Sadanu Sukkasame

Participation, Dwelling and Environment: Re-housing an Indigenous Karen Community in Thailand

Main supervisor: Dr Peter Kellett

Second supervisor: Professor Prue Chiles

Abstract: This study aims to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of a re-housing process on the lifestyle and culture of a Karen community and to identify supportive factors and challenges affecting the process. The study investigates the people of a Karen village who were forcibly evicted from their village homes by armed Thai forces and national park officials. They were relocated to new areas further from the Thai-Myanmar border but still within the national park where they constructed initial dwellings in a new village. The study employs a multi-method perspective: architectural, anthropological and sociological. A participatory approach was employed throughout the project, with a focus on design workshops which were a key approach of the study. Furthermore, sub-themes focus on socio-cultural, environmental and economic issues, such as kinship, gender, tradition, income, building materials and construction. The empirical findings enhance our understanding of the roles and responsibilities of working processes and the indigenous environment.