MODEL FOR PROMOTING THE CONSERVATION OF LOCAL PLANT SPECIES OF THE PGA K’NYAU PEOPLE IN THE THAI-BURMA BORDER, MAE HONGSON PROVINCE ACCORDING TO THE KING’S PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

This research aimed to explore and study the model for promoting the conservation of indigenous plant species by the Pga K’nyau ethnic group in the Thai - Myanmar border area of Mae Hong Son Province, using the principles of Sufficiency Economy and the King’s Philosophy as the conceptual framework. The study employed a qualitative methodology, using in - depth interviews as the primary data collection tool. Key informants were five community leaders and local residents of the Pga K’nyau group living in the border area of Mueang Mae Hong Son District, Mae Hong Son Province. The participants were selected using the snowball sampling technique.

The research results were found as follows;

1) Indigenous plants used by the Pga K’nyau people for daily consumption were categorized based on traditional and localized knowledge. These plants could be grouped into six categories: roots and tubers, stems, leaves and shoots, flowers, pods and fruits. They included various types such as trees, shrubs, herbs, and vines. Moreover, the plants could be classified by habitat, including farms, rice fields, wetlands, riverbanks, home gardens, fence lines, and forest areas.  

2) The benefits of these indigenous plants were divided into two main usages: one for food preparation and the other for traditional medicine. The study found that the conservation practices of the Pga K’nyau are aligned with global indigenous knowledge systems and development concepts based on the King’s Philosophy. This included the principles of “understanding,” which emphasizes developing a comprehensive understanding of the community’s context and compiling local knowledge, especially that derived from royal development projects, to support sustainable plant conservation and promote self - reliant living in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.