Dissonance among, and responses of Ban Sam Phak Nam villagers in Phu Pha Man National Park, Northeastern Thailand

Majority of the respondents perceived a high degree of dissonance from overall elements identified as sources of external pressure. The overall disturbance created by the thought of staying inside the national park was a main contributor to the degree of dissonance. With respect to the average degree of dissonance, the study reported five external pressures which had high level of dissonance: a) lack of land tenure security; b) non-recognition by the RFD [Royal Forest Department] foresters; c) pressure of being suspected of destroying the forest inside the national park; d) pressure to change land use system from monocropping to agroforestry or integrated farming system; and e) anxiety over uncertainty of stay inside the national park. Two external pressure contributed moderate level of dissonance to the respondents, namely, lack of infrastructure support from the government and negative attitude of outside village to the villagers. Differences in the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics influence the degree of dissonance. Age, educational attainment, and number of children were found to be influential in the degree of dissonance resulting from the negative attitude of outside village. Length and status of respondents' stay in the village had significant relationship with the level of dissonance resulting from lack of security in land tenure and the pressures from changing the land use. Size of land holding was related to the degree of dissonance arising from the pressure to change the land use system. The degree of dissonance resulting from anxiety over uncertainty of stay inside the national park was affected by age and size of land holding. The relationships of responses and degree of dissonance were determined. The acceptance of village rule and regulations were negatively associated with the degree of dissonance from the lack of infrastructure support from government. Farm development and environmental conservation have a positive relationship with the degree of dissonance caused by the pressure of being suspected of destroying the forests. As a result, external pressures exerted some influences on the villagers in Ban Sam Phak Nam and contributed to their dissonant situation. The degree of dissonance from overall pressures was high and the villagers tried to reduce it by direct and indirect responses