific Social Sciences and Medicines Conference (APPSAM) in Kunming, China, during October 14-18, 2002.

"The selected papers provide some indication of the state of sexuality and sexual health research in the region. There is an emphasis on knowledge and behavior and most of the studies focus on youth or other so-called risk groups. These studies are an important first step in understanding the plural manifestations of sexuality and sexual behaviors in Southeast Asia, and the sexual health needs that are arising due to rapid social cultural changes. However, there are still many gaps and scarce use of innovative research techniques and approaches for enabling us to better grasp the underlying complexities in this challenging field. Hopefully this book will be an inspiration for younger researchers to move the research agenda forward."

To download the publication, please click the links below.
(12 pages, 143 KB, Acrobat File), (214 pages, 525 KB, Acrobat File)

Talk About Sexuality in Thailand: Mahidol University, Center for Health Policy Studies, Nakornprathom, Thailand.

The essays in this book were written in Thai by the well-known author, Nithi Aeusrivongs, a professor at northern Thailand's Chiang Mai University and one of the most prominent historians and philosophers in the country. The essays in the book were published in the daily newspaper Matichon, up until August 2002.
The essays collected here are concerned with peoples' thoughts and acts related to sex: gender identity and sexual prejudice, the emancipation and empowerment of women, as well as personal expressions of sexuality, both heterosexual and gay. None are the shallow views of which our modern, live-for-today culture has so many; they are complex and multi-dimensional, reflecting their roots in a long cultural history, which has and continues to evolve.

To download the publication, please click the links below.
For more information, please email coordinator@seaconsortium.org or visit http://www.seaconsortium.org

Untangling Vulnerability: A study on HIV/AIDS Prevention Programming for Migrant Fishermen and Related Populations in Thailand, Raks Thai Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand.

"Raks Thai Foundation with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Southeast Asia Regional Office, conducted a study to identity strategies used by implementers in HIV/AIDS prevention programming for migrant fishermen and related population in Thailand."

This study is set out to assess the current level of implementation and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS programming for fishermen and related populations in the major ports of Thailand, and to explore possible future directions for this programming.

The results of the study are presented in three sections. The first section provides a profile of migrant fishermen and related populations in Thailand. Starting from source communities, this section characterizes these groups and factors that contributes to their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and provide an inkling of the complications implementers face in this type of programming. In this context, "vulnerability" can be considered as a set of socio-political factors that include cultural and sub-cultural characteristics related to ethnic groups and particular occupations, and structural barriers that limit migrants' access to health services, community and rights.

To download the publication, please click here.(61 pages, 1.53 MB, Acrobat File). For inquiries on how to obtain copies, please email info@raksthai.org or visit its website.

Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health: Equity, Access and Quality in Family Practice: Family Medicine Research Group, Inc.,Manila, Philippines:

"In Southeast Asia, there are several reasons why reproductive health remains an uncontrolled problem. The lack of political commitment to make motherhood safe is one. There is minimal resource allocation in terms of finances, skilled personnel, adequate health facilities and available drugs to reproductive and sexual health. Training for health workers, especially in interpersonal communication skills, is aggravated by poor information, education and motivation activities for the general public."
To download the publication, please click on the links below 
Cover page  (10 pages, 268 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 1: Introduction: (30 pages, 689 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 2: Survey in Cambodia (60 pages, 1,274 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 3: Philippine Country Report (90 pages, 1,898 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 4: Vietnam Country Report (56 pages, 1,222 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 5: Consensus Conference: (44 pages, 781 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 6: Country Comparison: (24 pages, 476 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 7: Conclusion: (20 pages, 394 KB, Acrobat File)
Appendices: (20 pages, 331 KB, Acrobat File)

Watermelons, bars and trucks: dangerous intersections in Northwest Lao PDR: An ethnographic study of social change health vulnerability along the road through Muang Sing and Muang Long, by Institute for Cultural Research of Lao and Macquarie.

"Young men, stripped down to their underwear, heave styrofoam boxes dripping icewater up into a waiting 6-wheel truck. Hundreds of boxes are still to be unloaded from the cargo boat that has recently berthed on the rocky shore of Xiangkok after its 5-hour journey up the Mekong from the river port of Chiang Saen famous for its vistas of the geographic fulcrum of the Golden Triangle. The truck-driver and labourers are Chinese, the boat-driver Burmese, the pa fa are raised in Thailand, but for its brief journey from the sandy Xiengkok border just the width of a river from Burma to the border at Pangthong where Route 17B enters China, everything the truck passes is Lao."

"Supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, a research project to examine these issues was conducted in three phrases from Jan 2003 - Jan 2004 with the following objectives:

  • To conduct an impact analysis of increased mobility along the recently constructed Xiengkok-Muang Sing Road and the implications of this throughfare for the increased transmission of HIV and the trafficking of drugs
  • To analyse how the shift from subsistence economy to an increased reliance on commodity trade within a market economy is affecting health standard and increasing the potential for HIV transmission within ethnic minority populations in areas proximate to the new highway.
  • To examine how increased infrastructure development, such as roads, impacts on local livelihoods and provide a basis for pro-active public health initiatives in areas where future roads and mobility are planned in the upper Mekong region.
To download the publication, please click on the links below 
Introduction (11 pages, 235 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 1: Historical and Cultural Overview (12 pages, 517 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 2: Local Livelihoods (13 pages, 572, Acrobat File)
Chapter 3: Material Development: Commerce and Trade (20 pages, 785 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 4: Deterritorialisation and Movement to the Lowlands (8 pages, 199 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 5: Relocation and Health (5 pages, 55 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 6: Health and HIV vulnerability to HIV/AIDS/STDS (23 pages, 512 KB, Acrobat File)
Chapter 7: Regulating Drug Use and Abuse (12 pages, 128 KB, Acrobat File)
Conclusion (5 pages, 57 KB, Acrobat File)
References (9 pages, 85 KB, Acrobat File)