Local Wisdom in the Environmental Management of a Community: Analysis of Local Knowledge in Tha Pong Village, Thailand

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study knowledge management regarding sustainable environmental management and the protection of natural resources. In this study, the researchers used a qualitative method with fieldwork observation, in-depth interviews of twenty key informants, and a focus group comprised of thirty-three people to discuss and participate in sustainable environmental management and natural resource protection. The data were analyzed using content and descriptive analyses. We found that the knowledge management of the community was divided into two types: 1) knowledge management of an internal community, such as knowledge exchanged between a community's members; and 2) knowledge management of an external community, such as knowledge exchanged between communities. Likewise, in the development of a community practice, a community's members participated in creating groups for specific activities, such as a group for saving money and a group for handicraft production.